Use the navigational links to easily access sections of the guide. See “Let’s discuss” segments for tips on conversation prompts and points.

This guide can help create your Roommate Agreement, to ensure a positive, comfortable, respectful and inclusive residence-living experience for everyone.

A Roommate Agreement at uOttawa:

• Is a mandatory shared document for roommates that sets ground rules (about noise, cleaning, guests, communication, etc.) to help everyone live together in residence.
• Must be completed together by everyone living in a unit by September 10, 2026.
• Records agreed-upon expectations that apply equally to everyone in the unit.
• Is designed to support communication, compromise and conflict prevention between roommates and can be reviewed and updated throughout the year as needs or circumstances change.
• Can be used as a reference if conflicts arise

At the University of Ottawa, creating a safe living and learning environment is a shared responsibility. While we’re committed to safety, your awareness and actions play a big role too. Be sure to lock your doors and windows, protect your student ID and room keys, and avoid letting others follow you into the building (also known as tailgating). Remember: Your actions can affect the safety of your roommates and other residents as well.

Important security resources

• uOttawa Protection Services: An on-campus team of professional security guards is available any time, day or night (24 hours a day / seven days a week). For emergencies, call 613-562-5411. For non-emergencies, call 613-562-5499.
• Download the uOttawa SecurUO app on your phone to receive emergency alerts, safety tips and useful tools.
• For roommate conflicts, contact your building peer support (PS).
• If your residence building includes community advisers, be sure to note their phone numbers.

Let’s discuss:

• What’s the plan if you or your roommate(s) are accidentally locked out of your unit?

Here are two options:

1. Call or text your roommate to let you back in. In residences with security doors and a reception desk, you’ll have to check in with reception to confirm that you’re a building resident to get back into your room.
2. Call 613-562-5885 (Housing 24/7 reception line) to request a door unlocking. You will have to answer security questions to confirm your identity. A fee to unlock the door may apply.

• Do you or any of your roommates have serious or life-threatening allergies or any specific needs that you feel comfortable sharing (e.g., religious, cultural, medical or accessibility)?
• How do you and your roommate(s) want to handle guests?

Reminder: All residence guests (max. two per resident) must always be registered using the Guest Registry link. It’s strictly prohibited — and a security risk — to lend your student ID or room keys to anyone.

• How would you bring up concerns if a guest makes you uncomfortable?
• When was the last time you checked in with your roommate(s)? How often should you check in with each other?

Keeping a shared space clean is everyone’s responsibility. Roommates should talk about their individual standards and agree on a cleaning schedule that feels fair to everyone. Once it’s created, post the schedule somewhere visible in your unit.

Use this Cleaning Tasks Checklist and Schedule.

4Residence staff will inspect your unit at least once per term. If any extra cleaning or repairs are needed and it can’t be determined who’s responsible — during inspections or when you move out — the cost is split among all roommates.

Let’s discuss:

• What do you consider to be a “clean unit”? How does this differ from your roommates?
• How will you share tasks, such as vacuuming, waste sorting and disposal, and bathroom cleaning?
• How often do you expect these tasks to be completed?
• Do your cleaning expectations change during midterm or exam period?
• What will be your unit’s policy about dirty dishes?
• How will you communicate with each other when you’re not satisfied with the level of cleanliness?
• Is it OK for guests to use any of my roommates’ belongings and, if so, which (be specific)?

Having guests visit your unit is a privilege that comes with responsibility. A guest is someone who doesn’t live in your unit or your residence building.

Each resident can have up to two guests at a time (with noise remaining a limiting factor). If a guest stays overnight for more than three days in a row, or more than six days in one month (even if not in a row), they can be seen as “cohabiting.” This means living in the room or unit like a roommate but without signing the residence agreement or paying for the room — and that’s not allowed.

Note the following:

• Ensure all your roommates are comfortable with your guest’s visit.
• Register your guest(s) at all times using the Guest Registry.
• Remember that as host, you’re responsible for the actions of your guests.
• Make sure your guests are familiar with and adhere to the Residence Agreement, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure.
• For the first three weeks of the term, no overnight guests are permitted in residence. Guests must leave by midnight, even if they’re signed in using the Guest Registry.

Let’s discuss:

• How do we feel about overnight guests in our unit? How will we communicate when we intend to have overnight guests?
• Are there any times or situations when you’d prefer not to have guests who could be romantic or sexual partners in the unit? (e.g., after 11 p.m.)?
• How do we feel about guests who could be romantic or sexual partners using the bathroom in our unit?
• In accordance with Policy 67b — Prevention of Sexual Violence, what are our views on sexual activity (including masturbation) in the unit or apartment? Is sexual activity OK in shared common spaces within a unit (e.g., showers or living room areas of a residence unit or apartment)?
• How comfortable are we with social events being hosted in our unit?
• How much notice should each of us expect before a social event is hosted in our unit?
• Who handles cleaning in our unit after a social event?

We encourage you and your roommate(s) to schedule a check-in every couple of weeks to talk about how things are going in your shared space. Even if there’s nothing urgent to discuss, it’s a good chance to connect and stay on the same page. Regular face-to-face conversations make it easier to address issues before they turn into bigger problems. Try not to use texts, or online or handwritten notes, to communicate.

Let’s discuss:

• How are things going at school and in your personal lives?
• Are there any updates to names or pronouns?
• What’s going well in our unit?
• Are there any stressors that need to be addressed?
• How often do we want to review the Roommate Agreement? Minimum: September, January, May (if in 12-month lease building)? What dates and times work for us to chat?
• Are we comfortable communicating in person, via email or via a group chat?
• What are your preferred conflict resolution techniques?
• If there are issues or conflicts, how would you like them to be brought up with you?

Four ‘JEDI’ tips for respectful conflict resolution

Here are tips inspired by the University’s justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) approach to address differences with empathy, accountability and a commitment to building inclusive spaces.

• Separate beliefs from behaviour: Focus on how to support someone’s practice in shared spaces, even if their belief system differs from yours. For example: “I don’t follow the same practice, but I want to make sure you have the space you need for prayer. Want to talk about what that looks like in our unit?”
• Centre impact over intent — especially when someone feels harmed: If someone expresses discomfort, it’s not a judgment of you — it’s a call to reflect. JEDI work invites us to look beyond what we meant and take responsibility for the impact of our words or actions. Stay curious, not confrontational. This means asking questions to learn, not to challenge. For example: “I didn’t realize that would be upsetting. I want to understand more about how what I said or did affected you.”
• Use compromise as a tool, not going for the win: Ask “What would a respectful middle ground look like for both of us?” The goal isn’t to “win” the conversation — it’s to find a solution that lets everyone feel seen, heard and respected.
• Remember that rights and responsibilities go hand in hand: Everyone in the unit has the right to feel respected and included, and shares the responsibility to make that possible. Creating a welcoming space takes mutual effort, even when beliefs or routines differ.

Formal Residence Life conflict resolution process

Follow this process when your informal process hasn’t been successful.

First, check the terms of your Roommate Agreement.

If that doesn’t work, or you’re having trouble completing a Roommate Agreement, speak with your CA (community adviser), PS (peer support) or building Residence Life co-ordinator (RLC). They listen, offer guidance, can help you and your roommates complete a Roommate Agreement and can help mediate.

Roommate mediation: How it works

Mediation is designed to be a peer-to-peer activity, supported by trained Residence Life staff. Individual meetings are conducted with each roommate ahead of mediation to allow everyone to explain their perspectives. Mediation gives roommates the opportunity to speak for themselves, hear each other out and work toward practical, respectful solutions together.

Here’s how mediation works:

• All roommates must participate.
• A resident can prepare for a mediation session or a conversation with roommate(s) by speaking with a peer support, community adviser or a trusted person not directly involved in the situation (known as a third party). During mediation, however, residents speak for themselves.
• To respect your privacy, Residence Life can’t share in-depth details about your situation with anyone else unless you give us permission. If you want us to speak with someone or give them information to help support you, complete the Third-Party Authorization Form.
• Roommates must live with the arrangement outlined in the Roommate Agreement for a minimum of two weeks.
• After two weeks, all roommates can contact their community adviser, peer support or Residence Life co-ordinator to report if the arrangement isn’t working.

Do’s and don'ts of third parties in a roommate mediation

Do

• Help students reflect before the meeting (e.g., talking through what they want to say or what outcome they’re hoping for).
• Encourage students to approach the conversation with openness and a willingness to find common ground.
• Support students in processing the outcome and keeping boundaries after the meeting.

Don’t

• Attend the mediation meeting unless they’re directly involved (e.g., they’re another roommate).
• Speak on a student’s behalf or intervene in the process.
• Attempt to act as an intermediary between a student and their roommate(s).
• Make assumptions or decisions based solely on one perspective.

When a parent or other third-party contacts or pressures a student directly, it can create a significant power imbalance and undermine the trust-building process.

Note: Room changes are based on availability and problem severity and are at the sole discretion of the Residence Life team. There’s an admin fee for a room change. See the room change section on the housing website or the “Room Change & Assignment” section of the Residence Agreement for details.