Co-Living & Shared Room Agreement (Ireland)
A co-living and shared-room agreement covering an individual private room plus communal areas, joint versus several liability, shared bills and house conduct. Reflects Ireland's tenancy/licence distinction and multi-occupancy fire-safety and standards obligations.
What's included
- Private room plus shared communal areas
- Tenancy vs licence classification
- Joint-and-several vs sole-room liability
- Shared bills and cost-splitting
- House conduct and cleaning rota
- Deposit capped at one month's rent
- Multi-occupancy fire-safety and standards note
- Signature block for resident(s) and operator
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🇮🇪 Local law notes — Ireland
Whether a co-living resident is a tenant or a licensee is central in Ireland: exclusive use of a room in a property where the landlord does not reside is generally a tenancy under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and must be registered with the RTB, while a live-in-landlord arrangement is usually a licence outside the Act. Deposits are capped at one month's rent, and combined upfront payments at two months' rent. Multi-occupancy properties must meet minimum standards under S.I. No. 137/2019 and applicable fire-safety and local-authority HMO requirements, and joint-and-several liability applies where housemates share a single agreement.
Inside the document
1. Parties, Room and Common Areas
This Agreement is between the Landlord/Operator and the Resident(s) for exclusive use of the private room stated and shared use of communal areas (kitchen, bathrooms, living areas) at the address.
2. Nature of the Arrangement
Where the Resident has an exclusive room in a self-contained multi-tenant let, this is generally a tenancy under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and is registered with the RTB. Where the Operator or a live-in landlord resides in the dwelling, occupation may instead be a licence outside the Act.
3. Rent, Deposit and Upfront Payments
Rent for the room is stated below. Any deposit shall not exceed one month's rent, and total upfront payments (deposit plus advance rent) may not exceed two months' rent. Rent increases must comply with notice and Rent Pressure Zone rules where applicable.
4. Joint vs Several Liability
If the Residents share one agreement for the whole property, liability is joint and several (each may be liable for all rent and communal damage). If each Resident holds a separate room-only agreement, each is liable only for their own room and share of common costs, as stated below.
5. Shared Bills
Utilities, broadband and service charges are either included in the rent or split between residents as stated (e.g. equally or by room). Each Resident must pay their share on time; the method of splitting and any caps are set out here.
6. House Conduct and Communal Areas
Residents must keep communal areas clean (rota where used), respect quiet hours, resolve shared-space disputes reasonably, and not cause anti-social behaviour or nuisance to housemates or neighbours.
7. Occupancy, Guests and Sub-Letting
Only named Residents may occupy their room. Overnight guests are subject to house rules, and sub-letting or assigning a room requires the Landlord's written consent.
8. Standards, HMO and Fire Safety
The property is maintained to the minimum standards for rented houses (S.I. No. 137/2019). Where it is a House in Multiple Occupation, the Landlord is responsible for applicable fire-safety measures and any local-authority multiple-occupancy requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a house-share in Ireland a tenancy or a licence?
Usually a tenancy if you have exclusive use of your room in a property where the landlord does not live, and it should be registered with the RTB. It is more likely a licence where the landlord lives in the same dwelling, in which case the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply.
What is joint and several liability in an Irish house-share?
If all housemates sign one agreement for the whole property, each can be held responsible for the entire rent and for communal damage. To limit this, each resident should sign a separate room-only agreement covering only their room and share of costs.
Are there special rules for HMOs in Ireland?
Houses in Multiple Occupation must meet minimum standards under S.I. No. 137/2019 and applicable fire-safety requirements, and some local authorities apply additional multiple-occupancy controls. The landlord is responsible for these obligations.