<prompt> Human: Currently, I live with two other roommates and I am the person who manages the utilities bills for our apartment. When I receive the bill, I calculate my roommates portion and I request they pay me a week before each bill is due. If a roommate decides to move out at the end of his lease, he may be gone before I get the bill. They can move out of town or it isnt worth the time and effort to take them to small claims court. How do I ensure that I wont be left with his portion of the utilities? This hasnt happened to me yet but I want to protect myself and my other roommate just in case. I thought about writing up a contract between everyone to put in a 50 to 100 utilities deposit that can only be used to pay towards utilities heat, cable, and internet and is refundable at the end of their lease after all bills have been settled. Has anyone done this? Any other ideas?  <response>: Also please note it sounds like youve already been living with your roommates. Im unsure if you dont trust them or if theyve given you reason not to, but Id feel a little sketched out if my existing roommate, who Ive been giving 100 a month on time for utilities for months with no issues, suddenly insisted I give them an extra 100 after living there for five months, just incase I decide to be an asshole and leave. Id feel like they were only asking me this because they need money right now, they have some random excuse to get it, and Id be unlikely to get it back when its time to leave.I get what youre trying to do- and its protect yourself, which I agree with. If I was moving in somewhere, Id have no problem paying such a deposit-- but it being sprung on me after I was already an existing, and properly paying roommate would make me uncomfortable. 