Roommate Lease Responsibility Clarification

Summary

In California, a roommate on a year-long lease is generally responsible for rent and utilities until the lease ends or a replacement tenant is found. If notice was given on October 13th, she may still owe November rent unless a new tenant is secured. Utilities should be paid for the billing cycle covering her occupancy. Consult a local attorney for specific guidance.

Full Conversation

I am in California
Given that you're in California, here's some general legal information that might help:
- Lease Agreement: If your roommate is on the lease, even by addendum, she is typically responsible for her share of rent and utilities until the lease ends or a new tenant replaces her.
- Notice Period: California law generally requires a *-day notice for month-to-month leases. Check your lease for specific terms.
- Utilities: If the billing cycle includes her occupancy period, she usually must pay her share.
Have you discussed these terms with your landlord or property manager?
Hi no I haven’t talked about this with my landlord yet. They’re usually not helpful in situations like these. What should I say to her ? Can u pls type up a short message stating how in the state of California she is responsible for utilities and rent , pretty much what you said ^
Here's a message you can send to your landlord:
---
Hi [Landlord's Name],
I hope you're well. I wanted to inform you that my roommate has decided to leave, but she only gave notice on October 18th. She plans to leave before the end of the month and claims she won't pay for utilities for this billing cycle, which started on October 13th.
In the state of California, she is responsible for her share of rent and utilities until the lease ends or a new tenant replaces her. Given the short notice, shouldn't she also be responsible for November rent if she leaves at the end of this month?
Thanks for your assistance.
Best,
[Your Name]
---
Does that cover everything you wanted to say?
No a message ti my roomate Briana. Tell her she’s responsible
Here's a message you can send to your roommate Briana:
---
Hi Briana,
I wanted to clarify a few things regarding your departure. According to California law:
- You are responsible for your share of rent and utilities until the lease ends or a new tenant replaces you.
- Given you only gave notice on October 18th, you should cover utilities for this billing cycle (started October 13th) and potentially November rent due to the short notice.
Please let me know if we can discuss this further.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
---
Would you like any more assistance with this?
Is she legally obligated to pay for November rent ?
In California, if your roommate only provided notice on October 18th, she generally must give a *-day notice for a month-to-month lease. Here's the key point:
- *-Day Notice: If she leaves before the *-day period, she is usually responsible for rent until that period ends, which would include a part of November.
For more specific advice, consider consulting a local attorney.
She gave us notice on the 13th of October. It’s a year long lease , is she still obligated to pay for November rent ?
In a year-long lease in California, your roommate is typically responsible for rent until the end of the lease term unless you find a replacement tenant. If she gave notice on October 13th and leaves before the lease ends, she would still owe rent for November unless otherwise specified in the lease.
Would you like to know more about how to handle this situation legally?
Yes pls
Since it's a year-long lease, here are some key points for you:
- Obligation to Pay: Your roommate is generally responsible for rent until the lease term ends or a new tenant replaces her.
- Notice Period: A *-day notice is required for month-to-month leases; for fixed terms, responsibility usually continues until the lease ends.
- Utilities: She must pay her share if the billing cycle includes her occupancy period.
Consider discussing this with a local attorney for detailed advice. Any other questions?