Never signed a lease, moved out, now they want money

[BillOtoole]

What is the name of your state? California

I signed a 3 month lease for July-mid-September. After that was over, I switched rooms but never signed a lease. I didn't attempt to hide the fact that I was there, but never paid rent and never made an agreement (oral or written) to do so. The normal lease would have gone from mid-September to mid-June. So neither of those is over the 12-month stipulation for oral leases but I never had one. I was just squatting. All the utilities were included so I have no paper trail.

The landlord has now figured out their mistake and is trying to collect money. Since I never signed a lease, can they require me to pay that money? Is suing me their only option?

I know I should not have gone about it this way, it just sort of turned out like this. any advice?

-Bill

[acmb05]

Originally Posted by BillOtoole

What is the name of your state? California

I signed a 3 month lease for July-mid-September. After that was over, I switched rooms but never signed a lease. I didn't attempt to hide the fact that I was there, but never paid rent and never made an agreement (oral or written) to do so. The normal lease would have gone from mid-September to mid-June. So neither of those is over the 12-month stipulation for oral leases but I never had one. I was just squatting. All the utilities were included so I have no paper trail.

The landlord has now figured out their mistake and is trying to collect money. Since I never signed a lease, can they require me to pay that money? Is suing me their only option?

I know I should not have gone about it this way, it just sort of turned out like this. any advice?

-Bill

So you made it look like you moved out but really you just moved to another room and stayed there for (how long?) and now you want to figure out a legal way to screw landlord out of money
If they can prove you were staying there then you will owe them rent.