Evicting A Roommate

Many people find themselves living with disagreeable roommates and need to find a way to end or change their living arrangements. If you are in an unpleasant living situation, but your name is not on the lease, the best thing for you to do is find alternate living arrangements for yourself. If both names are on the lease, depending on the reason you want your roommate to leave, your landlord may (or may not) be willing and able to help. If your roommate's name is not on the lease, or if you own the dwelling in which you reside, you may be able to evict him or her for a variety of reasons.

In an ideal world, you would be able to rationally explain to your roommate why parting ways is a good idea, and the roommate would agree and decide to move out on his or her own. However, things don't always unfold as the best case scenario in these types of situations. It is best to try to resolve roommate problems amicably, but you may find yourself in a situation in which legal action cannot be avoided.

When evicting a roommate, it is vital to follow the tenant laws that govern your jurisdiction. The legalities involved with evicting a roommate vary greatly from one location to another. In most areas, you will be required to provide the roommate with written notice of your intent to evict him or her from the dwelling within a reasonable period of time (usually 30 days) following formal notice.

Before proceeding with roommate eviction proceedings, be sure to consult a fair housing representative in your area or seek the advice of an attorney who is experienced with the real estate laws specific to your geographic area.