Apartment lease problems.

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
11/01/2019 at 16:47 • Filed to: None

So, I’ve been slowly moving my things back to my parents’ house in preparation of my lease expiring, but now I’m fed up with my roommate to the point that I’m just done. I’m not staying here another month and a half. How do I go about this, though? As far as I can tell, I can’t take my name off of our lease without her agreeing, and she doesn’t want to do that. Even though it makes no difference to her, since she already knows I’m not paying any of the bills anymore. She just doesn't care that this will destroy my credit when she inevitably gets evicted since she spends all her money on weed and is already $200 short for the rent that's due today. What do I do?

DISCUSSION (12)

Spanfeller is a twat > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 16:57

Does your landlord know about this?

Rainbow > Spanfeller is a twat
11/01/2019 at 17:00

Every time I call the office, they just ignore me. If I go in person , I can never find anyone who can help. The management here is just as bad as my roommate, if not worse.

Spanfeller is a twat > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 17:03

Do you still have the original contract? is there any provision to help in these situations?

facw > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 17:03

I don’t think there’s a whole lot you can do. If you signed the lease you are accountable. You could try to find someone to sublet you portion of the lease, but probably that’s not worth it for just a month and a half. Similarly you could ask the leasing office, but probably they’d want two months rent to buy out, and if she’s still staying there that would get messy.

If your name is on the lease and she doesn’t pay, I think you may be on the hook for the full amount, even if she is also on the lease.

You could talk to a lawyer, but my guess is that you need to prepare yourself for paying the full amount remaining on the lease. Sucks, but yeah, you need to be careful about who you sign onto a lease with.

You probably don’t have much of case with the landlord unless there are maintenance issues that make the place uninhabitable.

Regardless make sure you check you lease to make sure it doesn’t have any automatic month-to-month renewal if you don’t opt out, you might be stuck paying until the lease is up, but you definitely don’t want to get roped into a longer term because you haven’t given the required notice.

Sorry I can’t be more positive here.

OrigamiSensei > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 17:08

Make very sure that you inform the landlord/management company IN WRITING that you are NOT continuing on the lease once it expires. Do so with at least 30 days notice (which your post seems to indicate you can comply with). Make sure your half of the rent is paid directly to the landlord/management company. Do not trust your roommate with it. Be prepared to be on the hook for the remainder if your idiot roommate flakes. Sad to hear you’re having these problems. It happens a lot.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 17:22

Who are you leasing from? Reasonable people, horrible people, soulless corporation? Any chance you could reason with them? H ave them inspect the place now to prove no damages, then you pay the half of what’s owned like you agreed to and they can go after your roomate for the rest?

I realize the lease is the lease and your name is on it, but at the end of the day the landlord is the one who’s going to choose what if any further action is going to be taken. If they’re about to get stiffed altogether and their only recourse is sic- ing collections on people with no assets, they might prefer half to nothing. Granted if it ever goes to court you might be on the hook based solely on the lease agreement, but it’s only going to go as far as the landlord is willing to push it. Also a judge may or may not have some discretion when one party has both receipts and a statement from the plaintiff stating their end is paid. I dunno, I’m not a laywer, but I occasionally speak with one here on Oppo. Rarely about legal matters, but I digress. You willing to pay your agreed upon end?

benjrblant > facw
11/01/2019 at 17:34

I, unfortunately for Rainbow , think this is the correct answer.

ClassicDatsunDebate > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 17:46

Don’t know where you are in the world but google “residential tenancy help”

There should be a local not-for-profit group that can provide advice. Good luck.

Snooder87 > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 18:00

Feels like a “live and learn” situation.

That’s the thing about cosigning anything, be it a lease or a car note. You’re on the hook for your cosigner as well as yourself.

Better off just paying her share and maybe suing her in small claims court. You probably wont win, but it might give you some satisfaction and it’ll be less costly in the long run than letting this ruin your credit.

Especially since it’ll linger in your history and make it harder to even rent a decent place in the future .

Cash Rewards > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 18:13

Then go, and plan on staying until the problem is solved. Be a problem for them

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 18:28

Honestly, unless you can find a way to get her to agree to letting you out of the lease, you are stuck. Getting evicted will have consequences, i.e. higher deposits and increased rent for any new apartments/houses, not to mention the hit on your credit report . Being that it is only a month and a half, pay the rent in full and leave. O r pay your portion to her, offer so me extra to try and get her to let you out of the lease. It’s gonna hurt either way, the lesser of 2 evils, is still evil. If you can’t afford to pay the full rent, see if you can g et a credit card a nd pay it that way (cut the card up after using it , i ’m in trouble for not doing the last bit....) , most new cards have no interest for 18 months to new users. O r m aybe see if you can get a small loan through your bank and pay it off over the year , they are usually more willing to help than a landlord. Either way, sounds like it is falling on you to be the adult and take responsibility.

AestheticsInMotion > Rainbow
11/01/2019 at 18:43

I think facw has the right of it, unfortunately. Learning experience and what not.

Ooooonly other thing I can think of, is tracking down your roommates parents and attempting to use them to help you with the situation. I had a friend who did this and she said it worked...