The Mississippi roommate agreement (“room rental agreement”) is a contract between multiple tenants in a shared residential situation (“co-tenants”). The document outlines the expectations placed upon each co-tenant, as well as financial obligations, rules, and terms for the shared living spaces on the property.
The roommate agreement states the responsibilities of the parties sharing the space and how they relate to each other but it is not the same as a lease. A roommate may or may not be added to the lease depending on the needs and desires of the parties involved.
What to Include in a Mississippi Roommate Agreement
The roommate agreement should be very detailed about the rent to be paid, the private part of the rental unit for the exclusive use by the roommate, the house rules, the sharing of common areas, the responsibility for damages, maintenance, cleaning, and how to proportionally share expenses.
The details that are included in the roommate agreement, and explained to a new roommate, are important so that they understand the rules. This helps to avoid misunderstandings that may cause problems later.
Roommate’s Rights in Mississippi
There are not any specific laws in Mississippi that pertain to a roommate’s rights. The terms and conditions of a roommate agreement are subordinate (have lesser strength) to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. If a roommate violates any terms of the lease agreement, then the person(s) who signed the lease is responsible.
Roommates have a close personal relationship when they live together. Discrimination laws do not apply to roommates. It is perfectly legitimate to advertise for a roommate that has certain characteristics such as being of a certain race, gender, age, or religious persuasion. This would be illegal if a landlord did this when leasing out a rental unit; however, it is not illegal to choose the type of person you want to live with as a roommate based on these characteristics.
