Residential Lease Issue - Removing a Roommate

[mksvox]

My roommate and I have come to the end of our lease and face the option of renewing or going month-to-month. My roommate, however, has decided to move out due to onging maintenance issues (mildew) in her room. The rental office tells me that, due to the waiting list for the apartment complex, we cannot replace her name on the lease with that of a new roommate. Our choices are: 1) we both move out, or 2) her name stays on the lease although she no longer lives there. After further conversation, they conceded that they would remove her name from the lease, but not add a new name, if I qualified for the apartment on my own. I have several questions:
- Are their actions/justification legitimate?
- Is there some way I can release my roommate from liability under the lease?
Thanks!

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Since you are creating a new rental agreement if your roomate leaves, I don't see any reason why the management company cannot state the terms for this new agreement.

My roommate and I have come to the end of our lease and face the option of renewing or going month-to-month. My roommate, however, has decided to move out due to onging maintenance issues (mildew) in her room. The rental office tells me that, due to the waiting list for the apartment complex, we cannot replace her name on the lease with that of a new roommate. Our choices are: 1) we both move out, or 2) her name stays on the lease although she no longer lives there. After further conversation, they conceded that they would remove her name from the lease, but not add a new name, if I qualified for the apartment on my own. I have several questions:
- Are their actions/justification legitimate?
- Is there some way I can release my roommate from liability under the lease?
Thanks!