Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

I signed joint lease with a rental company along with 3 other roommates, and the lease treats us as one unit. I am not having good terms with any of them, so I moved out. I paid for an extra month ( i paid the rent of january, but did not live with them at all). Now they are threatening to sue me in small courts claim. Do i have a case, since I do not have any written agreement with the roommates themselves that dictates how much each tenant pays. Please help.


Asked on 1/31/13, 7:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Daphne Macklin Law Office of Daphne L. Macklin

Common landlord tenant problem for roommate situations. You unfortunately for yourself entered into a partnership agreement with the other roommates when you signed the lease. As the property owner can look to all four or any one of you for the contracted lease amount (the monthly rent times the months on the lease), you are unfortunately liable for your one-fourth share of this expenses to the other three remaining tenant/roommates. My suggestion is that you work out an agreement with the remaining roommates or assist them in identifying someone to take your place in the partnership/rental agreement.

This is an expensive lesson for you to learn, but roommate situations need to be thought out before anyone moves in the door.

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Answered on 1/31/13, 7:37 pm


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