What Can I Do If My Roommate Leaves Without Notice?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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If your roommate left without notice they were not on the lease, legal action can be difficult. As there is no binding contract saying they’re responsible for payment. In such a case, your best bet is to

find a replacement quickly and inform your landlord of the situation

.

What happens if one roommate moves out?

If your roommate gives you any kind of notice that he or she is leaving in mid-lease, then you may want to get him or her to sign an agreement stating that the departing roommate will:

Pay the remaining rent and utilities

. The amount of the rent will be depends on the terms of your lease. Find a substitute roommate.

Can a roommate move out without notice?

If your roommate takes off without giving notice, there’s

still recourse

. … If you signed roommate agreement that you would all stay put until the lease was up, you may be able to sue your former roommate for breach of contract in order to recover any money you paid to cover the rent.

Can you sue your roommate for leaving?

Suing Your Roommate for Breaking Lease

You can definitely sue your roommate if he

/she decides to break the lease and walk out on you before

the expiration of the lease period. Be sure to check if there is a provision in the lease agreement about potential penalties for breaking the contract.

How do I evict a roommate who doesn’t pay rent?

Your only options are to move out of the rental after giving the legal notice stated in your agreement. You might also contact your

landlord

and explain the situation. It’s possible that the landlord might file to evict the master tenant and agree to rent to you after the master tenant has been evicted.

How do I sue a roommate for unpaid rent?

Can I sue my roommate for unpaid rent? Yes. You can sue your roommate

in justice court (small claims court)

. You’ll need to prove the amount the roommate owes by showing each tenant’s contribution to the total rent payment.

How long should you give a roommate to move out?

If you are terminating a month-to-month tenancy without cause, you must give either

thirty or sixty days written

notice, depending on how long your roommate has lived there. If your roommate has lived in the unit with you for over a year, you must provide at least sixty days notice.

What happens if a roommate doesn’t pay rent?

“You are both equally responsible to pay the rent as you have both signed a lease. If one person stops paying their share,

then it falls to the other person named on the lease to keep paying the rent

.”

What can I do if my roommate is harassing me?

If your roommate is threatening you, harassing you or hurting you, you can apply for

an Order for Protection (“OFP”) or a Harassment Order

. An OFP doesn’t require an attorney and does not cost money to file. The court could then order your roommate to stay away from your rental house.

Can I sue my roommate for emotional distress?

There are claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress that can be brought, but are almost always next to impossible to prove. First, you need to show that your roommates engaged…

What are my legal rights as a roommate?

Effectively, a co-tenant has rights identical to the original tenant. Namely, your rights include

a habitable living environment

, with any repairs and/or maintenance to be performed as needed, as well as the right to be sent an eviction notice prior to your roommate filing an eviction notice.

What can I do if my roommate wont pay my bills?

Talk to the roommate and make them understand that the

rent

is the responsibility of each roommate and that if they do not pay their fair share as agreed, you might need to sue them in Small Claims Court. If the roommate continues to refuse to pay utilities or rent you may need to ask them to move out.

How do you get someone out of your house that won’t leave?


File an official tenant eviction order with your local courts

. If they still won’t leave, you can take them to court. If they paid for groceries or any bills, they may legally be an “at-will tenant,” making it much harder to kick them out legally.

How can I evict a tenant fast?

  1. Notice to Tenants. Before an unlawful detainer lawsuit begins, the landlord must give the tenants a written notice. …
  2. Tenants Don’t Move. …
  3. Tenant Response to the Lawsuit. …
  4. Follow the Law.

How can I evict someone without a lease?


A notice to quit

is an official way to let a tenant without a lease know when they must leave the property. If a tenant has a lease and refuses to leave after the contract period ends, the lease ending is generally considered to be a notice to quit.

Can you sue someone for not paying their half of rent?

Suing you for unpaid rent

If you’re not paying your share of the rent, or are withholding your portion over a disagreement,

your roommate can sue you in small claims court

for your portion. … If you don’t pay, your roommate is left to pay the full amount. So now, you’re in court.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.