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Do I have to sign a document?

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Zipper87

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

Hello! I need advice. I owe my roommate some back rent because of a job that I lost. I agreed on a payment plan with him of $200 a month until it was payed off. Now he wants it in a lump sum and is giving me two weeks to get it to him. Fortunately, I am able to borrow a majority of it and am getting the money in a few days. He approached me today asking me to sign a legal document holding me accountable. Do I have to sign it? Should I?
 


tranquility

Senior Member
No, you don't have to sign it.

Should? That depends on all the facts. What is he threatening you with? What does the document say exactly? What is he giving you to sign?
 

Zipper87

Junior Member
I haven't seen it yet. He's giving it to me when he gets off of work. In his words it is "a document on our agreement" of me paying him. I've always been told not to sign anything without a lawyer present. Are there any ramifications that I should be aware of for refusal to sign? Or would I be doing myself any favors of signing it? The reason I'm worried about signing something is that the terms of our agreement has changed several times and now that paperwork is involved, I would get locked in. I can't pay him the lump sum all at once but I am giving him the vast majority in a couple days once I acquire it, leaving $300 owed.

He's threatening me with court, by the way. I want to avoid it as much as anyone would.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I haven't seen it yet. He's giving it to me when he gets off of work. In his words it is "a document on our agreement" of me paying him. I've always been told not to sign anything without a lawyer present. Are there any ramifications that I should be aware of for refusal to sign? Or would I be doing myself any favors of signing it? The reason I'm worried about signing something is that the terms of our agreement has changed several times and now that paperwork is involved, I would get locked in. I can't pay him the lump sum all at once but I am giving him the vast majority in a couple days once I acquire it, leaving $300 owed.

He's threatening me with court, by the way. I want to avoid it as much as anyone would.
If you sign it, then it would make it far easier for him to take you to court. However if you sign it, then he also cannot keep changing the "deal".
 

tranquility

Senior Member
I have no idea of the ramifications of signing an unknown "agreement" where you promise to give something up (At the very least, money.) and he promises to give something up (suing you). It could very well obligate you to something more than you planned.
 

Zipper87

Junior Member
The document is asking for all of the money at once. I can't do that. I had to pull teeth just to get what I have now which is $900. That leaves $300 owed. I have stated several times that I cannot do it all at once but could probably get most of it. No luck for me there. He still wants it all at once. I can't really sign something that says I'll do something that I can't do, right?

And thank you all for your advice. This is helping me quite a bit.
 

Zipper87

Junior Member
Yeah that's the plan. I've requested signed and written proof (receipts) of payment so that way they can't be contested in court or any other lobby. Is there a certain document that I can use to keep track of payments or will anything written in handwriting and signed work?
 

RRevak

Senior Member
Have you made the full $200 payment every month per the original agreement or have you fallen behind and the roommate is now looking for a more concrete way of getting his money back? If you made an agreement to pay him what you know you owe, and then didn't pay (or only made sporadic payments), then i'd sign the agreement and pay what you owe in the timeframe agreed upon. An agreement in writing eliminates the ability to arbitrarily change things and gives you more incentive to pay on the specific times/dates agreed to. Unless of course you're hoping to just tell him "Yep i'll pay you" and then stiff him till he does eventually get fed up and sues you and you're hoping an unsigned agreement will save you.
 

RRevak

Senior Member
Yeah that's the plan. I've requested signed and written proof (receipts) of payment so that way they can't be contested in court or any other lobby. Is there a certain document that I can use to keep track of payments or will anything written in handwriting and signed work?
Either pay by check so your bank will have a record, or go out and buy a simple receipt booklet allowing you both to sign it when payment is made. You get a copy, he gets a copy. Easy peasy
 

Zipper87

Junior Member
Have you made the full $200 payment every month per the original agreement or have you fallen behind and the roommate is now looking for a more concrete way of getting his money back? If you made an agreement to pay him what you know you owe, and then didn't pay (or only made sporadic payments), then i'd sign the agreement and pay what you owe in the timeframe agreed upon. An agreement in writing eliminates the ability to arbitrarily change things and gives you more incentive to pay on the specific times/dates agreed to. Unless of course you're hoping to just tell him "Yep i'll pay you" and then stiff him till he does eventually get fed up and sues you and you're hoping an unsigned agreement will save you.
It's only been a week since we talked. There has been no room for error on my part. I'm making a payment of $900 tomorrow night. The original post states that he changed his mind about the original agreement of $200 monthly. What the original post didn't say is that he changed his mind a day later about the payment plan. Now he wants it all at once. If I sign a document saying that I'm paying it all at once and can't then I'm obviously in breach of contract so signing it is not what i want to do. I've repeatedly told him that I can't do it all at once.
 

RRevak

Senior Member
It's only been a week since we talked. There has been no room for error on my part. I'm making a payment of $900 tomorrow night. The original post states that he changed his mind about the original agreement of $200 monthly. What the original post didn't say is that he changed his mind a day later about the payment plan. Now he wants it all at once. If I sign a document saying that I'm paying it all at once and can't then I'm obviously in breach of contract so signing it is not what i want to do. I've repeatedly told him that I can't do it all at once.
Ok that's a different story (and a more clear one). If you can't meet the terms of the agreement then don't sign. I would counter with your own written agreement regarding the momentary lump sum, then some form of date and/or plan for the remaining balance. If its a written contract he wants then i'd say no harm no foul if the terms are ones you know you can meet as well as ensure him that he gets paid in a timely fashion. Again, a written agreement means the terms are clearly laid out and signed by both parties. If either one defaults, there are written terms to fall back on. If he refuses to sign a more reasonable agreement then you have no choice but to continue to negotiate.
 

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