So I moved out of my apartment two months ago bc my roommate was crazy and got a Subletter. My Subletter still hadn’t replace my entire security deposit (short $300) but I was being patient about it.
The roommate usually sends their rent together via Venmo to the landlord, but decided not to for December. My Subletter doesn’t use Venmo (only Zelle) and asked me to send December rent for him, because the roommate wasn’t sending theirs together for December.
After sending it, he then didn’t reply to my multiple messages asking to send me the money back. 4 days go by and then told me he was having money troubles and couldn’t pay me back. He promised $650 the next day and the rest the following week. He sent $550 two days later and then ignored me for 5 more days when I was asking whe I’d expect the next $1500. He then promised it Friday. Friday came, nothing.
Saturday I told him he needed to pay me back as promised, and he said he was having more financial troubles. I told him it was really unfair to have essentially stole money from me because I didn’t consent to lending him money, and only sent the landlord rent under the impression he’d be zelleing me immediately. $2000 was a lot of money to borrow from someone without asking. He ended up sending me money but it didn’t cover the entire rent and said he’s going to move out and said this situation was a whole mess and he is having issues with the roommate too apparently.
I blocked the Subletter and my old roommate and am refusing to pay rent for the remainder of the lease/not find a new Subletter. My lease has joint liability for the monthly balance for me and the old roommate so I’m willing to take the risk that my landlord isn’t going to sue the both of us over it, should my roommate not pay the full balance each of the next three months. The landlord can take my security deposit.
As far as I’m concerned my old roommate is driving out everyone who lives there and can figure out the next three months of rent. Am I the asshole?
\[edit\] – If my landlord does sue the roommate and I, I am not bothered about paying the remainder of the rents at that time, should that happen
You’re landlord will 100% sue you both. At LEAST communicate with them.
I mean, YTA, but you seem fine with that.
It could be ESH but I honestly don’t trust your a reliable narrator and not just spinning a tale in your favor. Regardless of if you are or aren’t, you’d ba an AH.
You signed a lease and it legally obligated you to pay. You decided to sign a lease with your RM. That was not the landlords fault. You allowed a flaky subletter move in without making sure they were substituted on the lease for you OR if they were financially dependable. You can take the position that it is your RM’s fault because of joint liability, but if the landlord brings legal action, YOU WILL BE NAMED IN THE LAWSUIT for collection. This situation is of your own doing. You are the AH. Be more careful in the future. Soft YTA
I feel like there needs to be a YTD- You’re the dummy flair. Be 100% prepared for your landlord to sue you since you’re on the lease.
If the conclusion is that OP is YTD, then that’s big hint that the issue isn’t AITA because there’s no interpersonal conflict.
In this case, it’s clearly a business/financial issue.
You will have an eviction on your rent record, this could impact renting in the future as some landlords don’t rent to anyone with an eviction on their record.
If possible, contact your landlord and let them know you moved out due to feeling unsafe/unwelcome at the residence and a subletter is now there who feels the same way.
Be ready to not get your security deposit back.
NTA
NTA for letting your roommate take the consequences for their subletter’s actions. BUT in the future, if someone says they have the money to pay but not the method of payment, you should either (1) tell them to get venmo, it’s their obligation; or (2) make them pay you first via zelle before you send the venmo.
OP, paragraphs are a wonderful thing
NTA, just sound maybe a bit young and naive. You sent a venmo before the sub letter Zelled you? Don’t do this. Ever.
You’re stupid and you’re on the hook for that money legally speaking. Not paying it is going to mess up your life and make it harder for you to get an apartment in the future. The landlord doesn’t care about your personal issues with your roommate. You signed a contract and you’re liable for half. You can’t just dip out because you don’t want to pay anymore, you’re responsible for figuring it out and for properly vetting your subletter, which you didn’t do. The landlord will absolutely sue you, their job is landlord and part of that job is suing and evicting the people that don’t pay. They will take your security deposit and more if that’s what you owe. YTA.
When you got a subletter, you assumed liability in the event they did not pay, much like co-signing on a loan. You are still liable for the rent. If you get sued, you can bring a third-party action against the subletter, but that does not get you off the hook as far as the landlord is concerned.
lol an eviction filing will knock that high and mighty right out of you. You are the sublettwrs landlord. You can’t just walk away and put your fingers in your ears. That person is your problem to get the rent from. It has nothing to do with your old room mate. YTA
Put all of this in writing to the landlord. ASAP. That way s/he can start the eviction process much sooner.