C
ceo21mil
Guest
I am seeking advice for a lawsuit filed in the small claims court of Alachua County, Gainesville, Florida in which I am the defendant.
I was invited to sign a joint lease with two individuals to share the cost of a three-bedroom apartment. Before signing, I wrote a Roommate Agreement and had the two individuals sign. Of key importance to the agreement were two paragraphs: one that specified no drugs in the apartment, and another that specified no addition of a fourth roommate without approval of all other roommates and a consequent reduction in the amount each tenant pays (from 1/3 of rent to 1/4 of rent).
Unfortunately, my roommates broke both of these agreements. Management of the apartment complex in which we lived was unwilling to help me because “they do not get involved in what goes on behind closed doors.” Consequently, I packed up and moved out after only three months of living there.
Management may seek to sue me for the remainder of the year’s rent, but that has not yet happened.
However, the original two roommates that signed the Roommate Agreement are suing me for two months rent plus some other miscellaneous charges. (I admit that I did live there for one of the months that they are suing me for. However, that is the same month I came home to find a fourth – unsigned, unapproved – roommate. The other month they are suing me for is the month that I moved out, even though I moved out on the 2nd of the month.)
The notice of process was sent to my permanent address in South Florida. Since I am not currently living there (I'm still in college for another semester), it was not signed for. I'm considering driving down to South Florida to sign and pick up the letter because I do not want to miss the pre-trial date, nor do I want to give the impression that I am trying to avoid the issue.
I am a serious and scholarly Electrical and Computer Engineering student at the University of Florida. I’ve never been sued before, and my background in law is limited. Therefore, I would appreciate any advice that anyone has to offer.
I was invited to sign a joint lease with two individuals to share the cost of a three-bedroom apartment. Before signing, I wrote a Roommate Agreement and had the two individuals sign. Of key importance to the agreement were two paragraphs: one that specified no drugs in the apartment, and another that specified no addition of a fourth roommate without approval of all other roommates and a consequent reduction in the amount each tenant pays (from 1/3 of rent to 1/4 of rent).
Unfortunately, my roommates broke both of these agreements. Management of the apartment complex in which we lived was unwilling to help me because “they do not get involved in what goes on behind closed doors.” Consequently, I packed up and moved out after only three months of living there.
Management may seek to sue me for the remainder of the year’s rent, but that has not yet happened.
However, the original two roommates that signed the Roommate Agreement are suing me for two months rent plus some other miscellaneous charges. (I admit that I did live there for one of the months that they are suing me for. However, that is the same month I came home to find a fourth – unsigned, unapproved – roommate. The other month they are suing me for is the month that I moved out, even though I moved out on the 2nd of the month.)
The notice of process was sent to my permanent address in South Florida. Since I am not currently living there (I'm still in college for another semester), it was not signed for. I'm considering driving down to South Florida to sign and pick up the letter because I do not want to miss the pre-trial date, nor do I want to give the impression that I am trying to avoid the issue.
I am a serious and scholarly Electrical and Computer Engineering student at the University of Florida. I’ve never been sued before, and my background in law is limited. Therefore, I would appreciate any advice that anyone has to offer.