Q: If I move out of my apartment am I responsible for utilities in my roommates name if I still pay my half of rent
I'm planning on moving out and I still have a lease on my apartment, my roommate wants to take on the full lease at a later time, until then am I responsible for the utilities in her name until then or just what's in my name? We have no agreement outside of the lease with the apartment complex.
Edit: Until my roommate takes over the full lease I plan on paying everything in my name (rent, gas, water, insurance). My roommate told me she expects me to pay electric even if I'm not there. I'm trying to find out my legal obligations to bills not in my name
A:
Once we get the facts laid out, the answer will become clear.
If the lease is in your name and you move out with the expectation that the roommate is going to sublet from you, you and the roommate need to determine the terms of the sublet. If the roommate is going to "take on the full lease at a later time", who is going to pay during the gap between the present time and that later time?
If you were to move out, you would remain liable for the rent, but you might reduce the utility expense to a minimum, or eliminate it altogether if the lease does not obligate you to maintain specific utilities. If the roommate is going to occupy the premises, you need to make an agreement as to who is going to pay the utilities.
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