If my roommate and I moved in together a year ago but my name is not on the lease, am I liable for the rest of the rent for the year?
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If my roommate and I moved in together a year ago but my name is not on the lease, am I liable for the rest of the rent for the year?
I moved out.
Asked on March 20, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Maryland
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You would not be liable to the landlord, since you were not a lessee (not on the written lease). However, you may be liable to your roommate, if there was an agreement between you that you would pay rent. That said, if the agreement between you and your roommate was an oral (sometimes incorrectly called verbal) agreement, you were a month-to-month subtenant, and would only be liable for 30 days of rent (or have to provide 30 days notice before moving out). If there was a written agreement between you and the roommate on the lease, then the terms of that agreement would be enforceable, so in that case, you could be liable for rent for a longer period.
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