Q: Does my roommate owe me for utilities during time apartment rented even though she was hardly ever there?
My roommate doesn't want to pay utilities she owes me for June and July. I am on the lease (she is not) however we had an agreement (via text and oral) that we would keep the apartment for another year until the end of August. We also agreed to split utilities 3 ways (me, her and another roommate). She moved out a month early (end of July) and says because she wasn't in the apartment much during July (staying at her boyfriends a lot) that she doesn't owe for utilities since she wasn't there. I say since we have never adjusted utilities before (e.g. when I was not there for weeks because of school break or when her boyfriend was there all the time using the tv, PS4, fridge etc). She has not paid me the latter half of June or any of July's utilities. I can show where she has paid rent for every month up to August as well as her paying utilities for every month up until the middle of June. Doesn't she owe me for June and July utilities? Thank you.
A: If you have proof of your agreement with respect to the utilities, you can take your roommate to court for the amount that she owes. If the amount if insignificant, then it is up to you to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on whether it is worth it for you to hire and attorney and pay the court fees to file a complaint. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!
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