Is there any way I can fight to have my brother pay off a debts for an account tha tI allowed him to put in my name?
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Is there any way I can fight to have my brother pay off a debts for an account tha tI allowed him to put in my name?
Earlier this year I let my brother buy himself a phone plan. The account was put under my name because his credit was too bad to open a new account. We had a verbal agreement that he would pay off all the phone bills on time so it wouldn’t screw with my credit. However I have come to learn that he was not making payments and the phone company had to shut off his phone. The fee to shut off the phone combined with his missed payments turned out to be a debt of almost $700 which will be charged to my name. Is there anyway that I can take him to court for not paying and hurting my credit?
Asked on September 14, 2011 under Bankruptcy Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you had an agreement (oral or implied) with your brother where you allowed him to put the telephone account under his name because his credit was poor and as a result he has incurred a debt close to seven hundred dollars ($700.00) in your name, he is obligated to pay off this debt one way or another. Meaning, if you want to protect your credit, you should do the following:
1. pay off the telephone account in full and close it out so that no more charges can be incurred upon it since it is in your name;
2. work out a monthly payment plan with your brother to pay you back where he also pays you interest on the amount you paid down. Make sure you have a written agreement signed by him and dated concerning this obligation;
3. if he is unwilling to do so, small claims court is your option.
Good luck.
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