Help! (TX)
Okay here’s the situation. I moved into an apartment with my sister’s best friend when her roommate wanted to leave. I took over his year lease in February and it’ll be up December 31st. Before I moved in I was getting out of a stick situation ship so my roommate (we’ll call her Emma) sat down and had a conversation with me about expectations and how much everything would be. Emma asked that I stay tidy, and since I’m the only one with an animal in the apartment (I have a 10lb papillon) I agreed to vacuum and lint roll the furniture as needed. She also asked that I didn’t move back in with my ex or any guy before December. I agreed and moved in with her.
In March after being here a month she told me her boyfriend was gonna come over and stay the week and bring his puppy. I told her that was fine and I didnt mind as long as the dog wasn’t mean or messy.
He has been here 3 months now, the dog constantly shits in the apartment and has torn up my blankets, shoes, tv remote, and other things. She also has broken every rule she laid down for me. With broken glass being in the sink. Constant messes being left in the apartment. And her boyfriend staying in her room on his PC with the air conditioner set at 68. We live in Texas and most days are around 80 degrees. Meaning the air conditioner is constantly running.
I contacted the leasing office to let them know what was going on and spoke to a lawyer about him having residential rights since he’s been here so long. When I told her he needed to leave she said she was sorry but acted like I was overreacting. I told her if he wanted to be here he needed to take over my lease and I was leaving. He had 3 days to leave the apartment. He then came and argued with me about him having a right to be here and was extremely entitled. A few minutes went by and she came back in my room and said he’d be gone in a week. I said okay that’s fine.
Today she came to me and told me she’s moving in with him (he lives about 4 hours away) and she got a job there. She told me according to our lease it’d be $1800 to break the lease and asked if I’d be willing to split that with her so we can both get out. I don’t want to. I have nowhere else to go and I can’t afford the apartment alone. I make 3x the rent and she doesn’t. I just wouldn’t be able to afford anything else living here. I have a recording of our first conversation of her saying if she did move out she’d pay rent until December and the whole argument I had with him.
We’re co-tenants, on one lease. My question is, can she pay the $1800 on her own, break the lease and leave me in a bind?