House mate leaving before the contracts up !

YorkshirePadd26

YorkshirePadd26

YorkshirePadd26

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York
House mates don't you just love them !

So I share a 3 bedroom house, all 3 of the house mates signed a 6month contract in Oct 07 and on the 20th Dec one of my house mates decided to tell me he's moving out at the end of Jan !

Great ! as no-one has any money in Jan.

So I've tried and tried to get someone in, advertised at work via intranet via memos around work, Via everyone of any use to me in face book, via anyone in any use to in in my phone book.

Basically i've had some interest but everyone is saying the same thing, In a month or so thy'd be ready to move in !

Looks like not many people are stupid enough to get in this situation in Jan.

So if we've all signed a contract with our landloard can I and my other house mate make him pay his rent ? what rights have we got ?

I already know he's cancelled his DD for Feb, and as I pay the landlord the rent out of my account he'll be ok but i'm fubar'd really as i'll have to stump up the extra cash !

I've not yet confronted him and said i think he should pay me the rent + bills.

He's basically let us in the sticky stuff at a totally unreasonable time of year, and i'm not impressed about it at all.

Problem is we're suposed to be mates ! and I don't want to cause a massive rift, but the general feeling from most of my other mates is that they feel he should pay as he's signed a contract so tuff on him.

What can i do ? what rights do i have if any ?
Anyone have any experience of this type of situation ?

Any help will be appreciated.
 
He signed the contract, he should pay the rent. He's legally binded to do so, however you also probably signed a joint tenancy meaning that you've all gotta pay for each other basically should one sod off.

Screw your friendship, if he's leaving you in the lurch like this then he's obviously no friend of yours; get on his ass and get your money.
 
Why is he leaving? If it is to care for his sick father then there's not a lot you can do. If it is because he's shacking up with some tart then you should act.
 
Mates may be mates, but put the money first! He's signed the contract so it should be his responsibility to find the replacement or pay his share til when necessary. This should have been made clear as soon as he told you he's leaving, tell him now anyway. As it's a "contract", stress that you're prepared to take it to a small claims court if it comes to it, and be serious :).

My mate had a similar situation a couple of years ago - I'll try find out more info, but I know that the guy leaving did have to pay for his time away.
 
tell him he has to pay the remainder of the contract whether he stays or not as you refuse to pay his end until someone else comes if push comes to shove - move out yourself lol

look after number 1 and number 2 can take care of himself.
 
Basically shacking up with his tart.

quote=Gilly;10915537]Why is he leaving? If it is to care for his sick father then there's not a lot you can do. If it is because he's shacking up with some tart then you should act.[/quote]
 
Yes we all singed a joint tenacy agreement,

Andelusion said:
He signed the contract, he should pay the rent. He's legally binded to do so, however you also probably signed a joint tenancy meaning that you've all gotta pay for each other basically should one sod off.

Screw your friendship, if he's leaving you in the lurch like this then he's obviously no friend of yours; get on his ass and get your money.
Click to expand...
 
Someone did this to us, they didn't move into the house in September, after paying for it from June on an annual contract - which everyone in the house bar me has signed, leaving me in a beneficial position if I was to opt out - we and the landlord basically forced him to pay his rent up until November when we got a new housemate and then he moved out and we almost immediately got another couple - cue me getting the bigger room haha. But yes I think you should make him pay the ret for those months in which you have an unfilled room.
 
Yeah I'll be having words, its not like he's actually ever helped with cleaning or anything like that either.

I've had to swap from my larger room in past houses to satisfy new house mates demands !
Does my head in and I'm not going to do it again.



iamdjdz said:
Someone did this to us, they didn't move into the house in September, after paying for it from June on an annual contract - which everyone in the house bar me has signed, leaving me in a beneficial position if I was to opt out - we and the landlord basically forced him to pay his rent up until November when we got a new housemate and then he moved out and we almost immediately got another couple - cue me getting the bigger room haha. But yes I think you should make him pay the ret for those months in which you have an unfilled room.
Click to expand...
 
YorkshirePadd26 said:
Yeah I'll be having words, its not like he's actually ever helped with cleaning or anything like that either.

I've had to swap from my larger room in past houses to satisfy new house mates demands !
Does my head in and I'm not going to do it again.
Click to expand...

Your landlord shouldn't be able to make you swap rooms, if he does complain that he's breaking your tenancy agreement, renting the house not specific rooms, and threaten to leave yourself, in most cases they'll stop pushing.
 
Sorry the landlord hasn't made me swap rooms, new house mates have basically moaned and moaned and hench i had to shut them the hell up.


iamdjdz said:
Your landlord shouldn't be able to make you swap rooms, if he does complain that he's breaking your tenancy agreement, renting the house not specific rooms, and threaten to leave yourself, in most cases they'll stop pushing.
Click to expand...
 
keep looking for someone else, try and charge him as i think you can if he signed but make sure he doesnt get some not so good room mate to move in
 
yeah thats basically one of the reasons there are contracts, so if anyone leaves they still have to pay. When it comes to money there is no friendship, and thats the best way to be.
 
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