Results 1 to 8 of 8

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    8

    Default Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    I live in Massachusetts with my boyfriend, and both our names are on the lease. I had to go home to England for two months in December for family issues. My boyfriend and I agreed (with the permission of our landlord) that a new roommate would be acceptable to cover my half of the rent while I was gone, as it was unknown. The landlord even said that if the new roommate was still there when I got back, that would be fine.

    My boyfriend recently lost his job, which has made things worse, as even though I am earning and paying rent and bills, this NR (new roommate) is nicely and politely taking advantage. He says he doesn't have money yet he eats out every day, spends hundreds of dollars on pot every month and buys beer every other day. At the moment I'm horrifically broke for the rest of the month as I just got a job.

    I looked at the bills and the electric bill has DOUBLED since I left and NR moved in. He complains he has no money and I'm worried he's going to leave and stick me with the bills. Because of him we were TWO weeks late for rent this month.

    He's telling me he can give me $25 a month for utilities, but this is unacceptable. I think it's unfair right now that his half of the bills is double what it was when it was just me and my boyfriend combined.

    He currently owes about $360ish dollars in backdated bills and says that because my boyfriend was out of work it basically gives him an excuse to not pay either. He's in his mid-thirties and still borrows money from his father, yet my boyfriend is telling me not to be confrontational as at least he's paying rent.

    I don't want things to get (legally) ugly, as I'm also in the process of permanently moving here, but what can I do, if anything? He's not on the lease, nor did he sign a rental agreement. I've literally just moved out of my parents' house, so all I can claim is useless ignorance about roommate agreements...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    2,652

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    What was the agreement in regards to the utilities?

    Oh, and if the electric bill has doubled, perhaps you should be looking for a grow light (just a thought).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    8

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    Quote Quoting Happy Trails
    View Post
    What was the agreement in regards to the utilities?

    Oh, and if the electric bill has doubled, perhaps you should be looking for a grow light (just a thought).
    Hello, thanks for the response

    The agreement was to split them (even though we had no idea he would run up the bills so high). I'm still scratching my head over this - I have a computer and tv running most of the day (my work is online-based) and use straighteners, hairdryer etc....yet his half of the bill is more than double mine.

    Lol at the grow light (although I had to ask my boyfriend what it meant!). I don't smoke anything though, which is why I'm slightly less tolerant than others would be about his pot-spending-instead-of-paying-bills habits...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    2,652

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    Okay, I tend to agree with your boyfriend at this time. Seems as though money is tight right now and as long as the roomie is paying half of the rent at this time, I'm not sure you want to rock the boat too much.

    Now, I'm not saying you should forget about his obligation toward the utilities, by all means collect what you can from him. You should tell him that the rent is two weeks late and maybe this will get him to come up with some money.

    Keep a good paper trail on everything (amount of bills, what he did pay toward them...), that way if he doesn't pay everything that he owes, you will have a good record if it does end up in court. (Most likely small claim court, where you do not need a lawyer.)

    Hopefully, b/f will be employed soon and you will get caught up on everything.

    --------------

    Just a side note on Ways to Conserve Electricity.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    8

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    Thank you! I shall see how it goes for now. I have to get on a payment plan with them as my boyfriend couldn't pay for the past two months (but NR just wouldn't, even though he has been working since he moved in). I'm just worried he won't stick to his half of the payment plan....

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    8

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    There's actually been an unfortunate update - this roommate is now moving out before the end of the month. He just told me yesterday, right before I had to go to the hospital because of a broken wrist, so I had to postpone going to the hospital and put up a new craigslist ad, typing painfully with one hand.

    So far out of the almost $700 he owes, he's only given me $100 and that was nearly two weeks ago. He says he can give me some money in the middle of next month (!!!!!) but keeps wavering and refuses to say how much.

    I've called him on his BS, saying it was a rotten thing to do and that he keeps going back on his word and making excuses, and how every single night I smell the disgusting stench of weed from his room (which is obviously where the money is going to).

    It has now gotten to the point where I feel absolutely f-ing furious (which does not happen) and I want to get the hell out of this place and back to England because I'm fed up of dealing with these lazy scumbags. Is there anything I can do? This prat will continue to inflate the bills for the remainder of the month, then bugger off and escape responsibility like he seems to have done his entire life.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    8

    Default Roommate Left Unpaid Bills (update)

    My question involves a roommate in the State of: Massachusetts

    Hi, I'm sorry for what looks like a repeat post, but I know that updates on problems never get read, so I have to start again, but this time my issue is with a roommate who moved in January 1st. He agreed with both I and my fiancé that he would pay his share of the bills when he moved in, and continued to stall and say that his work was being "screwy" and that "this place is expensive".

    We have nothing in writing, mostly because we had an oral contract, and that it was common sense anyway: you move in somewhere, you pay the bills you incur. This I felt was particularly obvious since I went to England in December and didn't get back til March. January and February it was just him and my fiancé, and the bills DOUBLED.

    We drafted up an agreement for a payment plan last night and gave him a copy to sign. He said he was too tired and promised to talk tomorrow.

    He sneaked out, and left trash and stains on the carpet, and nine large bottles of Guinness on the floor, and the most vile stench of weed. It's clear he was drunk/stoned. He never signed the agreement. I spoke to the gas and electric co.s and for just the four months he "lived" here, he owes us just over $600.

    He was not on the lease, but my landlord can verify that he lived here. I also had to call the police on him once as his threatening behaviour was becoming impossible (he has also physically attacked my small kitten). They took his name but I don't know how official this is.

    He left us with 12 days notice and no time to find a new roommate. Because of this I will not be able to afford to live here, or even move here. I am supposed to be applying for a marriage visa (as my then boyfriend now fiancé somehow convinced me to get married to him, yay), and I am supposed to graduate college in June, but my grades are suffering because now I have to work to cover the mess he made.

    Can I take him to small claims? He basically just sneaked out like a despicable snake and complained and complained the whole time he was here. He complained that "you guys practically live in the living room" and that we should "shave the cat" because she is a half-persian breed and is long-haired...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    16,307

    Default Re: Non-Lease Roommate Not Paying Bills

    Ew. I thought MY Roommate from Hell story was bad!

    Can I take him to small claims?
    You can and you should.

    1. Sponsored Links
       

Similar Threads

  1. Roommates: What Can Be Done if Your Roommate Isn't Paying Rent but They're on the Lease
    By Just1Question? in forum Landlord-Tenant Law
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-13-2011, 09:42 AM
  2. Eviction Process: Roommate Not on Lease. Not Paying Bills
    By Daszzz1122 in forum Landlord-Tenant Law
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-08-2009, 05:59 PM
  3. Eviction Process: Evicting a Non-Paying Roommate Not on Lease
    By texasroomate in forum Landlord-Tenant Law
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 12-04-2008, 06:59 PM
  4. Roommates: Getting Rid Of A Non-Lease Roommate Who Is Paying Rent
    By evanlockhart in forum Landlord-Tenant Law
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-11-2008, 09:18 AM
  5. Roommates: Roommate On Lease Not Paying Rent or Bills in Ohio
    By Kelze13 in forum Landlord-Tenant Law
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-24-2007, 03:48 PM
 
 
Sponsored Links

Legal Help, Information and Resources