Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Since you are paying him rent, you are a tenant and he is the master tenant. He must follow as to his relationship with you all the rules a landlord has to, including giving reasonable notice of at least 24 hours before trying to inspect the room, three day notice for curable breach of normal rental terms, thirty day notice that the tenancy will not be renewed, can not remove your items until you have left the room permanently and then must give notice, etc., police can arrest him for threats against you, etc. Your obligations are to him and not the landlord so it does not matter that you are not mentioned on the lease. Many rental agreements are oral or implied by the actions of the party, a written document is best to have but is not necessary. You have the same rights against him that he has against the landlord.