Roommate leaving/now unable to pay rent

[littlem]

Hello,

I seem to find myself in a predicament that I'm am not quite sure what my rights are or what actions to take. I am a college student who signed onto a lease that ends in a few months. But my roommate that is also on the lease is going to Spain and since signing the lease he has said he will continue to pay even after he moves until the lease is up. He has just told me that he has just decided to leave without paying for his portion of the rent. According to him, he spoke to the landlord and the landlord is releasing him from the lease, but now I'm am no longer able to pay the full amount of the rent.

Is there something I can do to get out as well? Does it become the landlord responsibility to fill the empty room? Is the landlord able to release a tenant without notice to the other tenants?

 

[mightymoose]

Usually the landlord will require the person leaving to find a replacement before releasing them.
Regardless... you are hosed. When you co-sign on anything you are saying that you will pay the WHOLE rent one way or another... whether by sharing with roommates, or robbing banks. You should never co-sign on anything if you can't afford to make the whole payment on your own.

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

Double check what your roommate told you with the landlord. Typically ALL parties on a lease (the landlord, the roommate AND yourself) must sign an agreement releasing one person from the lease.

Gail