Roommate skipped out on the lease

[CarlJay89]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Iowa

Alright so last month I took over a room with one of my best friends. Both of our names are officially on the lease with a rental company. He has not returned from Christmas break to pay rent in the apartment. He has given me several different excuses for not being able to return. Each day he has been reassuring me that he will be heading back to Iowa to attend school.

I honestly do not think he is going to return and simply dumped the lease on me so he could move back home. For the sake of this thread we will assume he is not returning. What steps should I begin to take to assist myself legally later on. I plan on suing him for his portion of the lease. Seeing as how I am not able to acquire another roommate to help pay rent because he will not acknowledge that he is not returning what should I do?

I may default on the lease because of this situation because I was laid off last week. This individual is originally from a location 1,000 miles away in the southern united states. I have no knowledge of any other address for him. How would I be able to sue him?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

When someone is sued, they must be served notice that this is happening. In other words, you need an address to where such notice can be sent.

Your biggest issue right now is finding the entire amount of rent so that you are not evicted for nonpayment of such.

Gail