tellmethetruth
New Member
So one of our roommates (let's call him Mr. Roommate) decided to stop paying rent and move out. We disagreed at first, as he gave us a paper to sign which would release him from obligation of the lease as of the following Wednesday (which gave him a week to fully move out, clean, and pay us and allow for us to find a roommate). He had mentioned his wanting to move out before but never talked any final decisions to me until this day, (and even then he just left a sticky note on the document). So eventually we ended up saying that as long as he paid for the time he was still in our house, we would let him off the lease. Now he moved everything out (but left the room with a box of garbage, garbage all over the floor, and a couple miscellaneous items that he never came back for). He still hasn't paid us, still has the key, is still on the lease, and we have new roommates wanting on the lease. Mr. Roommate caused some damage when moving out, I told him he needed to cover it and he acknowledged that. Later (no more than a week after he moved the big things out, which was around mid Oct.), I tried calling him and he didn't pick up. I texted him asking when he was going to take care of the damage and finish this deal up. No response. Then a few days later, at night a tow truck guy knocked on my door and asked me if "the blue car over there" is mine. I said no. He asked if it was a roommates and I said no i dont think so (because Mr. Roommate's car is black). The tow truck guy said he needed to do his job and mark it for towing. Just in case, I called Mr. Roommate twice and didn't get ahold of him. The next morning at 7am I texted Mr. Roommate again, asking when he was going to pay us so we can get him off the lease. I also said that he really needs to move his car. (I said this just in case the tow truck guy was talking about Mr. Roommate's car because I had not yet gone outside to check). No response yet again. As it turns out, the car was his and it did get towed as my roommate and I found out as he. texted us both asking where his car was. My roommate texted back saying well did you leave it in the no parking zone? if you did, it was towed. that's the last we have heard from Mr. Roommate.
So, the next day I called Mr. Roommate just before I went to the rental agency we go through (to talk to them about clearing new roommates to move in) and he did not pick up, so I left a message saying that we need to talk and get this sorted out. No response. Now, we have our new roommates ready to move in, fully cleared, and all we need is for Mr. Roommate to be off the lease so that they can be put on the lease (which we cannot add them without Mr. Roommate's permission). I have written up a statement to mail to his work labeled, Mr. Roomate C/O [Job] stating the charges he owes us and requesting him to pay me, sign off the lease, and turn in the key. I charged him for the whole of october (since we'd agreed he would pay until he was out in oct. he never cleaned out his room or fixed the damage or even contacted us about it. so, come oct 31, i felt that he should pay because he was not fully out and had not communicated if he felt that he was.)
I don't know what to do now, though. I was going to send this statement to his work along with a paper that gets him off the lease. However, I don't want him to sign the paper letting him off the lease and then not get paid. The rental agency was going to send the bill for damages to him, which I will need to check and see if he has paid yet, and I will send the letter after I hear this verdict. I closed the letter with: "Please pay this amount to [my name], sign your name off the lease, send payment of $132 for damages to [rental agency] (if you have not done so already), and turn in your key."
So, essentially what I am asking is: is Mr. Roommate still liable to pay for everything he owes me as of oct 31 if i sign him off the lease? Also, what are my options if he refuses to pay and/or refuses to sign off the lease?
So, the next day I called Mr. Roommate just before I went to the rental agency we go through (to talk to them about clearing new roommates to move in) and he did not pick up, so I left a message saying that we need to talk and get this sorted out. No response. Now, we have our new roommates ready to move in, fully cleared, and all we need is for Mr. Roommate to be off the lease so that they can be put on the lease (which we cannot add them without Mr. Roommate's permission). I have written up a statement to mail to his work labeled, Mr. Roomate C/O [Job] stating the charges he owes us and requesting him to pay me, sign off the lease, and turn in the key. I charged him for the whole of october (since we'd agreed he would pay until he was out in oct. he never cleaned out his room or fixed the damage or even contacted us about it. so, come oct 31, i felt that he should pay because he was not fully out and had not communicated if he felt that he was.)
I don't know what to do now, though. I was going to send this statement to his work along with a paper that gets him off the lease. However, I don't want him to sign the paper letting him off the lease and then not get paid. The rental agency was going to send the bill for damages to him, which I will need to check and see if he has paid yet, and I will send the letter after I hear this verdict. I closed the letter with: "Please pay this amount to [my name], sign your name off the lease, send payment of $132 for damages to [rental agency] (if you have not done so already), and turn in your key."
So, essentially what I am asking is: is Mr. Roommate still liable to pay for everything he owes me as of oct 31 if i sign him off the lease? Also, what are my options if he refuses to pay and/or refuses to sign off the lease?
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