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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    2

    Default Roommate Breaking Lease; What to Do About Utilities

    I live in Arizona. My roommate wants to move out, and break the lease about three months early. She understands that she must pay the rent to the apartment because she is breaking a lease. However, what do we do about utilities? When we first moved in she lived out of town, so I put everything under my name, upon the agreement that we would eash pay 50% of these bills. Including water/sewage, electric, and cable/internet. She says that she will not pay those bills, and pay only the rent. Since her name is not on the other bills, is she not legally bound to pay them? Is there any way I can take her to a small claims court to have her be held responsible for these bills? The way I view it is if I don't have someone paying the other half of these bills, I would have just gotten myself a smaller apartment so the AC wouldn't cost so much, along with other things. We are fighting over this, and I want to know what legally can be done about this -- if anything. Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Roommate Breaking Lease; What to Do About Utilities

    You can try arguing to a small claims court that you had an agreement to split utilities for the entire duration of the lease. She can argue that it was her understanding that she would only pay for as long as she was in residence. Then the judge will decide which side is more credible.

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