QUESTION
What are my rights against a roommate who broke the leas and left all her things?
Asked on Dec 14th, 2012 on Landlord and Tenant Law - Massachusetts
More details to this question:
My question is if you have a roommate who during a 1 year lease. Broke it. The landlord said that she would be allowed to break the lease if she signed a notarized letter saying she gives up all rights to live there. She moved 8 15 2012. The letter said she gave up here rights as of 9 1 2012. The problem is she has left a lot of her property i.e. TV, furniture, some clothes. Around 10 2012, she called and said she would come get her things we waited all day. She never showed up. I have not heard anything since. What do I do? Since we split the utilities she paid the gas I paid the electric, recently a bill came in the mail saying the gas would be turned off because she owed 439 00.The bill stays with the other since they were on the lease together even though it was not in my name. What are my rights?
3 ANSWERS
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Alhambra, CA
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Francis John Cowhig
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Your question requires an attorney consultation. It is not a simple question that can be answered on this type of forum. There are many factors that would need to be considered and evaluated. I strongly suggest that you contact an experienced landlord/tenant attorney for a face-to-face consultation and give him/her all of the facts surrounding your situation. He/she would then be in a better position to analyze your case and advise you of your options.
Answered on Dec 19th, 2012 at 1:00 AM
You have raised a bunch of legal issues: What is to become of your former roommate's ?possessions; Who is responsible for paying the utilities; Who is responsible for paying the rent - you're not on the lease? You need to come in to consult.
Answered on Dec 17th, 2012 at 5:05 PM
Land Use & Zoning Attorney serving Boston, MA
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Greenbaum, Nagel, Fisher & Paliotti, LLP
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This is still her property as you would find out if you either threw it out or sold it. Best thing to do is to send her a certified letter demanding that she remove all of her property by a date certain and to the extent that she did not, you would deem it abandoned and dispose of it. There is never an absolute right way to deal with these situations, but the only other alternative is court ,and you probably do not want to spend the money at this time to go that route. On another note, how could your landlord simply permit her to break the lease without your consent?
Answered on Dec 17th, 2012 at 2:30 PM