If you move into a house with your boyfriend and both names are on the lease, and you break up and move out before the lease expires, are you liable for rent only up till the date you move out, for a number of weeks after you move out or the entire duration of the lease period?
2006-09-11 19:24:04 · 15 answers · asked by Tracy H 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
in theory you can be liable for the entire balance, but in reality landlords will have a hard time collecting anything beyonf when you moved out. if you have assests they can try to go after you but usually they just want to get it rented as it costs them too much to go after you and judges will not award money to landlords if the tenant has moved out.
Where you might get into trouble is if you move out but your bf stays behind and doesn't pay, you are still liable.
2006-09-11 19:27:52 · answer #1 · answered by ken 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it usually explains on the lease, some people say the entire duration while others give you a break and say half of what is left on the lease. Look at your lease agreement, but I think the more important question is if your boyfriend still lives there. If he does then you could agree to pay him a certain amount and you won't have to drag the landlord into it. Or there could be a new lease agreement drawn up that leaves you out entirely. If your relationship with your landlord is friendly, or at least not antagonistic, then ask him/her about whether or not you have to pay for moving out while he stays behind.
2006-09-11 19:35:37 · answer #2 · answered by jadeaaustin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will have to pay for breaking your lease, it doesn't matter whos name is on the lease or not. Most often times you will pay a penalty for ending the lease early and then a portion of the rest of the rent. It usually works on some kind of sliding scale. Check with your landlord or leasing agent to find out what is due and if there is any paperwork you need to fill out.
2006-09-12 19:43:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to render it like this, but you are legally liable for every months rent up until the lease expires. However, if the manager or land lord are fair and your breaking the lease under understanding circumstances, then they may forfeit the agreement. If they do, try to get it in writing. If they do not, then they can redeem it through collections or court. Best Regards.
2006-09-11 19:29:35 · answer #4 · answered by lulu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless you have a contingency clause in your lease, which is unlikely, you are liable for the rest of lease period if your ex-boyfriend fails to make future lease payments.
From the landlord's perspective, it does not matter if you have broken up with your boyfriend or not. Landlords love multiple tenants for this purpose even if it might cause more wear and tear on the apartment.
2006-09-11 19:32:14 · answer #5 · answered by Roy W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the state, but in general you are responsible for the remainder of the lease unless the landlord is able to rent it out again before your lease would have been up. In that case, you are liable for the difference between when it is reoccupied and when you moved out. You also forfeit your deposit and are liable for any damages outside of normal wear and tear (which is an arbitrary standard). Some states give the benefit of the doubt to the tenet, some to the landlord. They have to take you to court first, but if the landlord knows where you bank, he can ask the court to let him garnish your wages, so you better show up to court and I'd recommend taking pictures of the whole property and saving all your payment receipts so when he does you can defend yourself against any surprises. If you don't show up to court, then judgment will automatically be issued in the landlord's favor and you owe whatever he claims you owe even if he's making a lot of it up. Still, it's up to him to actually collect...
Now, if your boyfriend doesn't move out too, your landlord will collect from him and only go to you if your boyfriend skips out or stops paying because he isn't required to care how you two decide to split up the payments, but he does hold the each of you individually responsible for the entire bill. Your boyfriend can take you to small claims court to make you reimburse him for your agreed upon share of the rent (usually but not necessarily half). I've taken former housemates to court before for skipping out early on leases and won. I also had to take a landlord to court because he failed to keep up his end of the contract resulting in me getting the city to condemn the house and then he didn't want to let me move out inspite of the city order to, and didn't want to pay me back for the rent I'd prepaid. I won that, too.
2006-09-11 19:54:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The entire lease period. And, even if you split the rent, the landlord may come after you for the full amount.
2006-09-11 19:27:07 · answer #7 · answered by San Diego Art Nut 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have to pay. My parents company moved out of their space before their lease was up, they were required to pay for the rent even though they weren't in that space anymore. So, I'm thinking it applies to houses too.
2006-09-11 19:28:12 · answer #8 · answered by pacific_crush 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
responsible for the entire lease period
2006-09-11 19:30:22 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are responsible for the remainder of the lease. If he does not pay his half it will hurt you as well. If he does not pay, you may have to and then take him to small claims court to get his half from him.
2006-09-11 19:27:35 · answer #10 · answered by jeff b 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋