The Cheapest Way Out of my nightmare M2M Sublet

[tyler]

I have recently moved into an apartment share after looking for 5 weeks with little luck. I've been here since the 1st of March, 2003.

Without getting into all the reasons why I need to get the hell out of this situatuon I'll save you the drama and get right to the point.

I am living there on a month to month basis, no lease, no signed contract of any kind and like a dummy I paid my $900 deposit in cash without so much as a receipt for proof.

Now I have given my notice (as of the 2nd of the month, my room mate was gone on the 1st).

Since moving in I have learned a great many undesirable and unsavory facts/habits of hers and I want nothing more than to put some serious distance between us ASAP.

I have not paid rent yet and have suggested that she simply use my deposit as payment for May and if I move out in 2 weeks then she can keep the rest..I just want to move on.

She didn't go for it. She demanded the rent for this month and said she will give back my deposit when I move out. She says I have to give 2 months notice. Only thing is she's broke, she's always broke and has already spent my deposit money so I can't see her raising it by the end of this month with her two day a week bar job and drinking habit.

I want out ASAP so I run the risk of losing $450 if I don't pay move out by mid month and another $900 if I pay this month's rent and she doesn't cough up the deposit (which I doubt she will do if she is broke and there is no record that I ever paid it. I have no legal recourse.

What should I do? Do I stick to my guns and move out ASAP losing whatever is left on the deposit that will pay for this month or pay the rent in full and run the risk of losing part of this month and my full deposit?

As a casual subletter am I required by law to pay my last months rent or can I forfeit forcing her to take it out of my deposit?

ANY ADVICE OR WEB LINKS WOULD BE SUPER APPRECIATED.

[eastsidah]

Are you paying over 1/2 of what her rent is? If so you may have leverage if this ends up in court.

[jot0n0]

Hopefully, you have been paying with checks or getting receipts if paying by cash, if you do plan on taking this to court written documentation goes a long way over "he said, she said."

[tyler]

hey eastsidah, thanks for the response, this is how it breaks down. i pay $900 for the mid sized room, another guy (her ex boyfriend) rents the other smaller room for $875 (as he no longer lives in her room for a sub-total of $1775 and finally she lives in the largest master bedroom and pays the the remainder of the $2100 rent ($325), which means she getting a sweet deal since it's all her junk that fills the rest of the place too. I still haven't paid rent, but she's been gone for the past two days and I figure to get out of there that I will forfeit the deposit and move on ASAP. apparently while i was out there was an episode with the police and an ambulance....ahhh, get me outta here.

[mjr203]

i doubt you'll get any grief from leaving your security as last month and just leaving

if she's no organized enough to get a more than 2 day a week job she probably won't pursue you (in any case she'd probably lose) as you really don't owe her anything after using the sec dec as rent.

following up on earlier point, you should check if the apt is rent stabilized. It might not be if the rent total is over 2000 but worth checking. In any case, a judge would definitely not look well upon someone who is charging roommates so much $ for an apt. Anyone staying with her and paying so much is really a sucker.

[tyler]

pointerout, in spite of feeling like a sucker (thanks for pointing that out) i was only made aware of the fact after initally being told otherwise by her. it's amazing what an exboyfriend will dilvulge after the fact. let's just say it's worth losing the deposit for this month paying for new place just to leave the numerous open cans of worms behind.

[mjr203]

Originally posted by tyler:
pointerout, in spite of feeling like a sucker (thanks for pointing that out) i was only made aware of the fact after initally being told otherwise by her. it's amazing what an exboyfriend will dilvulge after the fact. let's just say it's worth losing the deposit for this month paying for new place just to leave the numerous open cans of worms behind.

I understand the desire to leave it behind completely.

Sorry for the "sucker" thing -- it is just my observation that with the laws & market the way they are in this city a lot of people take advantage or get taken advantage of and plain language is sometimes the only way to describe those situations.

Good luck!

[eastsidah]

Tyler,

Is the Apartment rent stabilized?