Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Maryland
One year lease
I entered in a one year lease contract with a former friend in January. Prior to signing the lease I addressed the issue of not being to able afford half the rent and she suggested that her boyfriend move in and pay one third. He did not sign the contract with us because of his credit problems. Also before we signed the contract I told her that I would not be in the townhouse for the full year. In August she informed that her boyfriend was leaving and that I had to pay half or find another place to live. I decided to move out then. She told me that she was going to leave in September so I didn't bother to find another roommate for her. Now she is suing me for half of the remaining five months of the rent because she decided to stay. Is it likely that she would receive half of the five months of rent, given that there is no proof that she told me to leave? Is there anyway that I will be able to obtain a free lawyer or at least one for a reduced fee?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: One year lease
you need to counter claim her fror all of her broken promises. You can rep. yourself on this. Bring witneses
Re: One year lease
Your problem is that everything significant was verbal between you and the roommate and not reduced to writing. The only thing in writing is your signatures (and not the boyfriend's) on the lease. That obligated you to pay your share of the rent (1/2) for the entire lease period, whether or not you occupied the townhouse. It's not clear to me whether you actually moved out in August or decided to stay when the roommate told you she would be leaving. You might be able to convince a judge if this goes to court that when the roommate told you to either leave or pay half the rent, that constituted an oral release of your remaining obligation to her, assuming you did in fact move out in reliance on her statement.
If you're income eligible you might be able to get a legal aid lawyer or a reduced fee lawyer through the bar association in the county where she sued you.
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