Can my roommate keep a portion of my deposit to pay bills?

Question

Hi,

I live in Los Angeles and I am listed on the rental agreement with my roommate. I am moving out and my roommate informed me that she would keep $100 of my deposit to pay bills. I am only liable for the gas and electric which normally averages about $40-50 a month. The bills are in her name. I paid the deposit to my roommate because she had already paid the deposit in full to the landlord. She had a roommate prior to me thats why the deposit was paid already. Can she legally keep my deposit for bills or is the deposit just for damages/unpaid rent/cleaning, etc.

Please advise!

Answer 1

Legally, the deposit does cover bills.  She can keep the exact amount of the bills and no more.  When the bill arrives, she will give you back your balance.

But she seems to want to keep your money.  Who knows why.  Not much you can do if she wants to be a jerk.

Judge Judy loves cases like this and you get paid $15,000.  www.judgejudy.com.  Judge Judy will roast your roommate.

Answer 2

You should demand yoru half of the deposit, if you go to small claims court you will win.

But if you do owe her $100 you might as well pay her because you will most likely just win it back.

Answer 3

If you paid the deposit to your room mate and not the landlord then she can likely do anything she wants.

Unless you signed legal binding papers it is a civil matter between the two of you and perhaps Judge Judy.

However the damage deposit belongs to neither of you it belongs to the house and when all is said and done it is there to make the house whole at the end of tenancy and belongs to none of you the landlord or either tenant until the house is satisfied. That does not include bills that belong to any of the parties.

I hope this was helpful, and sorry if it is not the answer you are looking for

Answer 4

Well; if you are BOTH on the lease ; and the landlord is ok with the roommate moving out .... he will probably give your roomie 1/2 of the deposit ......

Yep; she can legally keep the deposit .... This is an issue that should have been spelled out in your lease or as a private agreement between the two of you ....

NO Matter what you are doing when renting a property or a room , even ...Get ALL of the details down in writiing and all parties sign ....