• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Can my roommate refuse to pay electricit&sign written agreement forl bill sharing?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

jiajieyan

Junior Member
Can my roommate refuse to pay electricit&sign written agreement forl bill sharing?

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
I have two roommates, two of us three people :confused:want to put down a written agreement on sharing electricity bill in equal portions. The third one refuses. And her reason for refusing is that we refuse to sign her hygiene contract. Her hygiene contract says that if one person has a small violation of hygiene code (such as not washing dishes in the sink or turn off the kitchen light), this person has to pay the internet service for a month for the entire apartment for the first time of comitment, pay the electricity bill for the entire unit for a month for the second time of commitment, pay the entire unit rent ($1150) for a month. We did not sign this hygiene contract for it's simply not appropriate and not legal to our understanding. And the roommate's claim is that if she doesn't sign written contract for electricity bill sharing, she can refuse paying for the electricity bill in the future. Should we give up written contract for electricity bill or we allow her to say NO on the electricity contact? What is the chance that we win the case at small claim courts if this we lack this written contract?
Thank you so much!
 


Antigone*

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
I have two roommates, two of us three people :confused:want to put down a written agreement on sharing electricity bill in equal portions. The third one refuses. And her reason for refusing is that we refuse to sign her hygiene contract. Her hygiene contract says that if one person has a small violation of hygiene code (such as not washing dishes in the sink or turn off the kitchen light), this person has to pay the internet service for a month for the entire apartment for the first time of comitment, pay the electricity bill for the entire unit for a month for the second time of commitment, pay the entire unit rent ($1150) for a month. We did not sign this hygiene contract for it's simply not appropriate and not legal to our understanding. And the roommate's claim is that if she doesn't sign written contract for electricity bill sharing, she can refuse paying for the electricity bill in the future. Should we give up written contract for electricity bill or we allow her to say NO on the electricity contact? What is the chance that we win the case at small claim courts if this we lack this written contract?
Thank you so much!
She is under no obligation to sign your agreement. What are you going to sue her for if there is no agreement that she owes you anything. Why you let her move in without having the details hammered out is beyond me.
 

Banned_Princess

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL
I have two roommates, two of us three people :confused:want to put down a written agreement on sharing electricity bill in equal portions. The third one refuses. And her reason for refusing is that we refuse to sign her hygiene contract. Her hygiene contract says that if one person has a small violation of hygiene code (such as not washing dishes in the sink or turn off the kitchen light), this person has to pay the internet service for a month for the entire apartment for the first time of comitment, pay the electricity bill for the entire unit for a month for the second time of commitment, pay the entire unit rent ($1150) for a month. We did not sign this hygiene contract for it's simply not appropriate and not legal to our understanding. And the roommate's claim is that if she doesn't sign written contract for electricity bill sharing, she can refuse paying for the electricity bill in the future. Should we give up written contract for electricity bill or we allow her to say NO on the electricity contact? What is the chance that we win the case at small claim courts if this we lack this written contract?
Thank you so much!
How long have you been living together?

Wont all 3 of you come together and draw up a house rules? It is important to address common space issues like properly cleaning up after yourself...

Suing takes a while, costs money, and not a guarantee you will get any money, so really your best bet is to compromise and come up with something you all can live with, and try to live by.

And while whatever you come up with isn't a legal document, you can address things before things get tense over it.



While you are in a roomate situation it would usually work out to a 3 way split of any rent and utilities in court complaints, as long as that is how you break it up from the beginning. no statements necessary.
 

FarmerJ

Senior Member
I didnt see anywhere you mentioning if she was on a written lease with the two of you or what the details of the rental are, 1 if the two of you rented room to her as her being your sublets and she wont pay for her so called share of elect , go rent a post office box so your mail box is not shared with her and send to her written notice via certified mail that meets your states law telling her to get out signed and use your post office box for return address. ( so if she refuses to pick up the certified mail it will not mysteriously vanish, and you can offer to a court a sealed in orig condition refused by her letter when you take her to court to get her out) 2 if she is on a joint lease with the two of you then you are free to rent a po box to use as your mail box and send to her a demand to be paid for her share of the elect or risk being sued , if she doesnt pay by a reasonable time file in small claims court and let the court decide the outcome. ( if she isnt jointly on a lease with the two of you then its gonna be less hassle to give her proper notice for month to month renter in your state telling her to get out)
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top