Breaking Lease with Roommate

[maximusppl]

What is the name of your state? VIRGINIA.

I am having some financial difficulty and would like to move out. I signed a one-year lease with my roommate 10/2004. I told him and he doesnt want to move out and tells me that he will not release me. He also doesnt want to live with someone else. What can I do? We are leasing from an individual, btw.

Please e-mail me thoughts at: [email protected]

 

[seniorjudge]

What does the written lease you signed say about such a situation?

Tell him to get another roomie.

 

[maximusppl]

I believe it's a standard lease, but I will look it over again this weekend.

I am willing to give up my security deposit and even some penalties to the landlord(months rent, etc...).

Doesnt there have to be a way out for me for these kind of situations. I am not obligated to my roommate, but am obligated to the landlord.

Any advice???

 

[janandjam]

roommates are awful

What is the name of your state? VIRGINIA.

I am having some financial difficulty and would like to move out. I signed a one-year lease with my roommate 10/2004. I told him and he doesnt want to move out and tells me that he will not release me. He also doesnt want to live with someone else. What can I do? We are leasing from an individual, btw.

Please e-mail me thoughts at: [email protected]

I am totally in the same situation as you are! I will let you know if I find anything out. I have even gone so far as to find many many subletters any roommate will not take this person.
You may be able to just stop paying rent and since the two of you are on the lease, you both are responsible for rent and the landlord has to go after you jointly for the money so your roommate would get into trouble too. The issue that I am having is that I think that my roommate would take me to small claims court and force me to pay the remainder of the lease that way. If you do not have the money then there is the a chance that even if your roomie won that they could not collect anything from you anyway.
Good luck. let me know if you find anything out!
Michal
[email protected]

 

[HomeGuru]

I believe it's a standard lease, but I will look it over again this weekend.

I am willing to give up my security deposit and even some penalties to the landlord(months rent, etc...).

Doesnt there have to be a way out for me for these kind of situations. I am not obligated to my roommate, but am obligated to the landlord.

Any advice???

**A: you are actually obligated to both roomie and landlord. Contact L and see if there are any ideas.

 

[maximusppl]

My roommate says that he doesn't want to take the lease over, or terminate it with me. Basically he sees it as me trying to dick him over. He doesn't want to get a new roommate either. What can I do? I don't think that my landlord can force my roommate to get a new roommate or take the lease on himself, can she? Am I screwed here?

 

[seniorjudge]

"...What can I do?..."

Move out and hope for the best, being willing at all times to take the consequences of your actions.

 

[HomeGuru]

My roommate says that he doesn't want to take the lease over, or terminate it with me. Basically he sees it as me trying to dick him over. He doesn't want to get a new roommate either. What can I do? I don't think that my landlord can force my roommate to get a new roommate or take the lease on himself, can she? Am I screwed here?

**A: speaking of dicking over, you're screwed.

 

[Who's Liable?]

You can move out whenever you want... But you will pay for it in the end... You cannot simply transfer the responsibility to your other roommate for whatever reason you may have... The lease has both your names on it and both of you are legally responsible for it... You might get lucky if you do move out that the LL will only go after the other roommate, but I'm pretty sure he will come after you... If you both leave, the LL has the right to withdraw from your security deposit(check your states laws) any unpaid rent for the REMAINDER of the lease, plus any cost associated with trying to re-rent the place...