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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    3

    Default Utilities After Moving Out

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

    I have been reading posts from various dates on this website for the last 3 days. I have seen that the conclusions of the posters have widely varied. If anyone could give me insight to my situation, I would appreciate it. Here it is:

    I signed a lease, along with 3 other renters, that is valid from 6-01-09 to 5-31-10. On, approximately, 06-25-09 I moved out of the house to move into another residence. I continue to pay rent at both properties. I have paid utilities for June, July, August, and September for the property I moved out of (Let's define it as House A). I continued to pay utilities because the other 3 roommates from House A have been actively searching to "fill" my room. After 3 months of fruitless efforts, I have taken over the search. The search to get someone to sublet is my responsibility. I gave the 3 roommates the opportunity to select their choice of roommate in a reasonable amount of time. I told them that I would wait until 10-01-09 before I started to attempt to find "anyone" to fulfill the lease. I did this in order to give them a chance to have a preferred roommate as opposed to someone whom they have never met.
    About 20 days ago, I told them that I would no longer be splitting the utilities with them. This, of course, led to outrage on their part. I would like to know if they have any legal standing to come after me for the amount of 1/4 the total utility bill.
    The utilities are in the names of the 3 roommates. None are in my name. None are in my landlord's name. As far as I know there is nothing in the lease that pertains to this. Also as far as I know we did not sign a roommate rental agreement of any kind.


    Thank you in advance for your time.

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

    Default Re: Utilities After Moving Out

    Your continuing to pay utilities after you left the unit suggests that there was an agreement that you would do so, whether or not you remained in occupancy. The question of your liability most likely turns on whether or not your roommates made a reasonable effort to find a replacement for you or if they've unreasonably turned down a replacement roommate proposed by you.

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