Q: Can my roommate sue me if I pack up and leave and refuse to pay rent?
My roommate for the past 3.5 months has been harassing me, and refuses to release me from the lease. She stands outside my room when I am home, pushes my door open, enters my room without permission when I am away ( I have footage), tells me I can no longer use her furniture (couch, table, trash can, tv...everything) then proceeds to stick the chair that "I cannot touch" in front of my door, and a lot more. I talked to the leasing office, and the guy suggested that I should just pack up and leave. That will either get her to sign and release me so she can sign someone else on, or evict. Considering her mom is also signed on the lease I doubt she will evict because it will impact our credit. She said that the only way I can move out is to move everything of mine out, and still pay 2/3 of my rent. If I just pack up and leave, could she legally sue me? (I will also be working on a restraining order to bring to the office so they can take me off without her consent. May be a month or so)
A: Yes, your roommate (co-signer on the lease) could sue you for breaching your obligations under the lease. You would have a defense that your co-signer made it impossible for you to stay. You might win. Whoever wins may recover attorney's fees. It would be in everyone's best interest to make a compromise. Agree to pay some rent in exchange for an early release. Otherwise both sides are taking chances of litigation which either side could lose.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
