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    Toodles's Avatar
    Toodles Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    May 3, 2007, 05:36 AM
    Roommate moved without much notice
    My roommate that signed a one year lease with me told me on the first of April that she will be moved out on the 3rd of April - no 30 days notice to my landlord or anything. The lease has another 4 month on it, and she did not pay the rent in April. She now also wants to pro-rate the utility bills, without the regards that there has not been a replacement found for her (I've been putting out adds and showed the room/house etc.). Per landlord both of us are responsible for the utilities and rent, unless one has found a replacement when leaving. I can't pay the entire rent nor the full utility bills.
    What to do??
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
    Expert
     
    #2

    May 3, 2007, 06:21 AM
    You will have to pay the bills till you find a new renter.

    You will tell the roommate, that there is no such thing as a 30 day notice in a lease, and that there is no just leaving, and that they will be paying the rent, and the utilities until you find a replacement.

    And when they don't you will have to sue them in small claims court.
    But understand this takes time, so you need to talk with your landlord and find a way to pay the rent, or you may end up being evicited yourself.
    landlord advocate's Avatar
    landlord advocate Posts: 283, Reputation: 36
    Full Member
     
    #3

    May 3, 2007, 11:57 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Toodles
    My roommate that signed a one year lease with me told me on the first of April that she will be moved out on the 3rd of April - no 30 days notice to my landlord or anything. The lease has another 4 month on it, and she did not pay the rent in April. She now also wants to pro-rate the utility bills, without the regards that there has not been a replacement found for her (I've been putting out adds and showed the room/house etc.). Per landlord both of us are responsible for the utilities and rent, unless one has found a replacement when leaving. I can't pay the entire rent nor the full utility bills.
    What to do????
    Keep accurate records of the money you spend to advertise, utility bills, any expenses your landlord might incur in order to accept a new tenant (running credit checks etc.) The expenses would then be part of the small claims case. Also include the cost of the court case. Once the old roommate moves out, ask your landlord to do a walk through to see if any damages would be coming out of the security deposit. Make sure that the old roommate has paid her share of damages. Hopefully you already know whose money was used for the security deposit and made a decision on how and when it will be returned. Make sure the landlord knows not to return money to the old tenant that is not rightfully hers.
    Lowtax4eva's Avatar
    Lowtax4eva Posts: 2,467, Reputation: 190
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    #4

    May 3, 2007, 12:07 PM
    The roommate has to pay their part of the rent for the last 4 months, you can take them to court to get it. The utilities, I'm not so sure, they won't be there so I don't think they have to pay.

    They aren't going to be using the electricity, water, phone etc. so why do they have to pay. Without them there all these bills should be cut in half (roughly) anyway.

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