My question involves a roommate in the State of: minnesota
My roommate and I had a verbal understanding she would put the gas bill in her name and I would put the electric/water bill in my name and we would pay each other whatever the difference was each month. for the first 4 months she paid me and then refused to pay me for her share for the next 4. I moved my things out of the townhouse a month early and still paid my rent for that month obviously. she is continuing on the lease with a new roommate who moved in that last month without notifying the rental company and basically lived there on my dime. I would like to take my roommate to small claims for the utility bills she refused to pay but do not know if I have a valid claim. I have the checks from when she did and also text messages as evidence of her refusing to pay the rest. I also feel that since the new roommate moved in she should pay for the portion of rent in which she lived there and I should be prorated that amount. Also in terms of the deposit, the rental company says the deposit stays with the townhome and I and the new roommate would need to work out an agreement where she would pay me the amount since when they move out she will be getting the money from my deposit if she does not.