Question About Laws Regarding Underage Drinking

[heartsong]

My roommate and I are both under 21. I have had longstanding issues with him. He agreed to no alcohol in the apartment when he moved in. He now has an issue with this. I have threatened to call the cops on him if I came back and he was partying (also agreed not to do) and people were drinking. He claims that if I called the cops we would both go to court and be charged with furnishing to minors. The alcohol is being supplied for the most part by his 21 yr old girlfriend. However, the alcohol currently in the apartment was bought in Germany. What I want to know is if both of our names are on the lease would I be charged with anything if I was the one who called it in. We live in Michigan if that affects anything.

[ET109]

It this alcohol in his room or in the common area of the apartment?

[heartsong]

I know some of it is in the common area. Some may be in his room. He agreed to no drinking as a condition of moving in. I told him that if he had alcohol I didn't want to see it.

[Kimble]

Are you both present while alcohol is being consumed by minors? As you can already see your first post left out some important details.

[heartsong]

For the most part he's drinking it himself. He drinks it when I'm not around or when I go to bed. So far he is the only minor drinking. I told him if he had a party and people were drinking I'd call the cops. He says if I called I'd get in trouble too. This would be a case of I was out of the apartment came back and people were drinking. The only people I have observed drinking are him, his girlfriend, and girlfriend's brother. Only my roommate is under 21.

Part of the drinking disagreement comes from the fact that he spent most of his childhood in Europe where drinking laws are very different.

[mcsap]

I would say that if you were there , yes you could be charged.

Furnishing includes allowing it to occur even if you don't hand it to them. I would also guess that if anyone underage is there and starts drinking and you tell them " leave or I am calling the cops" , they would leave and probably won't come back.

[heartsong]

Ok thanks. With any luck he will be leaving this month like he promised but as much as he doesn't like me he'd rather put up with me than pay more for rent.

[flaleo]

My suggestion would be to find a new place to live. Not sure how easy this would be for you but it sounds like your roommate isn't as mature as you sound to be. Last thing you need to do is get into trouble for something your roommate is doing or causing.

[flaleo]

Ok thanks. With any luck he will be leaving this month like he promised but as much as he doesn't like me he'd rather put up with me than pay more for rent.

Yahtzee

[scott715us]

I can understand your roommate's frustration, because the drinking age IS lower in Europe and it's really not a big issue for folks to drink under 21 there. With that said, you need to remind him he's not in Europe. Taking all of it into context, I don't think officers would arrest you if you were the person who actually called it in and there's evidence that shows you were not even consuming it. I think the easier answer is to toss it in the trash or pour it in the drain. I think he would be more POd about that than anything. Otherwise, move out like the others have mentioned. Keep in mind that most leases contain a written clause that automatically entitles the property management company to terminate the lease if there's evidence of illegal activity. It's not likely to happen, but technically the underage consumption could also lead to your lease getting terminated.