SORA RENTAL NOTE · 18
My co-tenant stopped paying rent. Can the landlord ask me to pay?
A practical guide to joint leases in Korea: shared liability, roommate cost splits, reimbursement and what to arrange when one student leaves.
Content checked · 3 October 2026
The key points
- People jointly renting one home generally share joint and several liability for lease obligations.
- A private 50/50 split does not, by itself, limit what the landlord can claim from either tenant.
- Check whether you are co-tenants, separate tenants or simply roommates, and document changes when someone leaves.
01 — 04
Start with the comic
My co-tenant missed rent. But I already paid my half!
On a joint lease, the landlord may ask you for the unpaid balance.
So our private split and our lease obligations are different?
Yes. Check the lease, your cost-sharing agreement and payment records.
Living together is not always a joint lease
- Tenant
- Roommate
- Contractual roles
Civil Act Article 654 applies Article 616 to leases. Joint tenants generally have joint and several liability: the landlord may demand all or part of an unpaid obligation from either tenant.
First identify each person’s contractual role. One named tenant with a roommate, separate room contracts and two people jointly renting one home are different arrangements. Check the actual agreement, not merely whether a name appears somewhere.
Your private split does not automatically bind the landlord
- Private cost split
- Duties to the landlord
- Receipt and breakdown
Agreeing to pay half each governs your arrangement with your friend. Unless the landlord separately agrees to limit each tenant’s liability, that private agreement alone does not restrict the landlord’s claim under a joint lease.
If you pay a shared debt from your own money, Article 425 provides a basis to seek contribution for another debtor’s share. Keep the agreed split and payment records. Having a reimbursement claim does not guarantee prompt recovery.
Document changes when someone leaves
- Agreed changes
- Refundable deposit
- Room handover
Taking leave from university or returning abroad does not automatically remove a person from the joint contract. Confirm with the landlord and both tenants who will remain responsible, from what date, and record any amendment or release.
Write down deposit contributions, who should receive repayment and how unpaid amounts or damage will be settled. A private arrangement between friends does not automatically amend the landlord’s obligations; confirm relevant terms with the landlord too.
What to check
- Confirm each person’s role in the lease.
- Record the private split for the deposit, rent and utilities.
- Keep records identifying who paid, how much and to whom.
- Arrange contractual responsibility with the landlord when a tenant leaves or changes.
Common questions
Is my friend’s written promise to pay their half enough?
It may support reimbursement between you, but does not itself limit the landlord’s rights. Check whether the landlord agreed to separate liability.
Am I liable just because I live with the tenant?
Sharing a home alone does not automatically create joint-tenant liability. Check whether you jointly contracted, gave a guarantee or made another payment agreement.
Official sources
These laws and public-agency materials concern renting in Korea. Source documents are mainly in Korean.