What joint and several liability means in practice
Under a joint and several clause, if three roommates sign one lease and one stops paying, the housing provider may generally pursue the full unpaid amount from any of them. That concentrates collection risk on the household rather than the operator, but it also means a paying resident can be pursued for a housemate’s debt, which changes screening, renewals, and how a roommate replacement is handled. The lease wording and state law control the actual effect, so use local counsel.
Example
Four roommates sign one lease for $2,400. One stops paying their $600 share. Under a joint and several clause the housing provider may seek the full $2,400 from the remaining signers rather than only the missing share.