I was living with a few friends of mine (two brothers); their father was actually renting the place where we were staying. Their dad's name was on the lease, and we were paying him the rent. I never signed any lease or contract of sublet, so technically the actual landlord of the building never even knew I existed.
I moved out, and gave him 3 weeks notice. And legally a tenant is supposed to give 60 days notice, but I was never a legal tenant of that apartment. A week later he is claiming that I did not give him enough notice, and that I owe him an extra months rent. As a student with a very low paying job, and just having paid first and last month's rent at a new apartment, I can't possibly afford to pay this, nor do I think I should have to legally. His reasons are that he needed that time to find a new tenant, but his two sons had already decided that they were going to take over (and pay my share of the rent after I left), and that they didn't want someone else living there. So he has not really lost out on any money. I know that he does not have a legal leg to stand on under the Housing Tribunal since he is not the landlord of the building, and I never had any kind of contract with him, but technically he can take me to Small Claims Court. He has not threatened to do so yet, but I am a little worried about what my rights are in this situation.
So I would appreciate if anyone could offer some advice.
I moved out, and gave him 3 weeks notice. And legally a tenant is supposed to give 60 days notice, but I was never a legal tenant of that apartment. A week later he is claiming that I did not give him enough notice, and that I owe him an extra months rent. As a student with a very low paying job, and just having paid first and last month's rent at a new apartment, I can't possibly afford to pay this, nor do I think I should have to legally. His reasons are that he needed that time to find a new tenant, but his two sons had already decided that they were going to take over (and pay my share of the rent after I left), and that they didn't want someone else living there. So he has not really lost out on any money. I know that he does not have a legal leg to stand on under the Housing Tribunal since he is not the landlord of the building, and I never had any kind of contract with him, but technically he can take me to Small Claims Court. He has not threatened to do so yet, but I am a little worried about what my rights are in this situation.
So I would appreciate if anyone could offer some advice.