Verbal Agreement?

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cleemy

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I was supposed to move into a new apartment, where I would have subletted a quasi-room subdivided off of the living room. The lease-holder and I made a verbal agreement for me to move in on a set date, paying one month's rent upfront, no deposit. I confirmed this agreement by phone several days before the set date. I then showed up on time with the full amount, in cash.


Two of the roomates were home. The lease-holder (sister1) (the one I had made arrangements with was in the shower. She then went into her room to dry her hair. An hour later, she was still drying her hair. The other roomate (sister2), wouldn't accept payment on sister1's behalf (though she might also be on the lease). Sister2 informed me that they didn't have a copy of keys for me, and also informed me that they had forgotten: I did, in fact, need to provide a deposit (equal to an additional month's rent). According to sister2, I was now responsible for getting them two months rent upfront (sister1 has tried to be more flexible on this point). After waiting for an hour, I was running late, and on sister2's advice, left. That was Friday

Neither sister contacted me Saturday, regarding either the rent or my moving. On Sunday morning, I contacted them to tell them I would not be moving in, since I can't afford to spend two months rent on a place I won't even be setting foot into (I'm house-sitting and travelling for all but a week this month)

No papers were signed, either agreements or leases. I understand that verbal agreements are binding, but from my end, it also sounds like they balked on their end of the verbal agreement (I never obtained keys, at the last minute, they doubled the cash they needed upfront). They do need to find someone to pay rent on short notice now, which is terrible. But I also don't want to be renting a sub-standard space for twice as much as I agreed to pay upfront. Especially when I won't be there.

Could they drag me into small claims or other court for the original amount agreed upon?
 
It sounds like they would not have much of a case especially since their request for double the money changes the agreement. It sounds like there was no real meeting of the minds here and it would seem like a tough case to make -- especially with the last minute attempt to get double the money up front... as they say in poker, double or nothing and in this case I'd stake myself in the 'nothing' category... based upon what I've read here but there are always two sides to a story. :)

Originally posted by cleemy
I was supposed to move into a new apartment, where I would have subletted a quasi-room subdivided off of the living room. The lease-holder and I made a verbal agreement for me to move in on a set date, paying one month's rent upfront, no deposit. I confirmed this agreement by phone several days before the set date. I then showed up on time with the full amount, in cash.


Two of the roomates were home. The lease-holder (sister1) (the one I had made arrangements with was in the shower. She then went into her room to dry her hair. An hour later, she was still drying her hair. The other roomate (sister2), wouldn't accept payment on sister1's behalf (though she might also be on the lease). Sister2 informed me that they didn't have a copy of keys for me, and also informed me that they had forgotten: I did, in fact, need to provide a deposit (equal to an additional month's rent). According to sister2, I was now responsible for getting them two months rent upfront (sister1 has tried to be more flexible on this point). After waiting for an hour, I was running late, and on sister2's advice, left. That was Friday

Neither sister contacted me Saturday, regarding either the rent or my moving. On Sunday morning, I contacted them to tell them I would not be moving in, since I can't afford to spend two months rent on a place I won't even be setting foot into (I'm house-sitting and travelling for all but a week this month)

No papers were signed, either agreements or leases. I understand that verbal agreements are binding, but from my end, it also sounds like they balked on their end of the verbal agreement (I never obtained keys, at the last minute, they doubled the cash they needed upfront). They do need to find someone to pay rent on short notice now, which is terrible. But I also don't want to be renting a sub-standard space for twice as much as I agreed to pay upfront. Especially when I won't be there.

Could they drag me into small claims or other court for the original amount agreed upon?
 
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