Ex-Fiancee Moved Out and is Now Trying to Get Out of Lease

[GTurlington]

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Virginia

My ex-fiancce and I signed a lease together for a one bedroom apartment in Manassas, Virginia. For reasons she has yet to fully explain she decided to break off the engagement. She has since moved out of the apartment. Before she moved out I told she would not be released from the lease and I fully expected her to pay her half of the rent. She agreed to this and now she is attempting to find a way not to pay her share. I essentially bore the majority of the rent and other bills so she could save for our wedding. So she did not pay rent for a time leading u to here moving out. My question is: is she still liable for her share of the rent until the lease expires in October of next year?

[Mr. Knowitall]

If she's on the lease, until the lease expires she's contractually bound to your landlord, and thus he could pursue her if you fail to pay the full rent. You can attempt to pursue her for any money she owes to you in small claims court, where you could for example attempt to prove that she agreed to pay half of the rent. Your past practice, where she contributed very little, could make it difficult to prove such an agreement.

Normally, assuming that your lease permits it, you would have a duty to seek out a reasonable replacement roommate; I don't think that would fly, though, given that you have a one bedroom apartment.