Roommate advice

That's OK. It looks like you may have won $10,000,000 in the Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes.

 

Martin, I think you can forget tact. That's not responsible behavior, and roommate tact goes out the window at that point. Be calm, but don't be shy about bringing it up.

Do you see him or her daily? How do you usually communicate? You need to do a face-to-face on this one, and ASAP. Just flat out tell your roommate he or she has to cough up all late bills because you can't afford to spot them. Give the person a week if you can, then change the locks.

If he or she is on the lease, you might have a harder time, but man, don't let it go on. A friend wound up down thousands because she covered a houseful of deadbeat roommates

If you can and if it helps, I've found it easier to include all utilities in rent, just to eliminate having any "forgotten" ones.

Good luck.

 

Little bit of an update, here. Broached the subject with him, and apparently he paid the overdue rent (late charges were on his ass, so that's fine with me), and is going to pay the entirety of the next utility bill. I guess the lesson learned here is to be persistent and not think he'll actually remind himself.

 

I'd probably start looking for a new roomie.

 

And the nearest pawn shop ... sell that SOB's shit.