I am currently the sole tenant on a 2 bedroom apt in New Jersey. Last January ('07) I had a friend move in with me and we decided to split the rent and the bills. In November, my boyfriend started staying with us a few nights a week and she asked that he help with the bills (not rent). I agreed and we started splitting the bills 2 ways. In February she announced that she would be moving out in mid April because of her distance to work. Through text messaging, she said she would pay the rent for the half of April. I agreed. Now it's the end of march and she refuses to pay the cable bill or the rent for the half of April because my boyfriend is there. She says he owes her a certain percentage of the rent for being there. He doesn't go in her room or through her stuff so I see no reason why he should pay any of her portion because she still has her room to herself. She made an argument that he is allowed entrance to common areas, but all the furnishings are mine. She is moving out in 13 days and refuses to leave earlier although she is not paying rent. Can I legally force her to leave after the 5th of the month and no rent payment. Can I turn the cable off immediately? Am I allowed to change the locks? HELP!!

You can not change the locks. By the time you go through with an eviction she most likely will be out anyway.
I don't see why you wouldn't be able to turn the cable off immediately.
Your boyfriend being there should not be a factor on how much rent she pays or doesn't pay.
Not like he is living there permanently.
If she paid (example) $400. Toward rent and bills all the other months and still pays $400.
On the rent and bills then what is it to her if he is there without paying anything or not.
I can see him picking up anything that your bills go over and buying food for the house but...
She is just being petty to try and save herself a few dollars.

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Originally Posted by N0help4u

You can not change the locks. By the time you go through with an eviction she most likely will be out anyway.
I don't see why you wouldn't be able to turn the cable off immediately.
Your bf being there should not be a factor on how much rent she pays or doesn't pay.
Not like he is living there permanently.
If she paid (example) $400. toward rent and bills all the other months and still pays $400.
on the rent and bills then what is it to her if he is there without paying anything or not.
I can see him picking up anything that your bills go over and buying food for the house but....
She is just being petty to try and save herself a few dollars.

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Hi Nohelp4u - got to disagree with you on this one.

I'm not sure what the agreement was - if an agreement was made AFTER the boyfriend moved in that the rent would be split 2 ways then food or whatever aside, the rent has to be split two ways. If the agreement was made BEFORE the boyfriend moved in, I can understand the roommate's argument that the rent should be split three ways and I think this would be a viable counterclaim or defense. Circumstances changed and that voided the agreement.

Cable is not a necessity so, yes, it can be shut off.

And, right, she cannot lock the roommate out and by the time she gets her evicted she'll already be gone.

I know the two way rent split vs the three way rent split is petty but roommates are irritating to begin with... and then suddenly the boyfriend is "visiting" several nights a week and you're waiting in line to get into the bathroom. You are getting less privacy, less space for your money.

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N0help4u agrees: You are right on that they did agree but I think the girl is being petty, legally she is right but as 'friends' I think she is being a little petty especially since she is trying to get out of HER last half month of paying anything at all.


I'm not saying she isn't being petty - I think it's just dissolved into one of those bickering moments where roommates say anything that crosses their minds to get out of paying.

I was just saying she may be legally correct.

Ahh - that old separating the legal and moral thing again!

EXactly!
Have to spread the rep...