- Jurisdiction
- Ohio
I live in Lorain, Ohio. I moved into my apartment July 1, 2015. I had a few roommates picked out, friends. We were talking for months on getting a place. I recently got an inheritance from my mother passing away and we decided to jump on it. Also the roommate in question, Nick's ex roommates kicked him out because we were talking about getting a place so i felt obligated. I paid the entire $800 security deposit and a $300 pet fee for HIS dog. July's rent had a move in special of $1 so not worried about that. Our other roommate Kevin was scheduled to move in, in August.
We verbally agreed that he would pay me back for the pet fee. Skip forward to August; Kevin moved in and paid his share of the month's rent. I paid my share AND Nick's share AND all of the utilities because he just started a job and wouldn't be paid for another month, consequentially I used the last bit of my inheritance.
Nick agreed to pay back July's utilities and August's rent and utilities on top of the pet deposit. The pet deposit doesn't come back to us after the lease is up, but the security deposit does. The only time he paid us since we moved in 3 months ago was September. Since we've been here, his dog has defecated on the carpet in several locations, discoloring it and damaged the bathroom door visibly by scratching at it when we locked him up one time.
We were going through some disputes on using too much A/C and have been fighting about that since we moved in. We have a vindictive neighbor who's been making false accusations against us, I'm guessing because she found out we're all gay and has a problem with it. I won't get into that, but the Landlord sided with the lady at the time. She told us we could break the lease without any chance of getting an eviction on our records. Nick got scared and decided he was going to break the lease and move back to his home state of Kentucky. The problem is: he never told us this, he said he'd stay. But i overheard him just last week talking to his friend about moving back down there. I confronted him about it and he said, "Yeah I'm leaving next Thursday." I asked if he would be able to pay me for the pet deposit and August's rent and utilities as well as July's utilities. He said, "No. I'm not going to pay someone back who doesn't talk to me." Like i said, we've been fighting for a while and I've been basically hiding out in my room because I have severe anxiety.
Today is supposed to be his moving day, but his ride is gonna be here tomorrow. I've been letting him use my second car to get him to and from work and when i got back from visiting my mom's tonight, i noticed the keys were left in my car, the lights were on and the key was in the on position. I tried starting it and the gas was ran out of it. This has never happened before in the 3 months he's been driving my car and it happens to happen on the day he's supposed to leave. I think it was intentional. I haven't confronted him about that one yet but i will before he leaves.
So long story short. I went out of my way to try and help out my "friend." I paid for a roof over his head when no one else would and provided 90% his food while he was here. I looked for a place specifically to allow him to keep his dog. I did this out of the kindness of my heart and he is totally turned against me.
I have no written proof. Just verbal agreements. The only written proof i have is that his name is also on the lease and it is shown on the lease agreement that the dog does belong to him, and the landlord knows he is living here as well. I have a log book of all utilities and rent, with how much Kevin and I paid and how much Nick paid and still owes us, but again, nothing signed and he only paid us in cash. I'd like to take him to small claims court. What can i expect to get out of him? Will i be able to win the pet deposit, security deposit, food, rent and utilities, any or all?
Another thing to note: He moved up her from Kentucky and like i said, I live in Ohio, He's moving back to Kentucky. He never did an official change of address, just that he was on the lease is the only proof he was living here. He's a freelance artist and takes art commissions done over the internet. He was talking to his boyfriend that he would take that on as a full time job. The problem is; it's not taxed, and he'd probably just put the money in his boyfriend's bank account if I ended up winning the small claims case. How do you go about that? Should i report that he's working under-the-table and not paying taxes?
I think that's about everything. If you need any more info I'll gladly respond, and any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
We verbally agreed that he would pay me back for the pet fee. Skip forward to August; Kevin moved in and paid his share of the month's rent. I paid my share AND Nick's share AND all of the utilities because he just started a job and wouldn't be paid for another month, consequentially I used the last bit of my inheritance.
Nick agreed to pay back July's utilities and August's rent and utilities on top of the pet deposit. The pet deposit doesn't come back to us after the lease is up, but the security deposit does. The only time he paid us since we moved in 3 months ago was September. Since we've been here, his dog has defecated on the carpet in several locations, discoloring it and damaged the bathroom door visibly by scratching at it when we locked him up one time.
We were going through some disputes on using too much A/C and have been fighting about that since we moved in. We have a vindictive neighbor who's been making false accusations against us, I'm guessing because she found out we're all gay and has a problem with it. I won't get into that, but the Landlord sided with the lady at the time. She told us we could break the lease without any chance of getting an eviction on our records. Nick got scared and decided he was going to break the lease and move back to his home state of Kentucky. The problem is: he never told us this, he said he'd stay. But i overheard him just last week talking to his friend about moving back down there. I confronted him about it and he said, "Yeah I'm leaving next Thursday." I asked if he would be able to pay me for the pet deposit and August's rent and utilities as well as July's utilities. He said, "No. I'm not going to pay someone back who doesn't talk to me." Like i said, we've been fighting for a while and I've been basically hiding out in my room because I have severe anxiety.
Today is supposed to be his moving day, but his ride is gonna be here tomorrow. I've been letting him use my second car to get him to and from work and when i got back from visiting my mom's tonight, i noticed the keys were left in my car, the lights were on and the key was in the on position. I tried starting it and the gas was ran out of it. This has never happened before in the 3 months he's been driving my car and it happens to happen on the day he's supposed to leave. I think it was intentional. I haven't confronted him about that one yet but i will before he leaves.
So long story short. I went out of my way to try and help out my "friend." I paid for a roof over his head when no one else would and provided 90% his food while he was here. I looked for a place specifically to allow him to keep his dog. I did this out of the kindness of my heart and he is totally turned against me.
I have no written proof. Just verbal agreements. The only written proof i have is that his name is also on the lease and it is shown on the lease agreement that the dog does belong to him, and the landlord knows he is living here as well. I have a log book of all utilities and rent, with how much Kevin and I paid and how much Nick paid and still owes us, but again, nothing signed and he only paid us in cash. I'd like to take him to small claims court. What can i expect to get out of him? Will i be able to win the pet deposit, security deposit, food, rent and utilities, any or all?
Another thing to note: He moved up her from Kentucky and like i said, I live in Ohio, He's moving back to Kentucky. He never did an official change of address, just that he was on the lease is the only proof he was living here. He's a freelance artist and takes art commissions done over the internet. He was talking to his boyfriend that he would take that on as a full time job. The problem is; it's not taxed, and he'd probably just put the money in his boyfriend's bank account if I ended up winning the small claims case. How do you go about that? Should i report that he's working under-the-table and not paying taxes?
I think that's about everything. If you need any more info I'll gladly respond, and any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by a moderator:
