What is the Limit of My Responsibility As a (Under the Table) Sub-Leaser
My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: California
I subleased a room in a house with 6 other tenants. The guy I subleased from wrote up a few lines stating that I would be responsible for the security deposit ($700) and the monthly rent, and we both signed it. I paid the rent to one of the tenants, who collected everyone's money each month and paid it to the landlord. As far as I know, the landlord was unaware that I was occupying the room instead of the subleaser.
By the end of the year, the property had suffered some damage, attributable primarily to a single individual. After we moved out, the landlord sent a bill to everyone on the lease (not me) with charges for repairs. These charges, which were very high, were in addition to our forfeited security deposit.
The subleaser is now trying to pressure me into signing a new statement, saying that I am responsible for paying any damages incurred during my stay there. I'm wondering what my legal responsibility in this situation is? I'm hesitant to sign anything, because I'm worried about being held legally accountable for damages that I wasn't responsible for in the first place. (Of course, he wasn't responsible for these damages either...)
Re: What is the Limit of My Responsibility As a (Under the Table) Sub-Leaser
You don't have to sign anything, and I have no idea why you would even consider it. If you're not liable under the document you already signed, why do you want to create a new liability for yourself by assuming responsibility for damage caused by somebody else?
Re: What is the Limit of My Responsibility As a (Under the Table) Sub-Leaser
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Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
You don't have to sign anything, and I have no idea why you would even consider it. If you're not liable under the document you already signed, why do you want to create a new liability for yourself by assuming responsibility for damage caused by somebody else?
Yes, you're right. Sorry, just to clarify my original post, the subleaser is trying to get me to sign a document that would essentially replace his name on original lease (the one he signed with the landlord) with my name. His goal is that I am held responsible for MY share of any damages (not the entire share of the damages caused by other tenants).
I wouldn't sign such a document, so I guess my question should have been: as the person actually living in the house, can I be held to the conditions of the contract he signed? Could he enforce this in court?
From your response, it sounds like this isn't the case.