Am I Solely Responsible for a Remaining Balance Due to the Landlord

[MelissaJ]

My question involves a roommate in the State of: Florida
My two roommates and I moved out about 3 months ago and I thoguht everything was alright since I did not receive any notice from the complex stating we owed any money. This past Sunday I received a call letting me know that they tried to send me a certified letter about the balance on the acocunt but someone had changed my address so I did not get it. I was also told that if there is not an arrangement on the account by the 24th that it gets sent to collections. Which I am desperate to avoid because I have spent the last year and a half getting my credit much higher.They told me they had not even attempted to contact my other roommates. I do not dispute the charges because I moved in with a tempermental partying alcoholic and that was my fault. My issue is that I have nothing to do with my old roommates. Whose responsibility is it to contact them and come up with an arrangement with them to pay their third of the total bill which is just under $1100?

[LawResearcherMissy]

Who's names are on the lease? Just yours? Or your roommates, too?

Typically, roommates are held jointly and severally liable. That means that while you may agree between you to split up the rent and expenses, the landlord does not have to honor your internal agreement and may hold any one of you responsible for the full amount.

You'd do well to contact your former roommates to try to sort this out. Alternatively, make an arrangement with the landlord yourself, and sue your former roommates in small claims court to recover their share.