Joint & Several Leases
Joint & Several Leases
A joint and several lease means that that the parties on the lease agreement are responsible individually and collectively for the terms of the agreement.
In a contract it indicates that the tenants have agreed to be individually responsible for the entire rent. If one tenant does not pay his/her share of the rent, the other is responsible for the entire amount.
If one person does not pay the rent, the other roommates are liable to the landlord for payment of that person’s share or they are all subject to eviction for non-payment of rent. It is up to the other tenants, not the landlord, to collect from the non-paying tenant.
Nearly all leases signed in the Santa Barbara market are joint and several leases and Villas at Tropicana offers this option to prospective tenants.
Why people like Joint and Several Leases:
Control: Individuals who sign a joint and several leases are assigned a specific apartment and can control who lives in the apartment and how much each individual pays.
Why people don’t like Joint and Several Leases:
Increased responsibility and liability: Individuals on the lease are responsible for their portion of the rent as well as their roommates. Tenants must submit one check for the full rent amount to the Villas at Tropicana (partial payments are not accepted) and one person needs to ensure the rent is paid on time every month.