Ok here's my issue. I live in CA and both my roommate and I are on the lease on our apartment. However. It turns out he's been evading child support and now that they've caught up with him he can't make the amount he agreed to pay ($600 which includes his half of the rent and utilities). It started the beginning of this month and already he's $120 behind. Now I'm already looking for a new apartment with someone else and since this lease is a month to month lease I can leave with a 30 day notice. Here's my questions though.

1) the manager said that both my roommate and I have to sign the 30 day notice, so if I find a new place and he refuses to sign what can I do?

2) what legal action can I take to get the money he owes from this month and whatever else he will be owing when all is said and done?

3) if we both sign the 30 day notice but he doesn't leave at the end of the 30 days and I do will it affect me if they complex evicts him since we are both on the lease?

Thank you. I'm so ready to get rid of this guys. He's lazy. Doesn't clean up after himself, doesn't help clean the apartment, and is just all around lazy and insufferable.

I'm not a lawyer and I don't live in California, but here goes...

1), & 3), are easy. Talk to the manager. Since your roommate is the problem and not you, being cooperative will help you. If he doesn't sign the 30 day note, tell the manager. If he refuses to leave, do so. He will be obligated to come up with the rent. And if he doesen't, then it's his problem. Maybe he can take over the apartment and find a new roommate, but I highly doubt that he will given how you described him.

2). The best way is to take him to small claims court. But the hassle Vs. worthiness factor has to be evaulated before you do that.

Search for roommate contracts online, get a new place, and get better roomates. If you have to, maybe even pay for a basic background search so that you don't get burned again.

Best of luck!