Should my debt be reduced with new evidence I found?

I was living with my parents in their apartment but because I was 18 years old I had to be on the lease. My parents ended up getting evicted for non-payment. I had moved out months before their eviction but I never took my name off the lease. Now the corporate office is coming after all 3 of us for what is owed. I morally, dont owe this money. But since I never took my name of the lease they claim I legally do owe. Well we all owe a total of $4,000. A part of that $4,000 are utilities that were not paid.

I have the bills for the utilities that we are being charged for, and they do NOT have my name on them. The BILL has my PARENTS name on them only. So my question is, How can I, individually, be charged for a bill that was NEVER in MY NAME? It is illegal to open someones mail, so how am I supposed to know that I am responsible for a bill that is not in my name.

Should I contact the corporate office and demand that they remove the utility charges from my debt?

My question is not asking for your opinion on whether I should pay the debt. My question is, can I demand the utility charges to be deducted from what i owe because the utility bills were never in my name. My parents do drugs and 1 is an unemployed alcoholic, they are in debt with about 6 Payday loan companys. Morally, this is not my debt and I am a strong believer for moral rights. Plus, I dont have the money to pay their debt. I can't just afford to throw away $4,000 as if it were never there. I dont work my *** off to pay for a debt they racked up!

An attorney can better answer your question about what is legal in your particular state/municipality. But if you were an adult at the time and your name was one the lease, I suspect you would at least be responsible for the apartment lease. Worse, if the lease desginates that liability is joint and several, you could be held responsible for the entire unpaid balance. i.e. If your parents never pay the bill, you can be liable to pay every penny of it.

Why not simply help your parents scrape the money together to service the outstanding debt?

I have been in the business of renting to people for 20 years and have never required a child to be added to the lease once they turn 18, I do require someone new to be added to the lease to insure zoning and family status.

Saying that, I really don't have any idea where you stand. Let the sue you, and go to court, tell your story. and the judge will let you know where you stand. A lawyer will only add charges to your settlement, and might be more than the $4000

Yes, you may be able to do that with the utilities. You are legally bound to pay the rent even if your parents don't! I know it should be THEM that pay, but because you were on the lease it's legal!

A little confusing on my part.

You stayed with your parents for a while, and your name was not added to the lease immediately, right? Does this management company require house guests to be registered with them so they can charge more money for the apartment? Is the cost of the apartment not a fixed rent, regardless of who lives in it, or how many their are (subject to local housing bylaws)?

I think you need to demand that they remove that debt for the utilities for sure - you are not legally responsible for them and your name was never there. It does leave your parents on the hook though.

You need to find out what the housing laws are for your area. The rent increasing because someone moved in temporarily with family sounds really fishy.