roomate's bad cat

[jessilu]

A college student, another student and I signed a lease together (her mother co-signing) for an apartment. Her mother gave us a cat to have as a pet, I agreed to have it in our home, and it damaged the carpet around all of the doorways. A replacement fee might be charged for the damage. Am I responsible for half of the fee if my name is on the lease although the cat is technically not mine? Also, her boyfriend lived in our home for five months rent free without my permission. Can we make him responsible for this charge because he never paid any bills?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

No. You agreed to the cat being there. You're responsible despite your lack of ownership over that cat. You allowed it.

As far as the boyfriend is concerned, unless there was a contract in writing about his tenancy, then you cannot go back and decide to charge anyone for his 5 months, or his assumed "responsibility" for any damages. He was not privy to your contract with the landlord. The time to have taken action concerning the boyfriend was when he was living there, not after.

IAAL