Lease ended, no renewal sent...still responsible?

[donjuan80]

What is the name of your state? PA

Leased an apartment with 3 friends for 3 years (w 3 one year leases). Our last lease ended May 31, 2007. All the previous years we had gotten lease renewal papers a few months in advance.

Decided to move out after at the end of this current lease (may 31). My one roommate claimed to have notified him by phone that we were moving out, but we arent sure he did.

Anyways, we left the property on May 31. It was in very good condition (just expecting a few minor things like wall nicks and carpet cleaning to come out of the security deposit).

Now the landlord is claiming we never informed him we were leaving, whether this is true or not we were not under contract to live there and pay untilities after May 31 since he never sent us a lease renewal. I assumed he had been notified since we did not see those papers.

Is there any way we could be repsonsible for the apartment after our last lease was up?

[ws6whiteshark]

Verbal notification isn't going to cut it. Should have done it in writing. Did you send the LL any written notification of any kind that you were leaving?

[elena77]

you should have sent him a certified letter notifying him of the intention to move out. In PA you have to give a 30-60 day written notice prior to moving out.

As for renewal, check your lease, it should state if the lease is automatically renewed or not. Many places automatically renew your lease 30-60 days prior to lease expiration. It's all should be in your lease.

If nothing about that is stated on the lease, then you should have given him 30 day notice. The sooner you send him the certified notice, the better

[OHlandlord]

Perhaps your LL chose not to renew your lease. Perhaps he just forgot. If your lease has expired, then your tenancy becomes a month to month agreement. Your LL knew this, you should have too. You are required to give at least 30 days notice in writing to end this month to month agreement (or your lease for that matter). You failed to do this. You owe him this money. Next time, don't take a roommate's word that he "called" the LL. Send your own written notice by certified mail.