Is my Ex girlfriend liable for her half of the rent ?

simonwim

My girlfriend and i were renting a house together and both our names are on the 12 month rental agreement with the estate agent. After 6 months she decided to leave and not pay her half of the rent. This was three months ago and ive still another three months here left.

I actually paid the whole 12 months rent up front (half at the ebginging and the other half 4 months later) to the estate agent and my girlfriend was paying me back her half of the rent each month. She stopped when she decided to move out.

Do i have a case to claim against her with moneyclaim online for the 3 months she hasnt paid and the next 3 months she wont be paying ? Im not asking this morally but legally.

cheers

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I would think legally you would have a case, if you wanted to pursue it.

Are you still together, though not living together, depends how friendly things are.

BitterAndTwisted

Yes, as she co-signed the rental agreement you can pursue her for her unpaid portion of the rent if you can prove that you made the payments direct to the agent/landlord. Is there any risk that she could claim that she's already paid you in cash?

david29dpo

You are both liable for the rent, as you paid 12 months up front you will have to get the money off her. (can you prove it to the courts?) If you stay after the 12 months renew the contract in you name only.

Voyager2002

Had you not paid the rent in advance, your landlord could have sued her for the rent. As it is, you have effectively lent her the money and the process of proving and reclaiming the debt would be more trouble than it is worth.

david29dpo

The LL could sue one or the other or both.

simonwim

Thanks for the replies, i can show that i paid two seperate amounts to the estate agent for paying the rent upfront, i can also show band statements to show that she paid me XXX amount every month for the rent up untill she left. Were not really on speaking terms as she has refused to pay any more rent hence why im having to go through it this way.

david29dpo

If you think she will pay, sue. One trick is to tell her you are not going to pay her share after the 12 months so she will get a black mark on her credit rating. It worked for me once!

InaPickle

Might be worth telling her that pursuing her throught the Small Claims Court would ocst less than the rent she has forfeited, so you will do it and see if that calls her bluff.

Good luck!

Gorgeous_George

No chance IMHO.

You have paid the rent and you your landlord doesn't care who paid it. You and your ex-girlfriend were both liable for the whole of the rent. You do not have a contract with your ex-girlfriend.

She could claim that she gave you cash for her share - or even for all of it - and make a counterclaim. Keep your head up high, learn from the experience and move on. Your happiness will be suitable revenge.

GG

Blacksheep1979

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

No chance IMHO.

You have paid the rent and you your landlord doesn't care who paid it. You and your ex-girlfriend were both liable for the whole of the rent. You do not have a contract with your ex-girlfriend.

She could claim that she gave you cash for her share - or even for all of it - and make a counterclaim. Keep your head up high, learn from the experience and move on. Your happiness will be suitable revenge.

GG

Sorry but that is some of the most tripe I've read (at least today) - be happy and you'll be the winner?!? The ex will be loving it if she gets out of what is likely to be well over £1k. If the OP can show the full amount going out of his account and the (ex?) girlfriend can't prove she paid anything to the landlord/letting agent/boyfriend then she doesn't have a leg to stand on. This is coming from someone who had someone on a joint contract with them do a runner, they then paid the rest of the rent and successfully claimed it back in the small claims court. Small claims court is about balance of probabilities and the judges generally don't like people taking the michael and running out on debts.