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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Santa Barbara, California, United States
    Posts
    1

    Exclamation Subletter Moving Out - Early Termination

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: California

    I was subletting a room in a two bedroom apartment with one male. Within a month, his boyfriend moved in. The first issue arised regarding utilities. Since three live here, utilities should be split three ways. The boyfriend objected saying they were to be split two ways. We finally agreed on a three way split. When the utilities came, he quoted me a price that was half split. After some argument, he agreed to split three ways. The following month, he charged me half again. Shortly after, he moved in a third person without consulting the rest of the household. The third person was also not paying utilities. The condition of the house has declined greatly. This month, they tried to charge me three times the utilities, and I came home to find the power bills were not being paid and the electricity was off.

    On discovering the electricity being off, I decided the situation was shady and gave notice to move. All was well and I was allowing them to show my room. I was out of town for 5 days, so I left my room key so they could continue to show. When I came home, I found the sheets to my bed dirty, and in the floor, as well as two empty condom wrappers on the ground and $10 missing from my dresser. The boyfriend is now demanding a key to my room, and threatening to have a locksmith change the locks and charge me for it if I do not comply.

    From what I understand, as a subleaser, I have to provide a key to the landlord, which is not the roommate. He has been showing my room without informing me, which I gave them permission to do. Upon finding my room in the shape I found it, I am not comfortable with them having unlimited access, and want to leave on the first.

    The boyfriend is now claiming that I do not have a lease (he lost the copy of it) and I am just a 'roomer' therefore tenant law does not apply to me and he is essentially the landlord and can change my locks and access my room whenever he chooses, because I am not a tenant. They refuse to give me the information of the actual landlord. Is this legal? If this is true, can I move my stuff out and not pay the prorated rent for the days I am not here? How should I approach this situation?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Subletter Moving Out - Early Termination

    The law pertaining to a single lodger doesn't apply to somebody who doesn't own the premises.

    What is it that you want to do at this point?

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