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View Full Version : We've ended the lease early. What if we leave without paying out portion of the rent?


ChildOMine08
Oct 14, 2011, 02:04 PM
I live with a long time friend and her boyfriend who has flaked out on rent and has not paid utilities in 2 months. She currently owes me, my fiancˇ and my friend 625.00. We're ending the lease later this month(5 months early) because the dad of her kid doesn't want her living with us. He's an ex meth head and thinks we're on hard drugs. We agreed to pay half and they pay half but since the Landlord expects us to split it 5 ways they are not going to pay our original agreement. I'm pretty sure I can't legally do anything.

My question is that if we leave without telling the landlord or our room mates is their any legal action that could be taken against us?

ma0641
Oct 14, 2011, 02:08 PM
If your name is on the lease, you will still be liable for the terms of the lease. You could be sued for back rent.

joypulv
Oct 14, 2011, 02:23 PM
Each name on the lease is liable for the entire rent. The landlord can sue whoever he thinks he can get to pay the easiest, and then you have to sue each other.

LisaB4657
Oct 14, 2011, 02:26 PM
Most leases have a "joint and several liability" clause. That means that if the lease is broken, the landlord can sue anyone or everyone whose name is on the lease. For example, if there are 5 of you on the lease, the landlord can sue you alone, or 1 or 2 others, or all 5 of you. Then the person who was sued by the landlord would have to sue the other roommates to get reimbursed.

So to answer your question, yes, your landlord and/or roommates will be able to take legal action against you.