Seeking Advice: Lease Issue/Crazy Roommate

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Hi Friends. Happy New Year!

You already know previous posts how much I am suffering with this crazy roommate that I decided to share an apartment with. I have been here 5 months and each week it gets increasingly worst. It's so hard to concentrate on anything, my beautiful guitar, etc with this nutcase here. I will call him Roger to hide his true name.

Roger wants to force his friendship on me. He is possessive. He acts like a gay man in love. I no longer feel a need to chat with him. He is 46. I am 56. We are two adults. So, Roger has decided not to help me pay the utilities.

Since I don't know how to cook anything, I will pay the gas and electric bills myself for this month and then cancel the gas service. The gas bill is only $19.74. The electric bill is $33.70 for a total of $53.44 for the current month. He has until 1/20/22 to give me his half of the bills. We normally divide the total in half. He has to pay at least $26 for January 2022.

Also, Roger decided to take showers at the museums where he works and sleep in his car. By doing so, he thinks this will free him from the bills. Roger left last Thursday morning and has not returned to the apartment .

He is sleeping in his car like I said. Sounds like a normal guy, huh? Anyway, I am afraid that he may also decide to stop paying the rent. Our rent is $1400/month. That is $700 each person.

Our names are on the lease. The next rent is due on 2/7/22. What if Roger decides not to pay his half of the rent? Does this mean I have to pay the whole thing? This makes no sense to me. His property is still in the apartment. I am not going to pay the rent and utilities by myself while he lives for free in his car.

Now, what do you say? Can the house owner make me pay his half of the rent? This is illegal, right? I understand about the lease but the rent is to be divided between two people. This is what we signed up for in August 2021.

I was renting a room in Queens, NY before moving in with this bipolar individual. I had no idea what was waiting for me. I honestly thought that living with one person is far better than living with 5 or 6 people sharing the common areas. Boy, was I wrong!!! What do you say about all of this? Thank you for your time. You say?

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Type: Question • Score: 3 • Views: 422 • Replies: 14

[+5] - jcboy - 01/17/2022[quote="nycdad"] Now, what do you say? Can the house owner make me pay his half of the rent? This is illegal, right? I understand about the lease but the rent is to be divided between...

@nycdad,

nycdad wrote:

Now, what do you say? Can the house owner make me pay his half of the rent? This is illegal, right? I understand about the lease but the rent is to be divided between two people. This is what we signed up for in August 2021.

That's something you should ask an attorney, That's what they get paid for.

2 Replies

@jcboy,

Or there might be a Rental Board for the City or State - in BC, Canada (and presumably across the country), there is a Rentalsman Office (or whatever PC name they have now) which provides advice to both landlords and tenants, lists the responsibilities of each, provides free lease forms (etc), and even calculates the interest on damage/security deposits for you. I'm sure there is information online for where you live that you can access.

Good luck. It sounds like a stressful situation.

If you cut the gas (and did you also say electricity?), how will you have any heat, lights, tv, internet, etc.?

Also, as a previous landlord myself, I would ask the remaining tenant to pay and they could pursue the offender in Small Claims Court or get another roommate. It wouldn't matter if one had moved out or died... the rent still has to be paid.

1 Reply

@Mame,

The gas will be cut off not the electricity. I cannot afford $1400/month on my salary.

1 Reply

@jcboy,

I cannot afford $1400/month. Do you think I can afford attorney fees? Roger signed the lease. He has to pay his half.

1 Reply

@nycdad,

Could you talk to your landlord about the situation? What happens if you don't pay and he evicts you?

2 Replies

@Mame,

You should probably document everything and set up an appointment with Judge Judy.

1 Reply

@nycdad,

Do you normally pay your half directly to the landlord...meaning you where a check to him/her or the business and he pays his share on his check? How is the lease written? You must have a copy. I would start there first read through it. If there is nothing spelled out that you are responsible for just half or nothing specific about direct responsibility for payment just both your names. And if you both in the past just paid your half on separate checks..I'd follow the same.

That was how the last time I shared an apartment we handled it. Both our names were on the lease and we both wrote separate checks.

In new York you can call 311 for free rental legal advice ask for tenant helpline ..they should confirm what you are responsible for, but I would have my lease in front of me so you can go over it with them.

0 Replies

He probably got sick of you, accusing him of being gay and wanting your friendship. It certainly doesn't seem that way.

How on Earth can you reach your fifties and not be able to cook? You should be ashamed of yourself, you're not a bloody kid.

1 Reply

@Mame,

To get evicted would be my joy.

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@Mame,

Judge Judy? Are you serious? My roommate has until this Thursday to leave his half of the cash for the utility bills in the kitchen area. If the cash is not placed there, I will cancel the gas. I cannot do the same with Con Edison. I need my electricity. Trust me, August will be here before long. I will make my exit never to see this abuser again. If he also decides not to pay his half of the rent, I will make my exit before the lease expires.

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@izzythepush,

You don't know the entire situation. You have sided with my roommate without knowing the big picture. My roommate got kicked out of his brother's house at the start of 2021. He then calls me on the phone scared and crying about his future. Feeling sorry for him, I left the comfort of my Queens room to share an apartment with him. Little did I know what was waiting for me.

1 Reply

@nycdad,

You have devoted about three threads to slagging him off and talking about leaving him high and dry with the rent to pay before the lease expired.

Now you're upset he looks like doing the same thing to you.

Seeking Advice: Lease Issue/Crazy Roommate

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