About to sign a lease agreement when.....

[triple7]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I'm supposed to be signing a lease agreement for a single fam home this weekend. The plan is for me to occupy the house and my girlfriend will join me when she sells her condo. Her condo wont go on the market for several months yet, and who knows how long it will take to sell. The landlord wants both names on the lease this weekend. My girlfriend is concerned because if something, god forbid, happens to me in the meantime she will then become responsible for the lease even though she would not be living there yet.

Is it legal for the landlord to do this even though she wont be there for awhile yet? Any advice is appreciated?

Thanks

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I'm supposed to be signing a lease agreement for a single fam home this weekend. The plan is for me to occupy the house and my girlfriend will join me when she sells her condo. Her condo wont go on the market for several months yet, and who knows how long it will take to sell. The landlord wants both names on the lease this weekend. My girlfriend is concerned because if something, god forbid, happens to me in the meantime she will then become responsible for the lease even though she would not be living there yet.

Is it legal for the landlord to do this even though she wont be there for awhile yet? Any advice is appreciated?

Thanks

Yes, it's legal.

 

[tranquility]

The landlord can make any terms he wants on the lease, your and your girlfriend's job is to accept them or not. If girlfriend is really afraid, perhaps you can get an attorney to make a contingency clause that implements the joint and several liability only when the girlfriend fulfills some criteria acceptable to her. Also, if you're serious about playing house, perhaps you get a nice term policy and a disability income policy with her as a beneficiary. Then, the if something "happens to [you] in the meantime", she is covered.

 

[triple7]

Thanks, we'll be putting her as a beneficiary on my policy tomorrow and she can breathe a bit easier.