Sunday, August 14, 2011

How I get a roommate out who is not on the lease?

I rent a 2 bedroom apartment that I share with a roommate who is not on the lease. I have been living here for 1 year and 1 month and am on a lease I recently re-signed for 2 years. My roommate moved in August 1st of this year. I paid the full security deposit and paid her share of utilities for the first month. After being here a month, she tried to negotiate the price by saying because she doesn't use the phone and cable, she shouldn't have to pay for those services. I reminded her she agreed to the price and knew what was included in the rent prior to moving in as the utilties and their cost were listed in the ad she responded to. Today she informed me someone is coming to look at the apartment as she will be out of the country for 2 months (leaving this Wednesday) and she wants to sublet her room. She said because she won't be here, she feels she should not have to pay rent for those 2 months. She posted an ad on Craigslist a week ago without telling me or discussing the situation with me and gave me a 1 hour notice prior to someone looking at the apartment. I told her I was not comfortable with a stranger moving in for 2 months on such short notice and that just because she would not be here, it does not release her from the responsibility of having to pay while her stuff is still here. We never signed an agreement prior to her moving in and she's not on the lease I have with the landlord. I want to serve her with a notice to vacate and find a new roommate who will be responsible and pay the rent each month. Is there any other special steps I need to take to get her out of here? BTW, I live in New York City and she has only been living here for barely 2 months.

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