Roomate Roommate refuses to sign release form

[bogart]

Jurisdiction

Washington

I have asked my roommate to sign a Roommate Release Form and under the advise of his caregiver he refuses. I spoke with the caregiver about one of us moving the first of February and gave him a week to give me an answer of whether I needed to find somewhere to live or if my roommate was going to move, I was never given an answer. The 2nd of March I presented a roommate release form and a letter explaining the division of household items (a guide open for discussion) and offered to pay a prorated amount for the 6 days I would be here in March along with paying the carport as he doesn't drive. He refuses to sign, I have an agreement to move and cannot afford both. The situation has been bad between the two of us for sometime (1.5 years) We are not in a lease it is strictly month to month. I am still moving but do not want to have any bad marks on my credit as I am looking to buy a house soon and honestly wouldn't even be able to rent if I have an eviction. I have mostly lived in my bedroom for the last 1.5 years because of the discomfort of the whole situation and can finally afford to move out. I was previously this mans caregiver and worked for him, he now has a new caregiver with whom has said some things to me to make me uncomfortable in a sexual way along with the fact that things got heated between us about the release agreement and when I asked him to not be so close to me with a knife in his hand his reply was "why? do you feel threatened? I do feel threatened and just want out of these peoples lives. There is $650 worth of deposits I am willing to walk away from to avoid any more hassle with this situation. Please advise.

 

[adjusterjack]

Who owns the house?

To whom do you pay rent?

What day of the month is the rent due date?

Who has your $650 deposit?

 

[Bogart]

Who owns the house?

To whom do you pay rent?

What day of the month is the rent due date?

Who has your $650 deposit?

It's an apartment complex owned by a large management company. Rent is paid to the apartment complex. Rent is due the 5th. The management has the deposit.

 

[adjusterjack]

OK, you're on a month to month tenancy.

Read this:

RCW 59.18.200
Tenancy from month to month or for rental period—Termination—Armed Forces exception—Exclusion of children—Conversion to condominium—Notice.
(1)(a) When premises are rented for an indefinite time, with monthly or other periodic rent reserved, such tenancy shall be construed to be a tenancy from month to month, or from period to period on which rent is payable, and shall be terminated by written notice of twenty days or more, preceding the end of any of the months or periods of tenancy, given by either party to the other.

That means you need to pay your rent today and give at least 20 days written notice to the management office that you are terminating your tenancy by 4/4/16 (the end of the current rental period).

If you do that you'll have no further obligation to the apartment management and no blot on your credit and you can move out any time between now and 4/4/16.

Unfortunately, if you leave your roommate behind, you may one day be held responsible for any damages he does to the apartment and even if you were entitled to your security back, you wouldn't get it until he surrendered the property.

Learn a healthy life lesson from this. Don't live with roommates. It never ends well. Live in a 2 by nothing efficiency if that's all you can afford on your own.