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astar46 · Sep 20, 2012, 08:32 PM

My one roommate has an issue with a guest coming to visit on weekends. Myself and the second roommate do not care. The guest is kind, not loud, and not bothering anyone. The roommate with the issues says that since the guest is visiting weekends, he should pay a portion of the rent. If the guest does not pay, she is going to try to terminate the lease.

Questions: Can a roommate kick a guest out while the other 2 roomates want the guest there?

Is a guest who visits Friday nights - Monday mornings required to pay rent?

Can a roommate terminate their lease for this kind of issue? (and screw the other 2 over)

ScottGem · Sep 21, 2012, 03:18 AM

First, ANY question on law needs to include your general locale as laws vary by area. Second, are all three roommates co-signers of the lease? And what does the lease say about overnight guests?

astar46 · Sep 21, 2012, 03:35 AM

Sorry - Pittsburgh PA

All three of us co-signers and the lease says nothing about overnight guests.

joypulv · Sep 21, 2012, 03:37 AM

One tenant legal site calls roommate disputes Disputes From Hell. Most aren't covered by any laws, state or local. If your lease doesn't define guest limits, then you are all on your own with that. The roommate who wants out, however, doesn't have grounds to break the lease (or to force the guest to leave). Some will complain to the landlord and that can result in attempts to get everyone evicted. Others will just skip out, and you co-signers have to cover the rent. Each person on the lease is liable for the entire rent, even if only one is left.

I personally would expect a guest Friday night to Monday morning every week to chip in something less than 3/7 days of 1/3 people. Have a sit down and work out a number. It doesn't matter if they are sleeping with someone there or sleeping on the couch. There's the bathroom, kitchen, living room being used too.

astar46 · Sep 21, 2012, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

One tenant legal site calls roommate disputes Disputes From Hell. Most aren't covered by any laws, state or local. If your lease doesn't define guest limits, then you are all on your own with that. The roommate who wants out, however, doesn't have grounds to break the lease (or to force the guest to leave). Some will complain to the landlord and that can result in attempts to get everyone evicted. Others will just skip out, and you co-signers have to cover the rent. Each person on the lease is liable for the entire rent, even if only one is left.

I personally would expect a guest Friday night to Monday morning every week to chip in something less than 3/7 days of 1/3 people. Have a sit down and work out a number. It doesn't matter if they are sleeping with someone there or sleeping on the couch. There's the bathroom, kitchen, living room being used too.

Thank you

ScottGem · Sep 21, 2012, 04:51 AM

Absent anything in the lease, the recalcitrant roommate can't legally break the lease. If they move, they can be sued and held responsible for their share of the rent.

However, until such time that they can file suit and collect, the remaining roommates will have to pay the full rent.

The best solution is to work out the differences. If you can't, tell the roommate that you will let her out of the lease if she can find a suitable replacement.