ANSWER
If you have an individual lease, the nonpaying roommate is responsible for their own rent and the other roommates are not responsible for it. If you have a joint lease, the landlord can hold the other roommates responsible for the unpaid rent.
YOUR NEXT DECISION
Use the answer to prepare your next conversation
- Confirm whether the lease is individual or joint.
- Read the rent responsibility clause in the signed lease.
- Contact UF Student Legal Services or Off Campus Life for lease review help.
HELP WITH YOUR NEXT STEP
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Discuss housing optionsWhat happens depends on the lease type
UF Off Campus Life says Gainesville has two common lease types: individual and joint. Under an individual lease, each roommate signs their own lease and only that roommate owes their rent. Under a joint lease, all residents sign, and the landlord can hold the other roommates responsible if one roommate does not pay.
- Individual lease: the other roommates will not be held responsible for the unpaid rent.
- Joint lease: the landlord can hold the other roommates responsible for the missed rent.
- The signed lease controls the practical result, so read the lease before signing.
Who can help you review the lease
UF Student Legal Services offers free and confidential help to eligible UF students, and UF Off Campus Life says students can set up an appointment there to review leases before signing. UF Off Campus Housing also says its office provides free legal service for full-time fee-paying UF students.
- Student Legal Services is listed as open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- UF Off Campus Life recommends reviewing leases before you sign, not after the problem starts.
- If you’re unsure whether your lease is individual or joint, that is the key detail to confirm.
Best next step
Check your signed lease for whether it says individual or joint, then contact UF Student Legal Services if you need help understanding what that means for your roommates and your own liability.
- Look for the lease section that names each tenant’s rent responsibility.
- If the lease language is unclear, ask Student Legal Services to review it before taking action.
Sources
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