If 2 people sign a lease and 1 moves out before it expires, is there any way to make him pay rent until the lease expires?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If 2 people sign a lease and 1 moves out before it expires, is there any way to make him pay rent until the lease expires?
My former partner and I signed a lease for 1 year. Our relationship ended; he was not asked to leave but moved out. I am now paying 100% rent. I believe we are both responsible for rent until the lease expires. I did not ask him to leave; I was willing to continue to share the premises.
Asked on March 31, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
I am sorry for your situation. You are probably correct that you are both jointly and severally liable under the lease. That means, though, that the landlord can come after both of you or only one of you for the rent. What you need to do is to read the lease and speak wit some one familiar with the rental laws and see if you pay the rent you can then sue your former partner for his share. I bet you can. You have to pay it each month and then sue him each month (probably in landlord tenant court). Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.