If I couldn’t pay rent so I moved out 4 months into my 12 month lease agreement, do I have a chance in court if my roommates are suing me?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

If I couldn’t pay rent so I moved out 4 months into my 12 month lease agreement, do I have a chance in court if my roommates are suing me?

Rent became too much and I couldn’t foresee the fact that I would be unable to pay it. I gave as many payments as I could but when I knew that moving out would be the only solution, I gave my roommates a fair notice that I would be unable to live there. I continued to make payments for 2 more months and then I began to move out my belongings. I couldn’t find someone to lease my room to, so my roommates were paying for my share of the rent. They are now suing me for the unpaid rent, utilities, and future rent, even though I didn’t live there for most of the 12 months. What can I do?

Asked on May 23, 2012 under Real Estate Law, California

Answers:

Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

If your name was on the lease agreement, and that agreement was for a 12 month rental agreement, then you are contractually responsible for the remaining eight months of rent due, and even any unpaid rents for the previous four months. If there were no lease agreement, or your name is not on the contract and you were not a party to the lease contract, then no contractual liability exists to be sued.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption