Step 5: Write and sign a lease

If everyone is game to give the match a try, it's time to draft a home-sharing agreement. You can find sample leases online that give you a starting point, and then customize your lease as much as you like. Once signed by both parties, it becomes a legally binding agreement. At minimum, it needs to specify how much the rent is, when it's due, and how much notice either party needs to give before ending the arrangement.
If you're setting up a trial period, write that into the lease as well. Some home sharers like to have the trial last a month. Others try sharing for a weekend before committing. Home-sharing leases are typically written to be a term of anywhere from two to nine months.
When outlining what help the renter commits to give, be specific. Rather than a blanket statement that he agrees to help as needed, detail the specific tasks he is expected to perform and how many hours per week he agrees to contribute. Home-share arrangements typically include a maximum of eight hours per week of help from a renter.
Also specify which spaces in the house are private and which are shared. Go into detail about the house rules: who buys what, who cleans what.