The electric bill is in my name. Before we moved in we verbally agreed we would go halfs on all the shared utilities. He doesn't deny that. The roommate paid his half of the very first electric bill but refused to pay the next two bills and claims he is not going to pay half of any future electric bills. I've told him many times that I expect him to pay half of the electricity if he is going to use it. He still uses electricity and still refuses pay and refuses to sign a contract. Do I have any legal footing to take him to court? Thanks for any and all help.
2006-12-26 19:35:40 · 10 answers · asked by Mercury 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
We both co-signed the lease so I can't kick him out.
2006-12-27 11:30:07 · update #1
i would have the electricity turned off and find me a new place to live and not tell my roomate anything or look for someone who wants a roomate and sign an agreement paper stating who pays what
2006-12-26 21:45:54 · answer #1 · answered by sweetie1995 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in short no, as stated you signed the agreement with the utility or electricity company and so you are legally liable to pay, if there is a default you are the one going to court-full stop. as for your roommate-a verbal agreement is not worth the paper it was never written on, it is your word against his, without significant and substantial corroboration your chances of suing are zero- lesson one- put everything in writing. if you rent/lease premises who signed the agreement- if you, then kick your room-mate out-simple
2006-12-27 03:51:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its very simple. If you both legally share the house then he should pay up. Other wise if theres no contract then you either make him sign one. If he says "no" then just kick him out because you can't force someone to sign a contract. This all depends who owns the house or who pays rent.
2006-12-27 03:40:31 · answer #3 · answered by alight_212 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, not really because you really don't have proof that he agreed to pay half...If I were you, I'd kick him out...why should you have to pay half the rent and the whole electricity bill, it's like you're paying to let him use your things.
2006-12-27 03:42:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
if the electric bill is in your name then you are stuck with it.
even though he agreed to pay half . then its his word against yours unless you have a signed agreement.
2006-12-30 21:54:24 · answer #5 · answered by david_strickland31 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can take him to court and you'll probably win. Keep this in mind for future reference...roommates are generally a bad idea. Try to avoid it if at all possible. Becoming room mates can destroy long time friendships.
2006-12-27 03:38:51 · answer #6 · answered by reowrrrr 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are in a jam, you own the bill. I suppose you are the only one on the lease. If so you can call the police and have him removed.
2006-12-27 03:44:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
you can take him to court, but he probably won't have to pay you if there wasn't an agreement. you should set up some kind of agreement to get him to start paying you, or you could just kick him out.
2006-12-27 03:40:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Change the locks and tell him he either sticks to his agreement and pays what he owes, or he sleeps in the gutter and his belongings get tossed in a dumpster in the morning.
2006-12-27 03:39:01 · answer #9 · answered by eatmorec11h17no3 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hmmm. . .What's the rest of the story? He just arbitrarily refused to pay? What is his rational?
2006-12-27 03:38:21 · answer #10 · answered by foxydallas 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋