If my roommate can no longer afford to pay his portion of the bills, what do I do?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my roommate can no longer afford to pay his portion of the bills, what do I do?
He lost his job but I don’t think its for me to have an eviction because he can’t afford to pay his half. I asked him to sign a roommate release but he refuses. Is there any way I can get my name off the lease so I can find my own place?
Asked on December 14, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Georgia
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If you and your roommate are on a lease for a term and he lost his job and cannot afford to pay his portion of the bills, you need to realize that your joint landlord will expect payment in full of the monthly rental regardless from whom the entire balance comes from. Meaning, there is the possibility that unless you do not want to be evicted from the rental that you may have to pay more than your share of the monthly nut for the rental until your roommate gets a new job.
You need to discuss the situation with your roommate and see what he plans on doing as far as remaining in the rental or not. If he cannot afford to live in the rental, he may need to sublet it out. You might have a face to face meeting with your landlord about the situation that you and your roommate are in to see if he or she would be amenable to an early termination of your lease. The landlord is not obligated to end your lease on the early side.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.