My jurisdiction is: Chicago, IL
I met my roommate off of craigslist and we signed into a 1 year lease on a 3 bedroom apartment with 3 common rooms (excluding the kitchen)--sun room, living room, and a dining room. The square footage of the living room is comparable to that of the combined sun room and dining room.
After signing the lease (or even beforehand), roommate and I agreed that I would furnish the living room and she would furnish the sun room and dining room.
3 months later and I had fulfilled my end of the bargain, but sun room and dining room were empty. Confronted roommate and she cited money issues. I already had some furniture so I threw it in the sunroom. She indicated she was working on furnishing the dining room, just needed the money.
2.5 months after that (5.5 months after moving in) dining room empty, confronted roommate again. Her defense was now that she felt 'pressured' into our original agreement and didn't think that having her furnish the dining room was fair (she wouldn't be using it enough, apparently, to justify the cost).
Offered to furnish the dining room but with adjustment in rent (probably less than 10% of our half of the rent). Roommate staunchly refused.
As far as documentation goes, I have an e-mail where I state our deal dated about 3 months after the move-in and the testimony that she never refuted it until the confrontation 5.5 months in.
My question is this: Do I have any ground for damages here? I was thinking about taking her to civil court to charge her for the grand total of the rent adjustments (probably about $250, half of what it would cost to furnish the living room). Any other insights would be appreciated.
I met my roommate off of craigslist and we signed into a 1 year lease on a 3 bedroom apartment with 3 common rooms (excluding the kitchen)--sun room, living room, and a dining room. The square footage of the living room is comparable to that of the combined sun room and dining room.
After signing the lease (or even beforehand), roommate and I agreed that I would furnish the living room and she would furnish the sun room and dining room.
3 months later and I had fulfilled my end of the bargain, but sun room and dining room were empty. Confronted roommate and she cited money issues. I already had some furniture so I threw it in the sunroom. She indicated she was working on furnishing the dining room, just needed the money.
2.5 months after that (5.5 months after moving in) dining room empty, confronted roommate again. Her defense was now that she felt 'pressured' into our original agreement and didn't think that having her furnish the dining room was fair (she wouldn't be using it enough, apparently, to justify the cost).
Offered to furnish the dining room but with adjustment in rent (probably less than 10% of our half of the rent). Roommate staunchly refused.
As far as documentation goes, I have an e-mail where I state our deal dated about 3 months after the move-in and the testimony that she never refuted it until the confrontation 5.5 months in.
My question is this: Do I have any ground for damages here? I was thinking about taking her to civil court to charge her for the grand total of the rent adjustments (probably about $250, half of what it would cost to furnish the living room). Any other insights would be appreciated.
