Deadbeat ex-roommate owes $$. What would you do?

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4 months ago I found a roommate with a classified on a net message board. He moved in without a job, got one later, but never paid utilities, so he owes me like $600. I let it go 4 months, as well as doing favors like no security deposit (mistake), and providing 100% of furnishings and cleaning for the place, and he just stayed lazy and ungrateful. Well, last night while I was gone he moved out. I had been sort of expecting that but there wasn't much to do- except, I recently left a very nice note saying "I can't give more credit so I have to lock up your $1000 bike as collateral and you can use my $20 bike" but he broke the lock and took it. My stuff is fine it's just bills.

So, I know his secret email he uses for internet sex-gathering. I might be able to use his cable internet account, I was there when they installed it and I made the email account- (can't access it without the modem, but I might be able to, if I can convince the company it was stolen or something). I know his parents live close & I might be able to find them. I know where he works. He might be leaving town soon but he'll be at his job tonight. He might have a vehicle there but I've never seen it. He doesn't know I know those things. Should I use any of that to mess with him or let it go?

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Sunday, 27 February 2005 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Make sure to change the locks first.

― S!monB!rch (Carey), Sunday, 27 February 2005 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Bummer. If you have $25 bucks to spare, sue him in small claims court. It may or may not work. Got receipts, anything in writing?

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 28 February 2005 05:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, this sounds so familiar! I had a flatmate who hoved off owing me hudreds in 'leccy bills and first refused to pay, then stopped answering my messages; even his mother (who kept calling asking for some tea tray I didnt even have) being told he owed me didnt get results... eventually I was talking to a mutual friend/ex of his and she said "well if you get the money let me know, he's owed me about $300 for years now", then I gave up.

And he was a friend! So um... yeah. I think you might have to write it off as a loss, if this guy went so far as cutting the lock off his bike to take it, and moved out without warning...

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 28 February 2005 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Nothing in writing, except he paid rent with checks. I would have to get those, and also bring the utility bills, and then maybe suing could do something. I have some tricks up my sleeve though, involving mail routing to the house.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Monday, 28 February 2005 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

This happens, and an old man tried to beat me up this week. I must look like I make a great doormat or something, dammit.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:35 (twenty-one years ago)

my roommate owes me 1491.04 plus 650 plus utilities, and he hasn't worked in 6 months. tough shit.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:36 (twenty-one years ago)

(err, I didn't mean that dicklike. I meant "I know how tough it is)

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:37 (twenty-one years ago)

+ """

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

ILX needs some mafia connections to get this sort of thing worked out.

― stephen morris (stephen morris), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Next on the agenda: I expect they'll be having dirty anal sex on my white couch.

― Remy (null) (x Jeremy), Monday, 28 February 2005 07:46 (twenty-one years ago)

People need to be more careful choosing roomates.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 28 February 2005 09:09 (twenty-one years ago)

you're totally at fault, for being a sucker. (ie. what ed said.)

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 28 February 2005 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Good luck. You ain't gettin' shit, unless you take it. Follow him home after work. Steal what you can from him & sell it quick-like.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 28 February 2005 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

are you in America? Call Judge Judy!!

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 28 February 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Does he look like you? You could call up that janitor guy and tell him that the guy who pepper-sprayed him lives at ....

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 28 February 2005 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I should maybe not discuss this but what the hell.

-Found his parent's home phone, told them he owes $ and asked if they wanted a chance to take care of it instead of legal action. of course no, but at least it's a little message that I know their number.

-Called cable co. as him and reported cable modem "stolen". Tried to get them to install a replacement (billed to him) but they wanted picture ID & police report, so no. At least they have it as "stolen" on the account which could stop him from using it.

-After today hopefully no mail coming to the house for him will be forwarded.

-"Bill me later" magazine subscription time.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 08:29 (twenty-one years ago)

DO NOT SIGN HIM UP FOR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST HIM.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 13:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a former roommate who still owes me £1200 that I lent her to pay her share of the rent, plus a few hundred more in unpaid bills when she moved out. I'm not really happy about it, but I'm kind of resigned to never seeing it again.

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

OK.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 05:31 (twenty-one years ago)

What Dan said. (The only time I did that, the person in question was not a roommate, nor had any legal action against him pending. You must choose your battles. ;-))

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Look at it this way: You just spent $600 to have this guy out of your life forever.

― Pete Scholtes, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd pay $600 more to see him get his ass kicked and left bleeding in a dumpster.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Thursday, 3 March 2005 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay you know how I said on the other thread that Remy should take this his roomie to small claims court? Well here's well I tell you to a) change your locks, b) stay as far away from this fucker as possible and c) be way more careful about picking your roommates. Don't fuck him over and don't entertain stupid fantasies about revenge (tampering with his mail is insane btw.) You can still take him to small claims court if you like (although it sounds like your case is weak) but if it was me I would just eat the money and take it as a life lesson. Don't rent to fuckheads and get shit in writing.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 March 2005 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't really feel bad either since you let it go on for 4 months. No one can take advantage of you without blah blah blah rat a tat tat.

― S!monB!rch (Carey), Thursday, 3 March 2005 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Scholtes OTM (but you forgot to credit Chaz Palmenteri!)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 3 March 2005 01:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually it was the owner of a bike shop where I worked. What movie?

― Pete Scholtes, Thursday, 3 March 2005 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

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