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I am concerned about sharing a place to live with two of my friends. We will all sign the lease, but if someone does not pay his share of the rent, can the landlord evict us all?

Yes. If the total amount of rent is not received by the landlord at the right time, he or she could issue a notice of eviction for non-payment of rent. Any notice to end the tenancy will apply to all the tenants.

As tenants who have all signed the lease, you are each responsible for all of the rent. The landlord will only be concerned that the whole amount is paid, not which tenants paid it. Even if one person left, the landlord would still require the whole rent from the remaining tenants.

It�s a good idea to have a written agreement between roommates that is separate from the tenancy agreement. Roommates can agree about responsibility for bills, how rent is to be shared, and the possibility of reimbursing each other for a share of the security deposit if one tenant leaves before the end of the tenancy.

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November 2004 More Renting a Place to Live FAQs:

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