What To Do When Your Roommate Won't Pay Rent

When you’re looking for a house to rent, you may realize that it’s a little more expensive than you expected. For this reason, many people choose to have roommates so that they can share the financial responsibility. Some people choose their best friend, while others look for candidates online. Whoever it is, it’s important that you select your roommates carefully. This is because when you sign a lease together, it makes the both of you responsible for the rent. Although this is the exact reason why you want a roommate, it can also lead to problems.

This is because each month, of course, the landlord expects the full amount of rent to be paid. Problems arise, however, when one of the roommates refuses to pay their part. This directly affects you because you don’t want to be held responsible for their portion of the rent. When this happens, you may need to hire a real estate lawyer in NYC. Before you do that, though, there are a couple of things that you can try.

What To Do When Your Roommate Isn’t Paying rent

First, try talking to your roommate so that you can better understand why this is happening. During this conversation, try to come up with solutions so that you can resolve this issue without legal measures. If they simply can’t afford the rent anymore, they should consider a lease transfer.
If nothing is resolved after the talk, you can choose to send a demand letter, which states that the rent must be paid within a specific time frame. During this time, you should reach out to your landlord and explain what’s happening. Having open communication with your landlord can help resolve the issue and prevent them from opening a file of non-payment against you.
If they still refuse to pay rent, it may be time to hire a housing lawyer in NYC. The housing lawyer in NYC may suggest that you sue your roommate in small claims court for their portion of the missing rent. In addition, they will work to have your roommate evicted from the apartment if an agreement can’t be made.

If your roommate isn’t paying their share of the rent, you should first try resolving the issue without legal measures. If that doesn’t work, call your real estate lawyer in NYC.