Hi,
Here's my situation:
I have a 12-month lease. In the lease, it states that Renters will be responsible for utility. Utility includes electricity, heat, phone, cable. It is a 4-bedroom apartment. I share the apartment with other 3 people. However, each of us has an individual lease with the Landlord.
I graduated and left for the city. I still have 6 month on the lease. Of course I still pay the rent every month. For the electricity, even though I don't physically live in the apartment anymore, I still pay 1/4 of the bill.
We also subscribe to have enhance cable TV and high speed internet package. I think since high speed internet and more cable channels is merely entertainment, I shouldn't have to pay 1/4 of the bill any more. My reason is this: the fact that I refuse to participate in the cable/internet deal at the very beginning and just now should not make a difference. If I had refuse to participate in the beginning, they (the other 3 roommates) would have come up with a package deal that they can afford. If I wish to stop be part of the deal now, they would simply downgrade their service to the one that they can afford.
One laywer, however, told me that I am obligated to pay 1/4 of the cable bill, for in the very beginning, I agreed to participated in the deal. Since the lease duration is 12 months, and the lease states that Renters are responsible for utility, plus the fact that I have been paying 1/4 of the cable bill utill now, therefore, I'm obligate to continue paying 1/4 of the bill until my lease ends. He argued that I was part of the oral contract between me and my roommates to decide that cable/high speed internet package was part of Utility, therefore, I'm obligated to pay till the end.
There's another thing. Since the fact that I would be graduating ealier was never brought up, the other 3 roommates must be under the assumption that I'll stay till the end, while I was under the assumption that I only pay for it while I'm there. My roommates refuse to downgrade their cable package.
I'm looking for a 2nd opinion.
Let's say the laywer was right, I'm in the wrong and my roommates sue me for around $120 for compensation in a Conciliation Court, does it gonna go to my 'criminal' record? Is it gonna be bad for me?
Thank you very much.
Here's my situation:
I have a 12-month lease. In the lease, it states that Renters will be responsible for utility. Utility includes electricity, heat, phone, cable. It is a 4-bedroom apartment. I share the apartment with other 3 people. However, each of us has an individual lease with the Landlord.
I graduated and left for the city. I still have 6 month on the lease. Of course I still pay the rent every month. For the electricity, even though I don't physically live in the apartment anymore, I still pay 1/4 of the bill.
We also subscribe to have enhance cable TV and high speed internet package. I think since high speed internet and more cable channels is merely entertainment, I shouldn't have to pay 1/4 of the bill any more. My reason is this: the fact that I refuse to participate in the cable/internet deal at the very beginning and just now should not make a difference. If I had refuse to participate in the beginning, they (the other 3 roommates) would have come up with a package deal that they can afford. If I wish to stop be part of the deal now, they would simply downgrade their service to the one that they can afford.
One laywer, however, told me that I am obligated to pay 1/4 of the cable bill, for in the very beginning, I agreed to participated in the deal. Since the lease duration is 12 months, and the lease states that Renters are responsible for utility, plus the fact that I have been paying 1/4 of the cable bill utill now, therefore, I'm obligate to continue paying 1/4 of the bill until my lease ends. He argued that I was part of the oral contract between me and my roommates to decide that cable/high speed internet package was part of Utility, therefore, I'm obligated to pay till the end.
There's another thing. Since the fact that I would be graduating ealier was never brought up, the other 3 roommates must be under the assumption that I'll stay till the end, while I was under the assumption that I only pay for it while I'm there. My roommates refuse to downgrade their cable package.
I'm looking for a 2nd opinion.
Let's say the laywer was right, I'm in the wrong and my roommates sue me for around $120 for compensation in a Conciliation Court, does it gonna go to my 'criminal' record? Is it gonna be bad for me?
Thank you very much.