Room Mate failing to pay the bills...

BSeay · 02-12-2007, 03:40 PM

Background:

I moved into my apartment in august with my two roommates, everything was great but because i was the only one with credit i had the bills put into my name. We are all on the lease but i'm the only one with the bills in my name. So thinking that my one roommate was on the up and up i went ahead and was like everyone pay me and i'll pay the bills. Well months later down the road he decided he doesnt like the way i "act" so in order to "fuck with me (his words)" he's not going to pay his portion of the bills. i suppose that he though i needed his portion (i dont i'm smart enough to save to cover everyone's ass in the house).

My question is if this behavior continues do i have a legal leg to stand on? Say i wanted to take him to court to get the money he owes me? I've heard that i dont because nothing was put into writing but i've also heard because there was an oral agreement made between us 3 and he is failing to hold up his end that i do have one.

input is appreciated and trust me this is a lesson learned

bassholic · 02-12-2007, 03:55 PM

You're screwed/stuck in this one. At this point i would just start confiscating some belongings of equal monitary value. I'm not sure how much longer the lease is, but put up with it, at least he is paying his portion of the rent.

It happens oh well

bugeyed · 02-12-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSeay

Background:

I moved into my apartment in august with my two roommates, everything was great but because i was the only one with credit i had the bills put into my name. We are all on the lease but i'm the only one with the bills in my name. So thinking that my one roommate was on the up and up i went ahead and was like everyone pay me and i'll pay the bills. Well months later down the road he decided he doesnt like the way i "act" so in order to "fuck with me (his words)" he's not going to pay his portion of the bills. i suppose that he though i needed his portion (i dont i'm smart enough to save to cover everyone's ass in the house).

My question is if this behavior continues do i have a legal leg to stand on? Say i wanted to take him to court to get the money he owes me? I've heard that i dont because nothing was put into writing but i've also heard because there was an oral agreement made between us 3 and he is failing to hold up his end that i do have one.

input is appreciated and trust me this is a lesson learned

That really sucks, seriously. I spent a big portion of my college time living in dorms, none of the expenses were shared in that setting with the exception of the phone. Back then mobile phones were not yet common, and most dorms had a single wire line that had to be shared by roommates. I knew more than one person that was destroyed by atrocious phone bills in his name by roommates making long distance calls and talking all hours of the night and refusing to pay for them. People having to drop out of college just to pay off these bills was not uncommon. This is one thing I was proud of when I was in college, was my steadfast unwillingness to have ANYTHING in my name with roommates; either it was in their name or we didn't have a phone. It turned out to be a wise decision because some of my roommates were just fucking scum. I of course paid my share, god knows they wouldn't have.

bugeyed · 02-12-2007, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassholic

You're screwed/stuck in this one. At this point i would just start confiscating some belongings of equal monitary value. I'm not sure how much longer the lease is, but put up with it, at least he is paying his portion of the rent.

It happens oh well

Well there are some legal issues here, he probably can't legally do that. One thing he might do if he were so criminally inclined is to remove critical and expensive parts from his roommates car, disabling it until said bills were paid. I would suggest starting with the power control module, it is easy to detach and expensive to replace.

BSeay · 02-12-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassholic

You're screwed/stuck in this one. At this point i would just start confiscating some belongings of equal monitary value. I'm not sure how much longer the lease is, but put up with it, at least he is paying his portion of the rent.

It happens oh well

He's on the lease is why he pays it, the lease is up in august...

i paid my rent for the year also which i think pissed him off...

OSUDawg · 02-12-2007, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSeay

Background:

My question is if this behavior continues do i have a legal leg to stand on? Say i wanted to take him to court to get the money he owes me? I've heard that i dont because nothing was put into writing but i've also heard because there was an oral agreement made between us 3 and he is failing to hold up his end that i do have one.

input is appreciated and trust me this is a lesson learned

I have been in the same situation. I feel your pain. One of my old roommates did the same thing to me. He would be the first one to turn on the cable and use the phone but everytime the bill came he would try and skimp out on paying. Unforunately there is not much you can do in this case since your name is the only one on the bills. You might be able to take him to court or at least threaten to, that might be enough to make him pay up.

FZ6 Dude · 02-12-2007, 05:16 PM

im with a few others here start confiscating goods hide the remotes to tvs take stuff to hold as barter for him to pay... and if that doesnt work take a week vacation and have the electric company turn the lights off and cutt the water... oh take the roommate who actually pays with you and leave the ass who isnt paying to sit in the dark... make sure your shit is locked up though... so he cant take it...

sportrider81 · 02-12-2007, 05:18 PM

You can kick him out, since his name is not on the lease he has no ties to the appt. If he refuses to leave you could call the police and they would make him leave. Legally if you want him to leave he has to because he is not on the lease.

kazlab67 · 02-12-2007, 05:22 PM

You sir have much better patience than I....
I was in the same predicament before...not the same issue but a roommate F'n with me...swinging a machete around always seems to cause people to take notice...you may not get your money but I guarantee you that the roommate will start avoiding you completely.

You have to have some internal rage to pull this off...I used to have a lot when I was younger...mellow until someone kept F'n with me and then I would reach out for the nearest heavy object...

RayOSV · 02-12-2007, 05:25 PM

Deny him access to the utilities for which he doesn't pay. You may have to get creative and get the help of the other roommate, but he may get the message. If you convince the other roommate that the two of you will have to split the utilities 50/50, he may help you gang up on the deadbeat.

FZ6 Dude · 02-12-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportrider81

You can kick him out, since his name is not on the lease he has no ties to the appt. If he refuses to leave you could call the police and they would make him leave. Legally if you want him to leave he has to because he is not on the lease.

read the initial post... he is on the lease just not on the utility bills... he cant kick him out the apartment unless he fails to pay rent... although he might take him to small claims court for failure to pay utilities...

bush · 02-12-2007, 05:48 PM

I was in the same situation. Myself and my roommate were both on the lease, but the utilities were in my name. I got lucky and was in good enough standing with the landlord to have him evicted for violating his part of the lease agreement.

That situation was just as bad, not to mention the fact that he was smoking in the livingroom after I told him a dozen times to stop, and leaving the entire apartment a mess.

Rough him up a bit, let him know you're not fucking around.

Fabian · 02-12-2007, 05:57 PM

Let us know how this turns out!

matt500r · 02-12-2007, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayOSV

Deny him access to the utilities for which he doesn't pay. You may have to get creative and get the help of the other roommate, but he may get the message. If you convince the other roommate that the two of you will have to split the utilities 50/50, he may help you gang up on the deadbeat.

Good point here...get the others on your side. Then everyone just make his life a living hell...Leave him no hot water for showers and just stuff to fuck with his head. Lock up the toilet paper and stuff like that to lol. Keep him up all hours of the day/night.

OFFICER737 · 02-12-2007, 06:48 PM

First check to see if your state is an "oral contract" state. If so then you do have some recourse but it will be a little lengthy. Show proof that you have made all the payments and over paid your portion when others couldn't (receipts) then go to the local courthouse and get an eviction order. Even if he is not on the lease he is still a resident of that domicile. Along with the eviction order file a case in small claims court for any monies they owe and continue to pay like usual. If they agreed to pay a 1/3 or whatever they are reponsibile for paying that to you and the judge will rule on that and the person who loses the case will be responsible for the court fees and such as well.

As for taking property or hiding it....DON'T!!! That is theft without a written order of forfeiture from the courts.