Welcome to our resource for renters!
The Rental Housing Association helps rental owners and managers provide quality rental housing to renters throughout the Sacramento Valley. As a service to renters, RHA will continue to add useful information to this web site.
Rental Tip of the Week
Friends Don’t Always Make Good Roommates
When sharing a rental with one or more roommates, make certain that everyone understands how to handle the payment of rent. Trouble begins when one roommate cannot pay his or her portion.
Each roommate must understand that everyone included in the rental agreement or lease is equally liable for payment of the entire rent, not just their own share. If any portion of the rent is late, everyone is subject to any late fee. If the rent remains unpaid, everyone may be evicted.
That’s true even if you are willing to pay your share of the rent. Because property managers aren’t required to accept partial payments of rent, most don’t. Doing so would create confusion because a property manager cannot evict just one tenant for non-payment. So, if you try to pay a portion of the rent, it probably will be rejected.
Property managers carefully evaluate prospective renters’ ability to pay the rent before renting to them. Likewise, you should carefully consider a potential roommate’s ability to pay before deciding to share a rental. Your best friend may not make good roommate, especially if he or she has trouble paying rent. Unfortunately, many friendships end when money gets tight.
Rental tip provided by Jim Lofgren, Executive Director, and Jane McGinnis, Director of Education, of the Rental Housing Association, an organization serving rental property owners and managers. Copyright 2004.
|
