New York State. I sublet an apartment in Brooklyn. The primary leaseholder who we shall call "X" moved out and his roommate, who we shall call "Y" stayed in apartment and took me and one other as a roommate. I offered a security deposit but was told it was unnecessary. Turns out that A) The first month roommate "Y" inexplicably spent our rent money ($1300) on pot and taking girls out and "X" had to pay it and then B) we found out that the landlord did not know the apt was being sublet or that there were roommates. The landlord tried to extort money out of us, the two other unknowing roommates, but that finally settled down and we ended up living there till the end of the original 4 month sublet. However, when I moved in, I was told by "Y" that I could take over the lease when he moved out after four months. Well after stealing our money, he pretty much antagonized the landlord who did not seem to understand that I didn't know these people before I moved in. Not only was the landlord antagonized by "Y's" theft, but "X," while supposedly sorting it out, also antagonized the landlord by yelling at him or something. So much so that the landlord told me to never mention his name. Pretty dramatic and pretty stupid sh*& as well, but there you have it. At any rate I had to move when I really hadn't planned to. The apartment was full of their furniture. I did not have the energy, time nor inclination to empty the apartment and didn't feel like it was my responsibility since it was all furniture that was there when I moved in. I called "X" to tell him I had vacated the apartment so that he could go inspect it. He left a voicemail saying he was never going back to the apartment. A week later the landlord went inot the apartment, saw all the furniture, told "X" he wasn't givning his security back. "X" called me and said he went to apartment and the landlord was right! It was a mess. And I should come and help him carry the stuff down. He asked me "whose bed is this?" It was his bed! Or his roommate's bed! I did not respond to the message, mostly because he leaves messages in menacing tones and my experience with speaking to him is that he becomes abusive on the phone. A WEEK later, he called again to say I should help him (again in a menacing tone). He knew for a week that he needed help but called me at the last second while he was already there. I took that as very hostile. I haven't heard from him since. I am wondering if he is able to do any thing to me without contacting me through reasonable means. A W-2 form from an employer is missing and I wonder if he took it to get my SS# and can do anything on my credit. I do owe him $200 on the rent previous to December, but A) he has not contacted me requesting it and B) the radiator in my bedroom was broken the entire time I was there. I slept in a freezing cold room. The reason it was never repaired was because "X" didn't want the landlord to know that I had cats, in order to protect his security deposit. I was told the landlord DID know about the cats when I moved in, but it was a lie. Before I realized how emotionally abusive "X" was, I agreed to help him by not demanding the repair and using a space heater, thereby incurring a higher electric bill. In the end the landlord did NOT mind the cats when he saw them. So I was sleeping in a cold room for two months for nothing. To help a jerk, the primary tenant, basically. At any rate, I think I shouldn't have to pay that $200 to him for that reason. No heat. Because he never spoke to landlord about anything! Then I also ended up living there an extra week, due to a situation falling through at the last minute. I had to quickly scramble to find something. Which I did. A very overpriced small room with no internet access and with bedbugs! %^&*! I feel like I should be entitled to deduct my expenses from the extra week rent for all the hassles and inconveniences based on the pathological lies of the roommate left in charge of handling the sublet. Again, my questions are these: 1) Should I contact "X" about the money when I would just be telling him that I am not paying him? It seems to make sense to wait for him to contact me about it? 2) If he did steal my mail, can he put anything negative on my credit report even though there was nothing in writing between us? Thank you for your help.
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