The situation: I found proof that my roommate has been stealing from me. Mainly little things, lipgloss, birth control pills (!), air freshener + refills... and our lease is up at the end of this month. I have to get her to sign off on it because I am NOT going to keep living with her! Since she has been avoiding me like the plague (not coming home until I'm sure to be asleep) I sent her an email letting her know that I expect her to sign off on the lease before she leaves for Mexico this weekend. If she refuses, or more likely, flakes out... what can I do? Can I have eviction papers served to her on the grounds that she's clepto? I'm VERY angry right now, as she's been trying to blame my little sister (who is occupying MY room right now) of trashing the apartment and making our energy bills higher. I just want to wash my hands of the whole thing, but I don't trust her even for the last three weeks I'll have to deal with her! Anybody have any legal suggestions for getting her out? If she doesn't vacate the premises at the end of the lease (if I end up having to leave the apartment too) we'll both be charged another month's rent... I know... I should have known her better before moving in... but you never really know someone until you find them stealing your stuff... Any suggestions are helpful... thanks!

 

wow...you don't seem to be having much luck....weren't you complaining about another roomate a little bit ago?

Talk to your landlord. Unfortuneately, it may be a long shot depending on where you are, but inform them of the situation and see if they'd be willing to help out. Sometimes they take it as responsibility, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't want a responsible peron under their roof if they had to have one. I don't think you can do anything about the stealing unless you had proof. And short of a hidden camera (which I think is illegal in many cases) the only other thing would be to mark things you think she's stealing. And the BC thing? Who does that? It's one thing to take lip gloss, but to take someone's pills? I can see why you'd want her out.

 

Yeah, I've got two bad roommates at different apartments right now... not much luck, I know! And I was seriously offended that she took the pills from me... I mean, I saw them over the weekend even! She must really think I'm stupid... I'm going to call our front office of our community today and see if they can help me out, but one of the women there really likes her! I mean, this woman HATES me and is rude and blunt whenever I have concerns I bring up with her... I'll keep updating as these things unfold I suppose. I hope nobody else has to deal with anything like this ever, but I suspect it'll happen and happen often.

 

I called the apartment complex and they told me they would call her and ask her plans for the apartment. They have the paperwork all worked out and they said she wouldn't even need to sign off on the lease; they're just terminating it March 30. They're going to take her off and have me as the only one on the lease after this. Now my only issue is that she needs to get her stuff out by March 30. Does anybody know the proper way for this to go? I'm planning on having the locks changed April 1, but if she's established residency, I know that I'm technically not allowed to. If I give her 30 days notice, however, I think that is fine. I'm not sure though. Anybody know for sure?

 

Oh... what do you know... a girl on FTE who wears lip gloss??? Wow.


I think you're headed down the right path Miss. D. Ranged. I believe that a 30 day notice should be more than sufficient notice, and anything left will be between her and the landlord. Frankly, once agian, I would speak to your landlord about it and let him deal with it. That's the beauty of leases... they're signed with the landlord... not you.

STan

 

Give her thirty days, and then throw her stuff away. Technically its abandoned, and you are free do what you need to. If she starts complaining, use big words and talk really fast. Chances are she'll break down crying.... you've won!

 

swap out the birth control for laxatives......

When she's on the hopper then serve her the notice.

 

Ask your leasing office/landlord about eviction procedures in your state. They deal with this all the time and the advice should be sound and affordable.

 

I just realized how much I miss roomates... NOT! I am so glad to be done with that phase of my life! Now I'm getting married and will have a permanent roomate, but atleast she is clean (to the point that she's ****) and she doesn't steal. We have an agreement: What is hers is hers and what is mine is also hers so technically it is impossible for her to steal from me. It works out nicely.

Good Luck! Worst case scenario, put all of her stuff in a storage shed and give her the location and combination or key. Make her sign and date a document that states that she understands that you only paid for one month on the storage and if she hasn't retrieved her belongings by a certain date, the storage company will take posession of it. You can even send a certified letter for her to your address so she can't deny that she knew.

 

MMmmmmmm...be careful! Laws regarding abandoned property differ from state to state. In CA, if the property is worth less than $300, you can dispose of it (after the proper legal mailings to the other party). If over $300, you MUST auction it off, with the proceeds (after expenses) being filed with the county in the name of the person who abandoned it, so they can collect it.

And if you go the $300 or less route, depending on the county and judge, the idiot can always come back and claim you overlooked the (he says) $5,000 ring and sue you.

How messed up is that?

 

look up an attorney specializing in landlord/tenant law, most attorneys are happy to consult with you for free, they would know how best to procede(should it go that far)