Why is my parents eviction effecting my credit??

Question

I lived in Snohomish County, in Washington State with my parents in their apartment. Because I was over 18 years old I was required to be put on the lease. However, I was not financially responsible for any rent payments. I was living there rent free. My parents ended up getting evicted for non-payment and now it is on my credit record! Why in the hell is it affecting me!? I had nothing to do with it!!

PLUS, when the landlords had me come down to the office to sign the lease I told them that I wasn't the one paying the rent, and the girl said that was fine.

And... on the utilities bill my parents name is on there but mine isn't. Because I was NOT the one financially responsible! So someone tell me why my name was on the lease but not on the utilities bill??

ALSO, my parents got evicted in September, I was already moved out in July and I was living with friends. No one ever had told me that I had to take my name off the lease when I moved out!! I was moved out, never had to pay any rent ... cant ya'll see this isn't my problem!!

Answer 1

if your name is on it, you are partly responsible. Even though you were there with them, you signed the paper which does make you liable. Kind of like being a cosigner.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, yes, you DO have something to do with it. In the eyes of the law, your name on the rental contract is your bond that the rent will be paid, even though you weren't the first party responsible for making the rent payments. The first party was your parents, and by your co-signing the lease, you are the second party responsible. Typically, the landlord will not expect payment from the co-signer unless the (first) signer defaults, as your parents did. In consideration for allowing the 3 of you to live there, the landlord required you as co-signer to give consideration in the form of a guarantee to pay should your parents fail to pay. That's a legal contract.

The landlord has every right to report your failure to pay (i.e., bail out your non-paying parents) on YOUR credit report. Your landlord did its homework: it checked that you were over 18, old enough to be a party to a contract, and unfortunately, you're on the hook.

Answer 3

It seems that your landlord added added you to the lease because your parents had questionable credit themselves. By your signing the contract, you created a leasehold estate which bounded you with the landlord/owner of the apartment. This made you just as liable for rents due as your parents who originally signed the contract. I'm assuming that your landlord went to court, filed suit, and won. If you're name as the defendant, then a public record of the suit is showing up on your credit. You can try to circumvent (or delete) this item from your credit by writing a letter to all three credit reporting agencies: Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. The likelihood of you successfully dismissing the negative history is slim at best. Good Luck

Answer 4

By your own admission, your name was on the lease. This makes you equally responsible for the payments, just like co-signing for someone else to purchase a vehicle. Therefore, it will show on your credit just like it shows on your parents.

Answer 5

You were on the lease. You are equally responsible. Did you know that this is also showing up on your parents credit reports?

Answer 6

because if your name is on the lease you are held just as much responsible as the people who didnt pay there rent

Answer 7

they probably have the house or apartment in your name..that really sucks that could effect you for life..if they do have it ur name did they tell u they were going to do it..if that isnt cleared up it can effect u when u want to get a loan, a car a house..

Answer 8

go to legal aid for free help. legally no one has the right to ask for your social security number unless they are hiring you. Its highly over looked but you do not have to give that number to a landlourde

Answer 9

You signed a contract. That's what it boils down to.