Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Georgia
I rented a house with roommates. I moved out on good terms leaving the internet bill in my name. My friends moved out sometime later and the homeowner moved back in. After two years im being charged by debt collectors for nonpayment of the service. Legal options?
2 Answers from Attorneys
You leave out key details, but obviously if you have a bill in your name and make the choice to leave it in your name, you owe the creditor. Unless I am reading this wrong, it is not clear why you believe you do NOT owe the internet provider?
Attorney Riddle is correct. You have left out many important details. Who was the lessor? All of you? Or was one of you the lessors and the other sublessees? What did the lease and sublease (if any) say about responsibility for utilities like internet?
Bottom line, if you were so dumb as to move out and not terminate internet service and allowed your former pals to rack up the service, then you are still responsible as between you and the internet provider. Make your best deal to resolve the debt. Once you have it resolved, depending on what the lease/sublease says, you might be able to collect from your former roommates. However, chances are they are not going to pay you. You can try to sue to collect but this is one of those things in life that falls into the category of "its not fair" and "lesson learned." No it is not fair but in part its your own fault for allowing this to happen. I would resolve, chalk it up to lesson learned and resolve NEVER to make a mistake like this again.