Posted on 01/16/2023 11:20:12 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?
Dear Quentin, I find myself facing an issue that is rather complex, and I am not sure what to do. I live with two roommates, and during the pandemic we didn’t pay any utility bills thanks to a moratorium that allowed us to amass debt with no interest. We split the electric bill equally, but it’s in my name only.
The rub is that we are all moving out in February, and per our moratorium agreement, we’re not obligated to pay the bill until 2024. I’m concerned that one of my roommates will just drop communication when it comes time to pay, given that the bill is in my name.
One roommate ignored my requests for payment for other expenses for four months in a row this year. Their job situation is much better than it was then, but they never communicated or apologized for stiffing me. I made sacrifices and fronted the money, thinking they would eventually pay me back.
My roommates are younger than me, and I don’t want to hurt their credit by suing in small-claims court. I truly want to see them succeed despite how much they bother me personally. On the flip side, it would be nice not to have to pay their share of the $1,600 bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Pay for your lesson.
Change your name.
It happened to me with my first room mate when I moved to NH.
Stiffed me for the phone bill.
He had a long distance girlfriend. Spent an hour each night on the phone.
He moved out after three months. Left me with the bill.
And your sex. 🙂
He can ask but if he doesn’t have anything in writing he might have learned an expensive lesson about why he needs to become a judge of character...
Learning about deadbeats and how to spot them and keep them out of your life is a valuable lesson in growing up.
PAY THE BILL.
It's a lesson hard-learned -- if your name is the only one on the lease, then any room mates can leave without paying the bill and you are on the hook for it.
The bell tolls for thee, Grossbard!
He'll have to suck it up and pay the piper. Maybe he learns a life lesson.
Learn your lesson. But pursue it in small claims.
They are not true friends anyway.
When it comes to court for these type of issues don’t embellish, don’t get overly dramatic, just state the facts and let the judge question it out of them.
The judge probably knows you would not have agreed to pay ALL the bills, and it was very likely they agreed to split it 3 ways. He will judge their veracity if they deny it. Let him.
So, once again- Learn your lesson. But pursue it in small claims to make sure they learn too.
Even if you don’t collect you still drag them into court.
The best case- they ignore the small claims summons and you win by default. Then you get the Sherriff to garnish their wages.
If your roommates are not named on the account and the account is in your name, and there is no co-signer, the debt is yours and yours alone. You have no grounds to sue anybody in small claims court unless you have a contract entered into with the roommates as signatories and it was duly signed, notarized, and witnessed. Not likely. Otherwise you would have breach of contract and a lawyer, instead of having your thumb in your mouth, asking strangers dumb questions. If I were you, I’d try to find Jack Reacher or a reasonable facsimile thereof, to go have a “talk” with your “roommates”. Of course, then you’d have to pay him a fee, unless he felt sorry for you.
Stupidity should have painful consequences.
He doesn’t have much options.
He can sue his ex roommates for their share in civil court but legally, he’s the one responsible for the bill.
Learn to like prison food.
Apparently your friends aren't as concerned about you and yours.
In the meantime, $120 a month satisfies the debt. Then look for ways to get your satisfaction from the (other) deadbeats.
Your bills follow your SSN.
Pay it in installments.................
I learned my lesson. They loaded up and demanded their $1500.
No problem. Will move out not paying. The bill will go to collection. Utility will write it off. All losses will be consolidated and a new rate schedule will be made.
The suckers who paid get the benefit at bigger bills.
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