Roommate Fails to Pay Gas Bill That is in Their Name. Demands I Pay Half the Bill/Fee

[SigurPol]

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Pennsylvania

Before I begin, I'm writing this for another person. Just getting a feel if there's any legal leverage. If I've left out any important details, point it out, and I'll fill in the blanks!

My roommate and I are moving out in August since our lease is up then and we've found other places to live. The utilities are split up (and don't go through the landlord or complex). I pay for electric, and my roommate pays for the gas bill. They are never split up or shared. We simply take care of each bill individually. (that are in our names respectively..mine is in the electric, and the roommates' name is in the gas bill).

In May, I came home and noticed an envelope addressed to my roommate with a "10 day warning" on it. My roommate was MIA for a few weeks (working.. and who the heck knows).

Days later, the gas is shut off.

I get a phone call from my roommate, upset, admitting they forgot to pay the bill. Finally, the gas is back on. And a few days later I'm hit with a "oh, we need to pay this fee. It's 800 dollars".

I refuse to pay this fee. I would have helped out with the bill originally, but I won't help with the late fees and the reconnection fee. Does my roommate have any legal leverage in this? Even if the bill is in their name?

[Mr. Knowitall]

If your agreement was that they pay gas and you pay electric, then your agreement was that they pay gas and you pay electric. Nothing in such an agreement would suggest that if one of you "forgets" to pay the bill, the other has to chip in for the additional cost they incur as a result of that failure. It's also difficult to believe that there's an $800 fee for a shut-off and reconnect.