I Moved Out and Now Roommate Won't Pay Share of Last Utilities Bill

**ejlq09** · 02-22-2011, 11:42 AM

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Washington

4 of us signed a lease to live together and the lease says tenants agree to pay for all utilities and services provided to the house. So I put the utilities in my name and all the roommates paid me 1/4 of utilities each month. I recently moved out of the house and found someone to take over my lease, however, there was still the final utilities bill coming to me. I received the bill and 2 of the roommates said they would give me a check for their portion of the utilities but the last roommate won't write me a check for her portion of the utilities. The landlords say that its my problem and that they can't do anything about it. I'm not sure what to do. I don't have any written piece of paper saying everyone will give me money however it was implied in the lease that we all have to pay for utilities. I got payment from all 3 roommates every month I lived there but now that I moved out the last roommate I think feels that theres no way I can collect payment from her.

**Mr. Knowitall** · 02-23-2011, 04:55 PM

Small claims court.

**ejlq09** · 02-23-2011, 05:45 PM

Quoting Mr. Knowitall

Small claims court.

If i took her to small claims court what are my odds of winning. we only had a verbal agreement but she paid me every month we lived there for cable, garbage and utilities minus the last utilities bill. Also if I took her to small claims court, could I make her pay for all of the court fees?

**LawResearcherMissy** · 02-23-2011, 06:19 PM

If i took her to small claims court what are my odds of winning.

Court doesn't work on odds, court works on facts.

we only had a verbal agreement but she paid me every month we lived there for cable, garbage and utilities minus the last utilities bill.

Can you document that she paid you each month?

Also if I took her to small claims court, could I make her pay for all of the court fees?

You can ask, yes. And usually, this is awarded if you ask and prevail. Your larger problem will be enforcing judgment once you prevail.

**ejlq09** · 02-25-2011, 06:36 PM

I can prove my case easily, but i just found out that unless she owes me more than 250 then i cant take her to small claims court, so I'm thinking I'm basically just screwed out of the money. If small claim court isn't an option is there anything else I can legally do?

I already moved out and the utilities were switched into one of the other roommates name, can I still have the utilities shut off or has that ship sailed?