Can I be sued for future rent if we all agreed that I could move out early?

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Can I be sued for future rent if we all agreed that I could move out early?

If I stayed in an apartment with 2 other people and due to situational circumstances I felt distressed staying there and asked to be removed from the lease. I spoke with the landlord and my roommates about this and we came to a verbal agreement that it would be best for me to leave to avoid a confrontation with my roommate, although we did not sign anything due to my roommate avoiding me and he refused to sign. I left around the second week of last month and now they are suing me for rent for this month through the end of the lease. I paid rent for all of last month and have not returned my key.

Asked on September 15, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Texas

Answers:

FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

The problem that you have is that although there was an oral agreement between you and your two former roommates that you could move out of the rented unit early, you make no mention that there was an agreement that you would no longer be obligated on the lease if you moved out early.

Whenever one reaches an agreement about anything with another person, it is always best that the agreement be memorialized in writing signed and dated by all parties to it with copies of the written agreement given to all. That way no misunderstandings result.

In your situation, you can very well be sued for future rent if it was agreed that you could move out early where there was no agreement about you not being responsible for future rent and no written agreement if there was an oral agreement on the subject.


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