minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent??

minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? by Anonymous (GA) on September 20, 2017 @10:23

This may seem farfetched and truthfully I would not want it to happen to me or my children but.....

Can the lease state that all minor children who live in the household automatically become liable for rent on their 18th birthday (when they become an adult) and remain in the house.

Again I wouldn't want it happening to my child but that is the point.
People might think twice before skipping out on the rent if they knew their child's record would be tarnished and an eviction and judgement would be issued against them. Plus the parents knowing the child may be less judgement proof would make more effort to pay verses leave it on the shoulders of their child.

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Re: minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? by LL (CA) on September 20, 2017 @11:58	[ Reply ]

I doubt that you could have a clause like this that would stand up in court for two main reasons. 1. The child is underage at the time the lease is signed and you can't make a contract with the child. 2. A parent cannot legally obligate their underage child to a future contract. I would imagine that the child, when they come of age, would have to sign a contract. Good luck with that. It's not a good idea. What kind of parent would agree to something like that? Not someone I would want to rent to.

Re: minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? by AnonymousFL on September 20, 2017 @13:10	[ Reply ]

This situation comes up all the time. In the past, we have generally not worried about it until the start of the next lease.

Re: minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? by Nicole (PA) on September 20, 2017 @14:39	[ Reply ]

I agree that it can't be done. Even if it could, I would never do it. A "child" should not become responsible for their parents obligations. Parents qualified without the "child's" income, why should that change? Many are still in high school until age 19 ... depending on the school calendar and start date. Do you think a high school senior should be responsible for paying for a place to live? Finally, if parents can't pay, blemishing their child's credit isn't going to change anything.

Re: minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? by Anonymous on September 20, 2017 @18:11	[ Reply ]

Thanks for your comments. I see your reasoning. But sometimes it is the tenants willingness to pay not so much ability combined with a pattern of skipping out when they move

Re: minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent??

minor turns adult - hold responsible for rent?? - Landlord Forum thread 354329