Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Louisiana
I had a roommate who moved out suddenly. We signed a year lease on the apartment. She is not willing to help pay for the apartment anymore and I will not be able to afford it for long. Is there any chance of her being financially obligated to help pay the remainder of the lease term?
I dont know what area of law this would be.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Dear LawGuru Friend,
Your questions is wheretherethere is "any chance"?
The answer is yes. She is responsible for whatever
she signed; that is, if there is a signed lease/rent
document. If it is a verbal contract/agreement of lease/
rent, she can still be held responsible. Your problem
may be, however, that each party's liability under the
joint lease/rent agreement--written or not--is what is
called a "joint and solidary" obligation, meaning that
as regards the lessor/landlord, each of you two lessees
is responsible for the whole contract. Therefore, if your
former room-mate defaults and you get sued by the
lessor/landlord, you will have to bring your former
roommate into the law suit by a third party demand
against her for indemnification and such. My suggestion
is that you try as fast as possible to get another
roommate to come in with you and share the charges.
Of course, you have some other legal remedies
that you might find yourself in the need of resorting to.
Feel free to e-mail me your name and phone number,
and I will call you to discuss this further with you. My
e-mail addresses are below. There will be no charge,
as I am now retired from the practice of law after 41
years of very active practice, including such legal
matters as yours.
Sincerely,
Hardy Parkerson, J.D.
Lake Charles, LA