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Amnesia620 · 12-27-2004, 08:18 PM

My current roommate, Mel, and I have been best friends for eleven years. Twice now, Mel and I have "played the roommate game".
The first time was six years ago, the second time was four years ago. Both went sour and the second time we had it out. We had a falling out at this point, told eachother everything on our minds and stopped speaking to eachother completely for a little over six months. We made up and life went on.
In September, Mel called me up and asked if I would like to be on her lease for the two bedroom (duplex/house) place she had since her roommate just decided to leave. We agreed that Andy and I would not pay October's rent, she would cover us (I was waiting on money to come through for the sale of land) since I was, in a sense, saving her ass.
We (Andy and I) moved in on the first of October and shared a room. She shared hers with her boyfriend, Jim. There were arguments between her and Jim, however, rent for October didn't get paid.
Just for the record, Mel and I live and work together. We both work as servers and depend on our tips and small paychecks.

Now, this is where this gets difficult.

At the beginning of November, when I received my money for the sale of some of my land, she had received an eviction notice. Her name is the only one on the lease because her previous roommate hasn't taken his name off (we've not seen him since he left) so she can't take him off unless they both sign an agreement and she can't put anyone else on for the same reason. I paid October and November's rent plus late fees ($1237.00) and we both agreed she would pay me back half and that the following months we would pay 50/50 on the rent since Jim moved out and Andy was waiting on word of a new job. I felt that I was doing the right thing at the time, since she had allowed us to move in, etc. She said she would give me the majority of her tips...no money was given to me for the month of November.
At the end of December, Mel asked if I would pay the full amount and she would pay me back her half. I told her I want her to begin to pay me back and that I would keep on her, even had her agree at one point that she would sign a paper that says she does agree to pay me back. I paid rent for December. At this point she owes me $866 for her half.
In December, before Christmas, she paid me back $150 (I bugged her). She explained that she wouldn't be able to pay me back for the two weeks of Christmas and New Years since her son would be staying with her and she needed money to pay for gifts, etc.
Mel's lease is up at the end of January and Mel has decided her and her (most recent) boyfriend (who also works at the same place we do, as a cook) are getting a place together so Andy and I would like to take over Mel's lease here. However, Mel still owes me $711 and informed me today that because she owes her mom $180 in daycare she doesn't have her half of the rent for January. Andy refuses to help her out and I don't want to have her any further in debt with me.

What I'm asking is: She's already paying me back, so do I be nice and pay her half of the rent for January since we may take over the lease or should I say no way and go that way - which could cause her to be evicted or us not being able to take over the lease?

Please don't tell me to talk with her, she's not often home (over at her boyfriends) or when I do get to talk to her she acts very annoyed, "stressed", and overwhelmed. I haven't had her sign the paper yet, but if anyone should suggest I pay her half this month, she will sign it at that time which will state very clearly she is to pay me back within a timely manner. Court is not what I'm wanting to do, however, I will if there is no other way.
Please help. I really don't want to have to move again so I would like some advice on whether or not I should pay January's rent for her or not. She's already paying me back.

12-27-2004, 08:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Amnesia620 Forget me not... Location: See that dot on the map? I don't live there.	Perhaps Some Advice Would Be Good... My current roommate, Mel, and I have been best friends for eleven years. Twice now, Mel and I have "played the roommate game". The first time was six years ago, the second time was four years ago. Both went sour and the second time we had it out. We had a falling out at this point, told eachother everything on our minds and stopped speaking to eachother completely for a little over six months. We made up and life went on. In September, Mel called me up and asked if I would like to be on her lease for the two bedroom (duplex/house) place she had since her roommate just decided to leave. We agreed that Andy and I would not pay October's rent, she would cover us (I was waiting on money to come through for the sale of land) since I was, in a sense, saving her ass. We (Andy and I) moved in on the first of October and shared a room. She shared hers with her boyfriend, Jim. There were arguments between her and Jim, however, rent for October didn't get paid. Just for the record, Mel and I live and work together. We both work as servers and depend on our tips and small paychecks. Now, this is where this gets difficult. At the beginning of November, when I received my money for the sale of some of my land, she had received an eviction notice. Her name is the only one on the lease because her previous roommate hasn't taken his name off (we've not seen him since he left) so she can't take him off unless they both sign an agreement and she can't put anyone else on for the same reason. I paid October and November's rent plus late fees ($1237.00) and we both agreed she would pay me back half and that the following months we would pay 50/50 on the rent since Jim moved out and Andy was waiting on word of a new job. I felt that I was doing the right thing at the time, since she had allowed us to move in, etc. She said she would give me the majority of her tips...no money was given to me for the month of November. At the end of December, Mel asked if I would pay the full amount and she would pay me back her half. I told her I want her to begin to pay me back and that I would keep on her, even had her agree at one point that she would sign a paper that says she does agree to pay me back. I paid rent for December. At this point she owes me $866 for her half. In December, before Christmas, she paid me back $150 (I bugged her). She explained that she wouldn't be able to pay me back for the two weeks of Christmas and New Years since her son would be staying with her and she needed money to pay for gifts, etc. Mel's lease is up at the end of January and Mel has decided her and her (most recent) boyfriend (who also works at the same place we do, as a cook) are getting a place together so Andy and I would like to take over Mel's lease here. However, Mel still owes me $711 and informed me today that because she owes her mom $180 in daycare she doesn't have her half of the rent for January. Andy refuses to help her out and I don't want to have her any further in debt with me. What I'm asking is: She's already paying me back, so do I be nice and pay her half of the rent for January since we may take over the lease or should I say no way and go that way - which could cause her to be evicted or us not being able to take over the lease? Please don't tell me to talk with her, she's not often home (over at her boyfriends) or when I do get to talk to her she acts very annoyed, "stressed", and overwhelmed. I haven't had her sign the paper yet, but if anyone should suggest I pay her half this month, she will sign it at that time which will state very clearly she is to pay me back within a timely manner. Court is not what I'm wanting to do, however, I will if there is no other way. Please help. I really don't want to have to move again so I would like some advice on whether or not I should pay January's rent for her or not. She's already paying me back. __________________ For example, I find that a lot of college girls are barbie doll carbon copies with few differences...Sadly, they're dumb, ditzy, immature, snotty, fake, or they are the gravitational center to orbiting drama. - Amnesia620 Last edited by Amnesia620; 12-27-2004 at 09:03 PM..