What to do if a roommate breaks the lease?
If you have a roommate who plans on breaking their lease, here are a few things you can do to protect yourself as the remaining tenant.
- Consult your lease.
- Make an agreement with your departing roommate.
- Talk to your landlord.
- Know your rights.
- Make sure the departing roommate gives up their right to stay.
What happens if roommate moves out?
You and your roommates are all bound jointly to pay the rent to your landlord. If a roommate leaves, the rent must still be paid in full. Your roommate may the landlord to remove him from the lease. If you and your landlord agree to this change, then the roommate will no longer be responsible for any of the rent.
Can a roommate agreement be at odds with a lease?
Remember that your roommate agreement should not be at odds with the lease that you and your roommates ( cotenants) sign with the landlord. If you put something in your roommate agreement that violates a lease term on something like deposits or pets, it won’t be valid.
Can I add a roommate to my lease without my landlord’s consent?
If it does, bringing in a new tenant—even a great one—without your landlord’s okay gives your landlord grounds to terminate your tenancy and even evict you. Instead, get your landlord’s written approval to add a roommate to your lease or rental agreement.
Do you need a roommate agreement to move in with someone?
Just like signing a lease agreement when you move into a new apartment, you need to draw up a roommate agreement before you decide to move in with someone. Part of it is etiquette, but mostly it’s to make sure conflicts are handled appropriately and there are rules and expectations established before you live together.
What happens when a roommate leaves without paying rent?
The unauthorized departure of a roommate gives the landlord the option of ending the tenancy altogether—even if the remaining cotenants can still pay the rent. That’s because even one roommate’s leaving early violates the lease: All cotenants named in the lease agreed to stay in the rental for a certain amount of time.