A very difficult roommate situation

[Victor]

i would think, if they take him to court, they would need some sort of statement from the other roommate. she may feel bad and be unwilling to provide further compliance.

[tshort]

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Well, the friend found a place to stay for the semester. So he won't be withdrawing from classes at Penn State.

Joe has stated that he will pay the fines if he can't find a way out of it. He can probably fudge the amount of days he was staying down a bit, but not that much since the snitch divulged basically everything about the situation to the owners.

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Your roommate is a huge moron if he just goes and pays fines. I would make them sue me before paying the fines. How can they prove he was subletting? It will be his word against the snitches word. Do you really think in a few months when the landlord tries to take Joe to court for this, which I highly doubt, the snitch wants to waste her time testifying in court? Joe should spend the next month being ultra-nice to her to make sure.

Even if it goes to court... who do you think the judge is going to lean towards when everything seems to be hearsay evidence? A landlord charging $100 PER DAY for someone crashing at their apartment for a few weeks?

Doesn't your university have some sort of free student legal advice?

[FlyWf]

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Joe has stated that he will pay the fines if he can't find a way out of it. He can probably fudge the amount of days he was staying down a bit, but not that much since the snitch divulged basically everything about the situation to the owners.

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This is why landlords for college students [censored] their tenants over. It's rarely the college students' own money, and lots of college students are overwhelmed at real world responsibility and just try to make things go away. Pay $2100 for this? No way.

How can this thread be this long without you checking the lease? I'm pretty sure it's in there, but I really doubt it's enforceable. "He was only there for a few nights like a week or so apart. I don't recall specific dates. The other roommate didn't like him and may have exaggerated." I've just constructed a [censored] foolproof defense free of charge. Say that until they give up. I'm sure the other roommate just wanted the guy she didn't like to move out, which has now happened, so she'll be cool with backing up on her story. Don't do anything to piss her off until this blows over. $2100? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeit.

[SuperUberBob]

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How can this thread be this long without you checking the lease?

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Because the actual payment doesn't involve me. There's no reason for me to look at it. That's up to Joe.

I think there's no way Joe's paying that much.

[jaymajik]

I know nothing about Pennsylvania law and this is not legal advice, but I would not pay the money, as it seems likely that the relevant provision in the contract (if there is one) is unenforceable as it's a penalty clause (not a genuine pre-estimate of the loss occurring on breach). Wouldn't take long to find out if the applicable law incorporates this (English law) concept.

[SuperUberBob]

Better update: The fine will not be enforced. Even though this totally sucks, this could have been way, way worse.