being ovrcharged rent for 18 months now..HELP!!

[shotti21]

I Moved in to an apartment with three other guys 18 months ago.. (in hoboken).. and we have the guy who lived there already told us that the rent is 2700/month... now, we just found out that the rent is only 2200/month... In addition to this, he also gave us papers to sign saying tht it was the lease, and it wasnt... it was only an addendum to the original lease, but stated nothing about any $$ amounts... so he continued to tell us that the rent was the same... He has basically been takling our money and lining his own pockets!! He doesnt own the place, and he never told us hat he was subletting the place to us...
Our names ARE on the lease, but he has never given it to us for us to sign in fear that we will see the actual rent price... The landlord has never said anything, bc he is obviously getting his check everymonth. WHAT CAN I DO????

[shotti21]

yes.. i did see the lease, and our names are all on it with the rent totalled to 2200/month,.. but he hasnt let us sign it yet, BC he said he hadnt received it.. but hes had it for 18 months with our names all on it..
He been charging us 2700 the whole time.. the landlord said the the only signature he has is the one tennant who is charging us. I spoke with a lawyer and he said that that is considered "theft by deception" in the state of new jersey.. He also collected 2700 in security deposits, but right on the lease it says the security is only 1946, bc he has been ther for a while..