How to get a roomate to pay up? - Page 3

Matt Flynn · #21 04-12-2005, 12:31 PM

one thought:

schedule a 2 week vacation. move all your good stuff elsewhere before you go and take a video of your room. do not tell her about the vacation. two weeks before you go, tell her you couldn't make the power bill and the power company is threatening to turn off the power. ask her to pay. if she doesn't, schedule the power company to turn off the power the day before you leave. turn off the phone the day before that. be in a foul mood that day after the power is turned off, but don't take it out on her. just tell her if she wants power the power company says she'll have to order it. on the day you leave, tell her just have to get away for a while and do not give a return date. have your mail blocked and put a lock on your bedroom door. she can go elsewhere given her willingness to sleep with any guy, but not knowing when or if you will return will drive her nuts.

before that, ask your landlord if she's paying her rent and explain the situation. maybe landlord knows the parents and would apply pressure for you that way. pay the landlord ahead of time for the period you are gone if it comes to that.

OR, you could go to revenge.com for ideas.

matt

InchoateHand · #22 04-12-2005, 12:37 PM

I'm thinking that power or no power, video or no video, "good stuff" or no "good stuff" leaving her alone there for 2 weeks is a bad idea.

[ QUOTE ]
one thought:

schedule a 2 week vacation. move all your good stuff elsewhere before you go and take a video of your room. do not tell her about the vacation. two weeks before you go, tell her you couldn't make the power bill and the power company is threatening to turn off the power. ask her to pay. if she doesn't, schedule the power company to turn off the power the day before you leave. turn off the phone the day before that. be in a foul mood that day after the power is turned off, but don't take it out on her. just tell her if she wants power the power company says she'll have to order it. on the day you leave, tell her just have to get away for a while and do not give a return date. have your mail blocked and put a lock on your bedroom door. she can go elsewhere given her willingness to sleep with any guy, but not knowing when or if you will return will drive her nuts.

before that, ask your landlord if she's paying her rent and explain the situation. maybe landlord knows the parents and would apply pressure for you that way. pay the landlord ahead of time for the period you are gone if it comes to that.

OR, you could go to revenge.com for ideas.

matt

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Boris · #23 04-12-2005, 12:37 PM

It sounds to me like you're not very confrontational. She probably views you as a pushover so she's using you. You need to be more insistent that she pay up. If you hassle her enough she will either pay up or move out.

peachy · #24 04-12-2005, 12:47 PM

sue her...small claims court is easy and cheap...just make sure u have copies of bills and what not.

If shes a moron u can tell her that u just need her to sign something saying she will pay the bills to give u peace of mind...once she does u surely golden, and contraray to belief alot of people will sign these things if approached in a none threating u just need peace of mind stand point

peachy · #25 04-12-2005, 12:59 PM

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Landlord isn't really an option, because she's not paying him either. He's in the middle of the eviction process, but it's a rather moot point as she'll be out by the time he can get through that. Her security deposit has been eaten up by what she owes him.

So, the question becomes, do I just swallow the $550 that she'll owe me? Or is it worth it to go to small claims court?

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Its definately worth small claims court if that money means anything to u, if it doesnt hurt u up then no. But small claims court costs under $75 in most states to file, they serve her and then u go to court, most dont hire lawyers (although some do). Its very cut and dry, you bring what evidence you have (bills) explain ur case, they rule, and you can ask for the case filing fee back to be given in the ruling.

trevorwc · #26 04-12-2005, 01:19 PM

The money is not a HUGE issue to me - I won and lost more than that in a poker session many times. However, it is $500, and I have plenty of time on my hands if it's relatively cheap to go after the money as peachy said.

I am non-confrontational by nature, but also in this situation because it will do no good. The landlord has been VERY confrontational with her regarding the 3 months rent that she owes, and it's done no good. She continues to stiff him as well. She is also pyscho, and I believe that being confrontational could be a bad idea. I have a new big screen Hi-Def, a brand new computer, new furnitue, etc. and I truly believe that if I "put my foot down" that she is dumb enough to f*ck with my chit. Of course, I'd sue her for that, but who knows when I'd ever see THAT money.

Luckily, we don't have a phone, as we use cell phones, so there is no fear of a huge phone bill being racked up.

My plan is to wait it out (she's already said she plans to move out end of May) and get all my stuff in order in terms of copies of bills and such and then take her ass to court. Should be an easy win for me.

Also, FWIW, the landlord and I have talked to her parents, and it's done no good.

peachy · #27 04-12-2005, 01:33 PM

then i would sue her either way, ud be doing her a favor - teahcing her she cant get away with it - so u might save others a headache in the future and get your money back!

But do it NOW, b/c once she moves out it will be harder for them to find her to serve her papers. Just go down to the court house in the county "SHE" resides in (which is the same as you) and volia (usually u file with the magistrate department of the court house)

and either way u will get the money, it may take time but u can garnish wages and/or put a...o man whats the name...hrrmm...think think...ill have to look the name up in my file and give it to u in a bit but basically the other thing prevents them from ever owning anything before they pay you b/c if they do (say a car, home, etc) at ANY point in thier lifetime it will be taken and auctioned off by the government and u will be given your money - its good for a limited period of time (like 10 years) but can be renewed for forever (until death) for like $10-$30 every x number of years (in some states its 10 years). So basically u own them until they pay u...

ah found the word!! its a fieri facias but its known mainly as a "fi fa"

now some states differ, im familiar mostly with GA law, but I am sure its very similar! Im sure u can even call and ask before u go down there, and the form u can fill out in less than 10 mins when u get there or u can bring it home.

InchoateHand · #28 04-12-2005, 01:36 PM

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then i would sue her either way, ud be doing her a favor - teahcing her she cant get away with it - so u might save others a headache in the future and get your money back!

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I'm pretty sure pimping her out would serve this purpose also.

Blarg · #29 04-12-2005, 02:14 PM

Garnishing wages and taking her to court will take up more time and money on your part that it's probably worth. Garnishing wages is not that easy to do, and small claims judgments are notoriously hard to collect on. She could owe you that money for years.

See if there are other ways to do things.

Note -- things like cutting off power will violate the law in some states(like here in California). Cutting off the phone won't. However, she could get a new phone and in some places, believe it or not, stick you with the bill even if it's in her name, if the apartment lease is registered in your name.

I'd worry most about getting the lock on your bedroom door, and disconnecting your phone. If you don't think a spiteful girl can run up a thousand dollar phone bill in a month, you're mistaken.

I'd also change the locks to all outside doors the same day she moves out of the place. It might cost you 50 or 100 bucks or so if you hire someone to do it, much less if you install new locks yourself, but the piece of mind you get will be well worth it.

Sponger15SB · #30 04-12-2005, 02:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds to me like you're not very confrontational. She probably views you as a pushover so she's using you. You need to be more insistent that she pay up. If you hassle her enough she will either pay up or move out.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was kinda what I was thinking.