When renting an apartment....

[SVTHORD]

My girlfriend and I are getting an apartment together in a few weeks. It's the first non-school apartment for both of us.
We will be signing a 1 year lease, and was hoping someone in OOT could explain the benifits/problems of putting just my name on the lease vs both of ours.
What about the utilities? A friend suggested we divide them up with some in each of our names.

Thanks!

[spentrent]

Put both names. Actually, just put her name. You will thank me in a year.

[SVTHORD]

[ QUOTE ]
Put both names. Actually, just put her name. You will thank me in a year.

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Can you give me the logic behind it?

[spentrent]

The name on the lease accepts the responsibility when the bills aren't paid.

Many circumstances can lead to the bills not being paid.

Either eliminate your risk or share it.

If you are a sugar daddy-type who will be paying all the bills, then just use your name.

Worst-case scenario is in X months GF becomes exGF and you are stuck paying too much for an apartment.

[SVTHORD]

I see what you are saying...

We will be splitting the bills 50/50 (although I make more money, so we'll see how that goes).

Is there a downside to putting both names on the lease vs just mine?

[spentrent]

There's no downside at all. We're not talking about real assets here, we're talking about money that gets black-holed every month. If there is drama, you can continue to pay the full amount of the rent, and then go to civil court to claim the amount that the cosigner should have paid.

Keep in mind that the lessor will rightfully demand the full amount and will [censored] your credit if you don't pay. But having both names on the lease gives you a viable claim in the future.

Surely it won't come to that, but that's the point of putting two names on the lease.

As for your other bills, I've never known the phone company or the cable company to put more than one name on an account. YMMV. It's small potatoes and month-to-month anyway so it's nothing to worry about.

[Autocratic]

You can put your name on it, but get a separate and binding contract between you two saying she is responsible for half of the rent. It's an issue if you two split and you want her to cover half.

[ChipWrecked]

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that's the point of putting two names on the lease.



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That and the fact that you both will build renting history, making it easier for either of you to get another place should you decide to do so separately.

[scotchnrocks]

[ QUOTE ]
That and the fact that you both will build renting history, making it easier for either of you to get another place should you decide to do so separately.

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use this line to convince her to put her name on the lease