Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

Re: Roommate moving before lease ends

The answer is, sure, she has a moral obligation, and if you sued her in small claims court, you'd probably get half. But, there is no legal rule that roommates split the bills. You should also request that she pays half the rent as well. Especially if she is on the lease. That doesn't mean you aren't on the hook for all the rent if it isn't paid, but you have a moral basis for asking for half. The problem is, the only way to enforce it would be to take her to court. The good news is that filing in small claims in Philadelphia is remarkably easy. Just go to 34 South 11th Street, get the documents, fill them out by hand, and file it. That should be enough to get her to pay up.