Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Virginia
Roommate liability for rent-not on lease
I moved into an apartment and was not on the lease, halfway through I decided to move out b/c I was recently engaged. My roommate lost her job and asked me to stay in the apartment with my fiance and she would move in with her boyfriend, so she wouldn't have to break her lease. I agreed verbally. I moved out at the end of the lease and she turned in the keys with a vacate letter. We were both at the apartment on the last day of the lease to clean it out. She had left items behind. Six months later she called to inform she is suing me b/c the apartment company sent her to collections for not giving a 60 day notice in writing and for replacing the carpet. I agreed to pay half and she had a lawyer call me back to say I was responsible everything. Is that legal?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Roommate liability for rent-not on lease
Your former roommate was on the lease and remained so until its termination, while you were never on it. Therefore, it was her legal responsibility to see that its terms were fully complied with, including the 60 day written notice of intent to vacate----and not yours.
Your offer to pay half is more that what the law would require, and her attorney should be happy to settle for this amount.
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