[RWuest]

Here's the story.

Both myself and my roommate have dogs, and they both did some damage to the apartment, and I am the only one that paid a pet deposit, even though she was supposed to pay one, as well. Now that the lease is up, they are charging us more for the damages that the deposits didn't cover. My old roommate is refusing to split the cost with me, and I heard somewhere that it was illegal for the apartments to give us a single bill, unless we're married, and that they legally HAVE to split and bill separately. Is there any truth to that?

[JudyKayTee]

Here's the story.

Both myself and my roommate have dogs, and they both did some damage to the apartment, and I am the only one that paid a pet deposit, even though she was supposed to pay one, as well. Now that the lease is up, they are charging us more for the damages that the deposits didn't cover. My old roommate is refusing to split the cost with me, and I heard somewhere that it was illegal for the apartments to give us a single bill, unless we're married, and that they legally HAVE to split and bill separately. Is there any truth to that?

I can find nothing in Oregon law that says that a joint debt - which this is if you were both on the lease - is not all your debt as well as all her debt and, therefore, the landlord can collect from both of you or one of you. It's the same as a joint bank account - it belongs in total to either one of you.

I believe you would have to pay the excess charges and then sue your roommate (in Small Claims Court) for her half of the security deposit and her half of the excess charge.

[ScottGem]

Were you both signed on the lease? I would doubt that they would be required to give you separate bills, but that would be the case only if you were both signed on the lease.

I would just pay your half of the assessed amount. If the landlord decides to sue you, then you turn around and sue your roommate.

[Fr_Chuck]

The name or names on the lease can be billed. The lease unless it says differntly treats all parties equally, and they do not care who pays, if you can not work it out with the room mate you will have to sue the room mate for their share of the damage.