no contract - please help

[bsporter]

Over the summer i stayed in a house a friend was renting (3 months) - she wanted me to move in and sign a contract. As i knew i was going to be there short-term i refused. The land lord knew i was there but did not contact me regarding rent or contract terms.
Due to financial problems i was unable to pay my rent and have now moved out. However whilst the landlord has not bothered me he is now telling my friends that they must pay my rent. At the time i was there no contract had been signed except by one of my friends and NOT by the landlord. The contract was a group one.
Since i have left the contract has been signed by all those living there and is now with the landlord.

My question: Do they have to pay my rent? As there was no contract am i even liable?

Thanks in advance for your help.

p.s. will attach a copy of the contract if interested.

 

[rochella]

You do not have to pay anything. Without a contract, you are not liable for your friends' rent.

However, it'd be nice to give them a couple of bucks to help!

 

[bsporter]

Thanks for the input.
Does this then mean that my friends are not required to pay my rent either?
I just need to make sure that the landlord can only come after me and not put presure on his current tenats to pay what i owe.
Don't want to be causing them problems for something i have done (or not done as the case is).
thx

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Originally posted by bsporter:
Over the summer i stayed in a house a friend was renting (3 months) - she wanted me to move in and sign a contract. As i knew i was going to be there short-term i refused. The land lord knew i was there but did not contact me regarding rent or contract terms.
Due to financial problems i was unable to pay my rent and have now moved out. However whilst the landlord has not bothered me he is now telling my friends that they must pay my rent. At the time i was there no contract had been signed except by one of my friends and NOT by the landlord. The contract was a group one.
Since i have left the contract has been signed by all those living there and is now with the landlord.

My question: Do they have to pay my rent? As there was no contract am i even liable?

Thanks in advance for your help.

p.s. will attach a copy of the contract if interested.

Hmmm... to begin, just because there was no "written" contract doesn't mean that there wasn't a contract. It sounds like there were terms and they were agreed. Inability to pay does not mean that you are off the hook. If sued in small claims it will be one person's word against another and it would seem likely that if you stayed in the home you agreed to pay rent -- it's logical. If the amount asked for seems reasonable, it would seem you might be found liable by the court.

I'm not sure why anyone would think they wouldn't be liable to pay for something they received simply because they refused to sign. An agreement is an agreement and if you received the benefit of the bargain, then it is likely enforceable -- although with writing it makes things a little more difficult.

However -- with regard to who is required for what? It would seem the landlord could sue the tenants (your friends) but not you. However, it seems your friends could sue you for what you agreed with them.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

Originally posted by rochella:
You do not have to pay anything. Without a contract, you are not liable for your friends' rent.

However, it'd be nice to give them a couple of bucks to help!

As I've written, I disagree with your opinion! Why do you feel as such? It would be interesting to hear the reason for a different opinion!