Underage Tenant Drinking? (Legal Questions)

I own a house with my twin sister. She recently moved out and i've been left covering all costs of the house now. I've been looking for renters (pain in the ass...) mainly because as a single guy, I have no use of 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths so it seems like an utter waste of space for just me as well as the money wouldn't hurt. So tonight I get an email on a roommate site from a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby would be interested in coming by to look at the place. One of the questions I ask any prospective tenants on my profile is if they are big partiers, etc. So she mentioned drinking but not much. I was doing multiple things at once when I responded to her email and didn't really think much of this. So I emailed her back a second time and said I just realized that she said she was 18 and I wouldn't be comfortable with that unless her bf is 21 and she isn't drinking really and no guests under 21 of their's could drink at the house.

 

Am I being too paranoid? Would I be held responsible if anything were to happen related to the alcohol? Of course I would not be providing them with alcohol under any circumstances but does that even matter who buys it if they are consuming it on my property? Thoughts?

You want to share your home with this?

 

" a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby."

 

 

 

You want to share your home with this?

 

" a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby."

 

This

 

I would wait for a more "mature" couple

I own a house with my twin sister. She recently moved out and i've been left covering all costs of the house now. I've been looking for renters (pain in the ass...) mainly because as a single guy, I have no use of 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths so it seems like an utter waste of space for just me as well as the money wouldn't hurt. So tonight I get an email on a roommate site from a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby would be interested in coming by to look at the place. One of the questions I ask any prospective tenants on my profile is if they are big partiers, etc. So she mentioned drinking but not much. I was doing multiple things at once when I responded to her email and didn't really think much of this. So I emailed her back a second time and said I just realized that she said she was 18 and I wouldn't be comfortable with that unless her bf is 21 and she isn't drinking really and no guests under 21 of their's could drink at the house.

 

Am I being too paranoid? Would I be held responsible if anything were to happen related to the alcohol? Of course I would not be providing them with alcohol under any circumstances but does that even matter who buys it if they are consuming it on my property? Thoughts?

 

You would be legally liable should something happen as you have prior knowledge of such possibility on your property.

fcuk that, I'd hate to have strangers living with me especially the People that emailed you.

If you need cash start a drug lab in the spare rooms

You want to share your home with this?

 

" a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby."

Assman is correct.

Haha. Well my sister was married and they had two little kids so a couple with a baby wouldn't be ideal but nothing new either. But these are the responses I figured i'd get to affirm my gut feeling

You want to share your home with this?

 

" a girl who said she is 18 and her boyfriend and their baby."

I would burn the house down before I did that.

+1 Assman.

 

You're very much setting yourself for 3 babies!

Why don't you move out and rent an apartment. The way you are offering the property is severely limiting the pool of prospective tenants. You'll be able to charge more and not have to deal with a compromised situation.

Agree with kinsella. Very odd situation you are contemplating at this point in your life. I am guessing you are established (you have a Diablo!) so not sure why you want to live with 18 year old renters lol. Rent the whole place out and move into something that reflects who you are.

Agree with kinsella. Very odd situation you are contemplating at this point in your life. I am guessing you are established (you have a Diablo!) so not sure why you want to live with 18 year old renters lol. Rent the whole place out and move into something that reflects who you are.

 

 

If you are actually considering this, I am left speechless.

 

You need your head examined.

 

Sharing your house is trying even under the best of circumstances.

You're approaching this from the wrong angle.

 

 

First, as a landlord you have to be very careful about what types of questions you ask to perspective tenants. You can get your ass sued, simply for asking the wrong thing.

 

 

As to what goes on in your property, you set the ground rules: You provide them with a lease that says they wont be engaged in ANY illegal activity on your property, and that any breach is grounds for eviction. Period. End of discussion.

 

And yeah. You dont want roommates. Seriously... 25,000 sq ft woudnt be "too big" for me to live in by myself if the alternative was roommates.

You're approaching this from the wrong angle.

 

 

First, as a landlord you have to be very careful about what types of questions you ask to perspective tenants. You can get your ass sued, simply for asking the wrong thing.

So he cannot ask for a picture of this 18 year old, I mean she has a kid, she has got to be slutty.

So he cannot ask for a picture of this 18 year old, I mean she has a kid, she has got to be slutty.

 

At least you know she puts out.

a girl who said she is 18

oh man, if I had a nickle...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd be able to post bail for statutory

oh man, if I had a nickle...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd be able to post bail for statutory

 

fcuking lol

 

Haha she is attractive. I am in my 20s by the way so its not like I'm a middle aged guy trying to share half the place with only 18 year olds lol. Its not that I particularly want a roommate but I have no use for all that space. And yeah RomanDad you're right, I've seen those stern warnings on Craigslist as well. I guess this question was more so meant to be a general "who is responsible if tenants are doing anything illegal". I mentioned the specific situation above as that is what made it pop into my head. Ideally I would like to find a single person around my age but as RD mentioned you can't post that kind of requirement. But thank you everyone for the feedback!

Back to your original questions. Are you legally in trouble if someone underage is drinking in your residence.

 

If you are in VA then does this apply?

 

"For example, it is against state law to allow (aid or abet) underage persons to possess or consume alcohol. This is a Class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine"

 

http://www.abc.state.va.us/Education/parent2/Parent.pdf

 

You would need to talk to a lawyer in the state your house is in to really find out.

IF i do get a roommate I'm going to make sure they are 21 at least and just avoid that altogether. I do enjoy walking around naked though so maybe roommateless is the way to go. Unless I happen to come across some ridiculously hot single girl

Unless I happen to come across some ridiculously hot single girl

 

nah because when you bang her, she will get clingy and it's game over for ever bringing a girl home ever again. She will think shes your live in girlfriend from that point on.

 

Waaaay too much headache! find a nerdy chick. They will pay on time, be clean, likely very quiet, and hopefully have some hot friends from time to time.

 

Good point. I will have 6 month contracts in case that happens lol.

And yeah. You dont want roommates. Seriously... 25,000 sq ft woudnt be "too big" for me to live in by myself if the alternative was roommates.

 

You can't put a price on privacy...

I definitely understand that. I have had roommates before so i know that pain. But having a bunch of space I don't use (and by that I mean probably 1500 SQFT that has literally nothing in it) seems like such a waste to me. In my head it is the equivalent of paying for a car that is in the shop 90% of the time. Plus the additional money would allow me to get out of this place sooner into something with more garage space. And I can live with the annoyances of a roommate with that goal in mind. But there are of course great benefits to having the place all to myself!