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Need advice about ex roommate

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ashley482

Junior Member
NY State //

In November my friend and I started looking for apartments to move into together. We made an agreement that wherever we lived I could only afford $400/month. She said if we moved somewhere that was more she would pay the difference. In December we moved into a duplex, which was $775 plus utilities a month. We split the rent and she put the utilities in her name and paid them because the rent covered most of the $400 I said I could afford. She put the money down for the security deposit and paid the trash fee because she had the money up front to do so. She also purchased the blinds for the apartment which she said she was going to leave at the end of our lease. We signed a lease for 1 year and 1 month, till Jan. 31, 2007. Our living arrangement wasn't working out and she said she couldn't afford it anymore because she had alot of debt she needed to catch up on. I found two new roommates to move in so she could move out. We both had to sign a letter agreeeing she was off the lease. I gave her my 1/3 of the security deposit and 1/3 from one of the new roommates. She then signed the security deposit over to me. I have copies of both the letters stating we agreed she was off the lease and the letter stating that she signed the security deposit over to me. She was out by March 1st. She left the blinds. Soon after she started asking me for money for the blinds. She is now suing me for 50% of the utiliies, a portion of the fees, 1/3 of the secuirty deposit, and the money for the blinds.

Before moving in together we agreed that I can only afford to pay $400/month. She said she would pay the difference. She also offered to pay the security deposit and moving in fees because she had the money to do so. She never once asked me for money for the ultilities and/or the security deposit and/or moving in fees because that was our agreement. Once she moved out and we were not on good terms then she claimed I owed her money for the utilities and fees. Am I responsible for any of which she is suing me for? What is the best way to handle this in court? Does she have a case against me?
 
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AHA

Senior Member
ashley482 said:
NY State //

In November my friend and I started looking for apartments to move into together. We made an agreement that wherever we lived I could only afford $400/month. She said if we moved somewhere that was more she would pay the difference. In December we moved into a duplex, which was $775 plus utilities a month. We split the rent and she put the utilities in her name and paid them because the rent covered most of the $400 I said I could afford. She put the money down for the security deposit and paid the trash fee because she had the money up front to do so. She also purchased the blinds for the apartment which she said she was going to leave at the end of our lease. We signed a lease for 1 year and 1 month, till Jan. 31, 2007. Our living arrangement wasn't working out and she said she couldn't afford it anymore because she had alot of debt she needed to catch up on. I found two new roommates to move in so she could move out. We both had to sign a letter agreeeing she was off the lease. I gave her my 1/3 of the security deposit and 1/3 from one of the new roommates. She then signed the security deposit over to me. I have copies of both the letters stating we agreed she was off the lease and the letter stating that she signed the security deposit over to me. She was out by March 1st. She left the blinds. Soon after she started asking me for money for the blinds. She is now suing me for 50% of the utiliies, a portion of the fees, 1/3 of the secuirty deposit, and the money for the blinds.

Before moving in together we agreed that I can only afford to pay $400/month. She said she would pay the difference. She also offered to pay the security deposit and moving in fees because she had the money to do so. She never once asked me for money for the ultilities and/or the security deposit and/or moving in fees because that was our agreement. Once she moved out and we were not on good terms then she claimed I owed her money for the utilities and fees. Am I responsible for any of which she is suing me for? What is the best way to handle this in court? Does she have a case against me?

Why didn't roommate # 2 pay his/her 1/3 share of the utilities?
Did you not put your or new roommates's name/s on the utilities after she moved out?
 

ashley482

Junior Member
The 1/3 is the security deposit not the utilities. The first living arrangement is the issue. I never agreed to pay half the utilities only have the rent according to our agreement. The utilities were in her name.
 

AHA

Senior Member
ashley482 said:
The 1/3 is the security deposit not the utilities. The first living arrangement is the issue. I never agreed to pay half the utilities only have the rent according to our agreement. The utilities were in her name.
Sorry, I meant 1/3 of the security deposit. As it stands your ex-roommate only got payment for 2/3 of the deposit.

Are the three of you expecting her to pay for utilities for an apartment where she no longer lives??
 

ashley482

Junior Member
thats just it we only gave her 2/3 of the security deposit... she then signed the security deposit over to me before receiving the last 1/3 of the deposit. The utilitites are now in my name. The issue is when they were in her name when she lived her. She put them in her name and paid them. Now she wants half of the utilities while we lived together but that wasnt the agreeement. In court will I have to pay for half the utilities and the last 1/3 of the security deposit?
 

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