Hi,
I am subleasing an apartment from another person that subleases in turn from the landlady. Like me, they do not have a contract or a lease. I was recently talking to the landlady to see if she had another apartment in the area. The landlady asked me how much I was paying for my sublet and we both became very upset when we found out that the first person that subleases directly from her, was charging me 1450, instead of 1100, which is the original rent she asks from her. She told me they had originally told her that a cousin was moving in, not me. She obviously did not know that they were renting it for a higher price, either. I then proposed to rent directly from her, instead of renting from the woman that subleases her the apartment. She then told me to stop paying rent this next month to the people that sublease from her. When they come back (they're abroad renewing their visa), she intends to tell them that she's terminating their sublet. Now, they are also subleasing from her another room next to mine, in which they live most of the time.
Can I stop paying rent next month and start renting directly from the landlady, if the landlady has directed me to stop paying them rent? Even if my verbal contract is with them? We do not know exactly when they're coming back. It is sometime next month.