Apartment lease questions

[shikhan]

Hey guys,
Me and my [future] roomate are about to sign a lease for an apartment. We met through friends of ours and we've gotten along great, but we would like some added saftey. Is there some way we can write up a legal agreement insuring that neither one of us can break the lease/ leave the other roomate with the bill?

We were thinking about something along the lines that if one of us has to leave:
1) They will be forced legally to pay their share of the rent
2) They will be allowed to sublet their apartment if possible, but will still be responsible for rent while they have not subletted..

Any one out there with tips? We're goign to see some student lawyers soon, but I figure I might see if any of you "resident" lawyers could help us out in the meantime

 

[pyonir]

you both can be put on the lease that way you both are legally responsible for the apartment. if one leaves he has to get the others permission or continue to pay rent. check into it.

 

[777php]

Just write up a contract between yourselves and have each other sign it, I believe that that document would hold up in court.

 

[yellowperil]

Get individual leases. You'll pay more but I think this is the only way that apt complexes will do it. The lease will take priority over any informal written agreement. The same thing happened to me last year, a roommate skipped town four months into the lease, and getting his mom to give me less than 1/3 of the remaining rent was like pulling teeth.

 

[shikhan]

Can't do individual leases because that would shift the balance just enough that hte apartment would be mroe expensive than the dorms which means my roomates parents wouldn't allow him to get the apartment. I'm looking to see if its legal to draw up a contract between us, what it should include, and if we need a lawyer or whatnot to draw it up for us...