Roommate and late rent payment?

Living in a house or an apartment with a roommate can be fun, especially if that roommate is your friend. However, when your roommate pays rent late, your friendship might be jeopardized. There are certain things you should consider when you have a roommate who always late rent payment.

When you rent an apartment with a roommate, there are two agreements you have to make: one with your landlord, and of course, one with your roommate.

The agreement you make with your landlord is formal and is written. It contains the amount you have to pay, the rules and regulations to follow when living in the property, and the fees when you pay rent late. Usually, the landlord does not care how you split the payment as long as you pay on time.

On the other hand, the agreement you make with your roommate is less formal. It is usually done only verbally. You agree on how you will split the payment, and when you will give the payment. However, an informal agreement can easily be broken. Your roommate can simply deny any agreement you have made between each other.

This is why it is very important to have a written, documented agreement between you and your roommate before you move in with each other. This might be awkward, but this would come in handy if he or she fails to pay rent on time, or if the situation gets worse and you are forced to take legal action.

If all else fails and worse comes to worst, you can choose to file a case against you roommate. The case you have to file is a small claims lawsuit. When you file this case, you must have enough evidence to prove that your roommate does owe fees or rent. These evidences can be your landlord’s statement, bank statements, letters, agreements, or a copy of the lease.

To make sure you get what you deserve or that your partner pays rent properly, you can consult or hire an attorney.