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...![]()

