Can Your Rommate Prevent You From Having Guests

[Heena28]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of:

Hi, I am a 20 something female who shares a two bed apartment converted to 3 bed with two other male roommates. I have been living in the same apartment for past 3 years. One roommate of mine a 50+ male has been having issues for every small thing and bothering me and the other 30+male roommate almost every month, be it cleaning the house, storage space distribution or guest policy. We have our lease signed with the management and all three of us are on that lease. Lately he has been having problems with my boyfriend visiting me and staying over the weekends. My boyfriend used to come about every two weekends in a month but since past two months he is here almost every weekend. There is no guest policy in the lease apart from the 2 weeks rule, and if a guest stays more than that the management should be notified and taken permission from.

Yesterday, he sent me this 2 page long email verbally abusing me and calling me by names such as a thief, cheat, liar , a person with no honor and using derogatory words like playing the house with my bf and stuff, which is so not true and that can be verified by my other roommate who has no issues with any of my guests. I am attaching a portion of his long email where he is threatening me that he will take legal action if any guests visit me be it day or night just on the basis of a rental insurance we all have.

"....
2. From a legal standpoint, and the way the lease is structured, all guests are our guests.

3. Every moment a person is in the apartment, who is not on the lease, they are staying as a privilege, (I had used that term precisely and as a hint in my last email) granted collectively.

4. Every moment, day or night, a person, not on the lease, is in the apartment, each one of us has the legal right to have them removed. We have multiple legal options to exercise our legal authority.

5. Based on the insurance, we are all financially and legally liable for any of the guests on our premises.
So, let me be very clear. You have left me no choice. I cannot take any legal risk and insurance liability for your guests. At this point I cannot permit any guests coming on the premises....."

I honestly don't think I have broken any rules or law so far, whereas on the other hand i found out that he had subleased his room for a month and never submitted the room addition form to the management. The form was brought and signed by us but it was never submitted .

I feel harassed and mentally stressed because of this . can you please suggest me what my options are? and that does he have the right to dictate rules in the house like this?

Thanks..

[adjusterjack]

He's blowing smoke.

You have a right to your guest no matter what he writes.

You either stand up to him or you cave in and let him rule you.

Up to you.

[LawResearcherMissy]

suggest me what my options are?

Laugh at him, ignore him, and carry on about your life. When your lease is up, move out.

and that does he have the right to dictate rules in the house like this?

No, he does not. It is your home as much as his, given that you are a signatory to the lease.

[llworking]

2. From a legal standpoint, and the way the lease is structured, all guests are our guests.

Technically that is probably true.

3. Every moment a person is in the apartment, who is not on the lease, they are staying as a privilege, (I had used that term precisely and as a hint in my last email) granted collectively.

Complete BS

4. Every moment, day or night, a person, not on the lease, is in the apartment, each one of us has the legal right to have them removed. We have multiple legal options to exercise our legal authority.

Complete Bs

5. Based on the insurance, we are all financially and legally liable for any of the guests on our premises.

Technically, probably true.

So, let me be very clear. You have left me no choice. I cannot take any legal risk and insurance liability for your guests. At this point I cannot permit any guests coming on the premises..

He does not have the authority to do that.

I honestly don't think I have broken any rules or law so far, whereas on the other hand i found out that he had subleased his room for a month and never submitted the room addition form to the management. The form was brought and signed by us but it was never submitted .
I feel harassed and mentally stressed because of this . can you please suggest me what my options are? and that does he have the right to dictate rules in the house like this?

As long as your boyfriend is being a respectful guest when he is there, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. By respectful I mean not being loud, obnoxious, belligerent, not smoking dope, not falling down drunk, not causing damage to the place, etc.

I do however agree with other advice that you received that you should move out when your lease expires. The 50 year old seems to have a bit of an unhealthy fixation on your love life.

[OdellBeckhamJnr]

Sounds like a "Sheldon Roommate Agreement"