You need to choose your new roommate carefully. This will ensure that you are able to trust that person and that they will be willing and able to pay the rent each month, without you having to worry about it. But you may wonder what will happen if you do have a roommate who decides to not pay their part of the rent while living in the apartment.

Renters will often  have a joint and several liability when it comes to the rent payments. This situation means that all of the tenants in the unit are responsible for the rent, even if just one of the roommates misses the rent payment. Landlords have the legal right to ask that the other roommates cover the missing rent. Even if it is not considered their responsibility, the other roommates may need to come up with the money.

If one of the roommates does not make a payment or they are late on the payment to the landlord, then the landlord could issue a late rent notice to the tenants, adding in fines and penalties on the rent that was late. If the roommate then fails to pay and the other tenants can’t or refuse to cover the missing amount, the landlord is then allowed to begin some of the steps for eviction or they can decide to go with some other legal action depending on the situation. This could mean that all the roommates could be evicted and lose their home.

Of course, there are some options that the other roommates can go for as well. This can protect them if they entered an agreement and are about to lose their home due to someone else, and not them. If the roommate decides to not pay rent, you can sue them for the amount of rent that you had to cover. It is best to talk to an attorney to learn your rights and be protected. It may not be fun, but it could help you stay in your apartment and avoid an eviction to pay the rent if you can afford it.

Come and take a look at some of our available  apartments near Japantown and see if they are the right place for you to call home. We know that you have a lot of options when it is time to pick an apartment that is right for you, but are confident that you will love the space, amenities, and the location that you can get when you decide to move into one of our units. Contact a member of our team today to learn more and to take a tour.