What is Your Responsibilty for Damage Caused by a Roommate if You Move Out
My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: California
Hello I understand it was my decision to sign this lease and I accept responsibility, I'm seeking help to find the best way to resolve my issues. I've already spent money to sit down with a lawyer but he didn't answer any questions and wanted another $500 to write a letter to the landlord with no explanation. I don't make much so I can't just throw away money, hopefully someone on here can direct me to some better decisions.
I resigned a year lease with a roommate who was dirty, generally disrespectful and didn't pay bills on time but the rent was cheap and I figured I could go another year. A month into the new lease he discovered cocaine and the nightmare began. He had stolen items from me and cash from mutual friends so I was keeping my door locked I think he took resentment to this so one weekend when I was gone he and a friend were very drunk and high and kicked down my door and stabbed my bed and other belongings with a medieval sword replica. His friend repaired the door and frame which had completely split and I kept living there. He was no longer allowed to come over to a mutual friends house because of his behavior when drunk so he started bringing the party back to our place and because of the cocaine they lasted till 7 in the morning. I tried to stay at my girlfriends house as much as possible but after one really loud night of partying I informed him I'd be moving out at the end of the month. The next weekend the party came back again around 2am but this time I could hear the guy who had kicked in my door and stabbed my stuff with my roommate in the living room. I could hear crashes as they smashed my furniture with the sword and other loud thuds which later turned out to be my steak knives being thrown into the wall at a target.
I didn't call the cops because I assumed I'd be arrested too even if all the cocaine wasn't mine but I didn't want to get stabbed in my bed so I went out there screamed at everyone to leave or I would call the cops and then I packed up and went to my Uncle's house. I called the landlord and told him about the partying and vandalism and informed him that I moved out and he asked if I had a police report, I said "no" so he said that it was my job to get him out, he wouldn't let me out of the lease but if he got any complaints about partying or saw any damage he'd evict us. So I just never called him back and the old roommate got a new roommate who pays 90% of the rent so he's never going to want to leave.
When I tried to get him to switch utilities he ran up a $500 bill instead and didn't switch till I finally shut it off. I wasn't sure if I was legally able to so it took me awhile to finally do it. Same issue with cable, couldn't get a hold of him to get the box back and now have a $200 charge on my account. He also threw a fit every time I told him I was turning off the internet because he said everything was my fault for being ridiculous and moving out. I read in my lease that there is no roll over clause, the landlord must extend a new lease even just for month to month but all damages are our joint liability until we BOTH move out. What the hell do I do? He's never going to leave a place where he has 90% of his rent covered? I just want to be done with it. Please help.
Re: Lease Abandonment Due to Drugs and Vandalism
Is your present goal to get your former landlord to agree to a date upon which your liability for damage to the apartment ends, or is the issue that your former roommate has finally vacated and your landlord is trying to hold you accountable for all damages through the end of your tenancy? If the latter, did he stay in occupation past the end date of the term of the lease you signed?
Re: What is Your Responsibilty for Damage Caused by a Roommate if You Move Out
My main goal is to get removed from the lease without getting an eviction on my record, second is to limit my exposure to the damages. The old roommate hasn't moved out.
I guess more information would be if I notify the landlord again via certified mail I'll get evicted but if I wait for the lease to run out I'll have a huge bill for damages, I don't know what to do.