It's been almost half a month and she hasn't paid for the final month of rent, WHILE leaving me with other various bills she is responsible for. She isn't contacting me back which I believe is enough cause to back my theory up.
She has left some of her stuff here and I was wondering do I have the ability legally to sell her stuff to cover her half of the rent?
2007-07-13 18:12:12 · 8 answers · asked by Joe M 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
BTW I do believe she will come back for it. I just want to know so that I can act now.
2007-07-13 18:12:51 · update #1
BOTH of our names are on the lease, but there were no written agreements on anything else.
The lease hasn't expired yet, she just left early while keeping her stuff here.
2007-07-13 18:32:10 · update #2
No, unfortunately you do not have the right to sell her things to cover the rent. That would be theft.
Also, ignore the previous respondent. You don't have the right to donate her stuff either. That's also theft.
Get a grip, people!
2007-07-13 18:26:42 · answer #1 · answered by Emma Martin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What did you have in writting with her?
If it is nothing, then you maybe SOL.
If she also signed the lease, then she is responsible for her half of the rent & bills.
If she signed the utility bills & such, then she is responsible for her half.
If she didn't sign, she doesn't have to pay a dime. If there is no paperwork, then you can't prove that she wasn't your guest.
Watch some Judge Judy. This type of thing comes up a lot.
About her stuff, finders keepers. If she doesn't have an agreement with you that she can leave it, get rid of it. If she ask for the money that you got form selling it, give her the money... minus the storage fees for the time that she was there & the fees for removing it from the property. It will probably total more than what you got for it & I don't think she would bother you much more. : )
I'd ask an attorney about that last part! HA!
2007-07-13 18:27:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you signed a two person lease for ONE unit, yes you are liable for the rents if she defaults. The only way you would not be liable is if there were two leases prepared for the specific property, with each of you agreeing to pay half of the rents as separate tenants. (These are rare, if non-existent). Since you are co-tenants, you really do need to leave her possessions in the unit until she returns to claim them.
If you really do want to catch her unawares, inquire of your landlord if he will allow you to rekey the exterior locks at your expense, giving him a copy of the key. Explain why you are making the request and ask that he not allow your now ex-roommate immediate access to the property when she returns, waiting for your arrival at the premises. That's when you grab her by the figurative neck and put the screws to her for her unpaid portion of the rent.
2007-07-14 02:01:25 · answer #3 · answered by acermill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As I was told, unless she can prove ownership, by this I mean receipts for items of personnel property. Identifying marks and the like, Bill of Sale, etc... Do you have a written agreement with your ex-roommate? If so, there is possible legal remedies. If you do decide to sale your roommates property, be sure to receive a fair market value for items sold. No garage sale pricing. Otherwise if it is left with you for a determined amount of time it then becomes your property by abandonment. So if you sale it you could be selling something that becomes yours anyway. But no, it is not legal to sale her stuff without acknowledgement of some sort!
2007-07-21 13:13:11 · answer #4 · answered by David L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
whose names are on the lease? Is it just your name? Or both you and your ex-roommate... if its just yours.. theres probably nothing you can do about it.. if both of your names are on it.. somebody has to pay before you get evicted and the charges end up on your credit, as it did mine.
you were her roommate, so I figure that you had her cellphone number.. leave her a message asking her about the rent for the last month on the lease. Also let her know that her belongings are still in the house and they will be donated if she does not pick them up by a certain date. Let her know that she has to come up with her part of the rent to pick up her belongings.
If her name is not on the lease, I suggest taking it to a thrift store and donate it, that way she really can't say anything about her items, as you have nothing to show for it.
Don't get yourself screwed.. if both of your names are on the lease, don't end up like I did.. do what you got to do to avoid getting bad credit and going to court.
You can later try taking her to court for the last months rent if her name was on the rent.
2007-07-13 18:25:45 · answer #5 · answered by Mami 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may not have the right to sell her stuff but if her stuff DISAPPEARED then its not your problem, she desserves to lose her stuff for abandoning you. I would sell her posessions and then I would pay my half of the rent and let the landlord go after her for the other half. Then if she tried calling me I would tell her to see the landlord if she wants her stuff back. She wont contact the landlord after not paying the rent.
2007-07-19 07:54:23 · answer #6 · answered by snwbm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If said person's name was on some lease with yours.. then that's breaking a legal contract!! & the courts could very well solve that problem for you !?! G/L~!!!
2007-07-21 05:53:58 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Her side of the story is probably different that yours. You got what you deserve. Get a life.
2007-07-13 18:22:25 · answer #8 · answered by hiker 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋