My question involves a roommate in the State of: Virginia
I moved in with 2 roommates almost a year ago. I left the home about 3 months into the lease due to them being dirty, loud, and inconsiderate people. I continued to pay my 1/3 of the rent faithfully since I left. I left my room and bathroom empty, but still paid rent. I also left a couch there, but since I was still paying rent there I hadn't abandoned it. It was still my property to have access to. I hadn't been back to inspect the place since I left because it was so nasty in there that it made me sick to think about returning to the property. Normally I had been mailing the checks, but last month and this month I went in person. I went to deliver the check for last month's rent, but noticed from the parking lot that there was stuff in my room. I didn't have any proof at that point, so I just left the rent check and decided to inspect the place before the next month's rent was due. This month I went back to pay and saw very clearly from the parking lot that the room was decorated with items and a light was on in there. I went back to the house when no one was home a few days later and took photos of all of the items in the room plus the additional cats that were now residing in there. It was clear that there were others living within the room and it wasn't just a storage space. I've notified the office of this and they haven't really done anything to evict the other people. I found out that the other 2 roommates have been living there since about November. So now there are 4 people living in the home and splitting the other 2/3's of the rent that I wasn't responsible for. So essentially 5 people are paying the rent there. I am paying 1/3 (and don't even live there) and the other 4 are paying 2/3. Doesn't seem quite fair does it?? I was not aware that the others had moved in, nor would I have agreed to it unless my name were removed from the lease and the other 2 added to it. Unfortunately no one in the rental office was notified of the new roommates (which is against the lease contract) so I was kept on the lease. I have since stopped paying rent (there's only 2 months left anyhow).
My questions are:
Can I take the 2 roommates to small claims court (the ones actually on the lease) and demand my money back that I had been paying for the past several months? I should not have been paying rent for a room that others were living in (illegally I might add). Granted my name was on the lease, so I was responsible for it.. however my name SHOULD NOT have been on there if there were others moving into the space. I think the amount that I would be owed back would be roughly $2100.
Also I would like to sue for the price of the couch that I had left there because they trashed it and it's no longer there. It was probably a $1,000 couch that was like new when I put it in the house.
Lastly I want to sue for my 1/3 of the initial rental deposit. I assume from the nastiness in the house that once they leave they may not get that deposit back. Even if they do I was told by the rental office that since I am no longer residing in the home that the deposit would go back in the other two roommates names. Is it possible to get this money back from them as well? It would be 1/3 of $500.
The total I would be suing for would be about $3300 PLUS court costs and lost wages. Can I sue for all of this at one time?
I appreciate ANY help I can get. Thanks!!!

