Glossary Term
Joint and several liability is a lease term that makes every tenant on the lease responsible for the full rent and any damages, not just their own portion. If a roommate stops paying or moves out, the landlord can pursue the remaining tenants for the entire amount owed. It is the standard arrangement in most shared leases.
In short
Joint and several liability is a lease term that makes every tenant on the lease responsible for the full rent and any damages, not just their own portion. If a roommate stops paying or moves out, the landlord can pursue the remaining tenants for the entire amount owed. It is the standard arrangement in most shared leases.
This clause means a roommate's failure to pay can become your financial problem, so it directly affects your risk when sharing a lease.
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Under joint and several liability, yes. The landlord can pursue you for the full rent, even if you paid your own share, so you would need to recover it from the roommate yourself.
Usually yes. Any tenant can be charged for damage to the unit regardless of who caused it, which is why a roommate agreement and good records matter.
Sign a written roommate agreement dividing rent and damages, keep payment records, and ask whether individual leases or a clear move-out process are available.
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