Renter's Rights - Verbal Agreements (with ? this time!)

[missbizassist]

Lawrence, KS

My boyfriend lives in Lawrence and moved into a 4 bedroom townhouse in March. He just found out that the entire rent on the unit is $900/month - well, he and the other 2 roommates (not including the actual renter) have been paying $300/month each, plus utilities. So basically, the person RENTING the unit (the one on the actual lease) has not paid any rent, only the people he is renting to. Based on the actual rent, everyone should have had to pay $225 each. One of the roommates has moved out now and my boyfriend is worried that he is going to have to pay even MORE rent while all the while the guy renting to him pays nothing. Is this considered legal? My boyfriend is not on the lease, he just has a verbal agreement, which makes me even more worried that he is going to (excuse my language) get "screwed over". He is moving out 07/31 and needs to get his deposit back, can he also recover any of the costs of excess rent that he has been paying? He has paid his rent on time every month and has been a great tenant (and I'm not being biased, either), he was primarily the only one cleaning, he had food stolen from him (by one of the other roommates), etc.

Please let me know what you think!

 

[Who's Liable?]

Lawrence, KS

My boyfriend lives in Lawrence and moved into a 4 bedroom townhouse in March. He just found out that the entire rent on the unit is $900/month - well, he and the other 2 roommates (not including the actual renter) have been paying $300/month each, plus utilities.

Nothing wrong with that. He is paying the amount he AGREED to pay when he moved in.

So basically, the person RENTING the unit (the one on the actual lease) has not paid any rent, only the people he is renting to.

Very shrewd of the actual renter to make others pay for his portion too.

Based on the actual rent, everyone should have had to pay $225 each.

Incorrect. Everyone MUST pay the amount they AGREED to pay! In your BF's case, he AGREED to pay $300 plus utilities.

One of the roommates has moved out now and my boyfriend is worried that he is going to have to pay even MORE rent while all the while the guy renting to him pays nothing.

Incorrect. The LL, who is the actual renter, CANNOT raise his rent without giving him proper notice as outlined in your states LL/T laws.

Is this considered legal?

Of course it is! What law was broken? With your logic, it would be illegal to rent anything out. People/companies/organizations rent locations out to make a PROFIT. The actual renter is doing the same thing here, except he gets to live there for free.

My boyfriend is not on the lease, he just has a verbal agreement, which makes me even more worried that he is going to (excuse my language) get "screwed over". He is moving out 07/31 and needs to get his deposit back,

As long as he follows his states LL/T laws regarding proper move-out procedure, he'll be fine.

can he also recover any of the costs of excess rent that he has been paying?

WHAT excess rent has he been paying? He is paying the amount he AGREED to pay.

He has paid his rent on time every month and has been a great tenant (and I'm not being biased, either), he was primarily the only one cleaning, he had food stolen from him (by one of the other roommates), etc.

Give him a cookie.

Please let me know what you think!

Me thinks you should be dating the actual renter, he is the smarter one.

 

[Alaska landlord]

Maybe in a rent control area in NY it would be Illegal, but not in ks.

Lease holder is enjoying the fruits of Capitalism. Your BF should move out and start his own Capitalist enterprise. Or, you can have him move in with you provided he pays your rent!

 

[ecmst12]

I've read some state laws where it was illegal for a tenant to PROFIT off of sub-tenants, but not for him to just pay nothing.