This is in Ann Arbor, MI if that matters...
I signed a lease in August 2005 for 1 year. The lease is for a 2 bedroom condo, the other "tenant" (my roommate) is the owner's daughter (i.e. she doesn't pay rent). I paid the rent and utilities to her and had no dealings with the actual owner. I signed another 1 year lease in August 2006. In August 2007 I wasn't asked to sign anything and there was no discussion of how long I would be staying.
My roommate is in a 4 year grad program and has made it very clear that she hates MI and wants to get out ASAP. She will graduate in the spring of 2009. In January 2008 I asked her what the plan for the condo was. She told me that they were planning to "dump it, as is." At this time I started thinking of alternate living situations.
While looking I noticed that several local apt complexes have very good deals in Jan/Feb. I told my roommate that I would not be staying until she graduated and that I would be moving in early 2009. Her response was very "whatever" giving me the impression that she didn't really care. Since that time I have been keeping an eye on one particular complex where literally all my friends in town live. The rent for one of the floorplans dropped almost $200/mo in July. It was really too cheap to pass up.
I told my roommate on the 16th or 17th of July that I was thinking of moving earlier than Jan 2009. She told me that it "wasn't a good idea" and I told her that I was telling her, not asking her, as I was no longer under a lease. She then told me that she couldn't stop me from moving, but that she would need to know as far in advance as possible b/c she would be "losing that income" (confirming my suspicion that my rent didn't go toward the mortgage, but was actually her spending $$). I assured her that I would give her at least 30 days, but that with application and a trip I had planned in early Sept I probably wouldn't actually be moving until Sept or Oct. She agreed to this plan.
When I applied for the apt, thought, I was told I would have to move-in in August to get the reduced price. I agreed to that and gave my roommate a letter stating that I would be moving out on Aug 31. (giving her 31 days notice) The only response I have gotten from her is a note stating that we would "discuss" the matter. (she is currently on vacation - financed by my rent payments, I'm sure...)
I am wondering what there is to discuss. I am well w/in my rights, correct? Since I didn't have a lease, I technically could move out w/ no notice, right? I am concerned about my telling her that I probably wouldn't move until Sept or Oct. Could this be seen as a verbal contract? She agreed to that, so could I be held to paying her for Sept too? I checked a State of Michigan website, but all I could find were references to terminating a lease, which doesn't apply to this situation, right? I just want to make sure I have all my bases covered, so that there is no way she can try to get more money out of me.
I signed a lease in August 2005 for 1 year. The lease is for a 2 bedroom condo, the other "tenant" (my roommate) is the owner's daughter (i.e. she doesn't pay rent). I paid the rent and utilities to her and had no dealings with the actual owner. I signed another 1 year lease in August 2006. In August 2007 I wasn't asked to sign anything and there was no discussion of how long I would be staying.
My roommate is in a 4 year grad program and has made it very clear that she hates MI and wants to get out ASAP. She will graduate in the spring of 2009. In January 2008 I asked her what the plan for the condo was. She told me that they were planning to "dump it, as is." At this time I started thinking of alternate living situations.
While looking I noticed that several local apt complexes have very good deals in Jan/Feb. I told my roommate that I would not be staying until she graduated and that I would be moving in early 2009. Her response was very "whatever" giving me the impression that she didn't really care. Since that time I have been keeping an eye on one particular complex where literally all my friends in town live. The rent for one of the floorplans dropped almost $200/mo in July. It was really too cheap to pass up.
I told my roommate on the 16th or 17th of July that I was thinking of moving earlier than Jan 2009. She told me that it "wasn't a good idea" and I told her that I was telling her, not asking her, as I was no longer under a lease. She then told me that she couldn't stop me from moving, but that she would need to know as far in advance as possible b/c she would be "losing that income" (confirming my suspicion that my rent didn't go toward the mortgage, but was actually her spending $$). I assured her that I would give her at least 30 days, but that with application and a trip I had planned in early Sept I probably wouldn't actually be moving until Sept or Oct. She agreed to this plan.
When I applied for the apt, thought, I was told I would have to move-in in August to get the reduced price. I agreed to that and gave my roommate a letter stating that I would be moving out on Aug 31. (giving her 31 days notice) The only response I have gotten from her is a note stating that we would "discuss" the matter. (she is currently on vacation - financed by my rent payments, I'm sure...)
I am wondering what there is to discuss. I am well w/in my rights, correct? Since I didn't have a lease, I technically could move out w/ no notice, right? I am concerned about my telling her that I probably wouldn't move until Sept or Oct. Could this be seen as a verbal contract? She agreed to that, so could I be held to paying her for Sept too? I checked a State of Michigan website, but all I could find were references to terminating a lease, which doesn't apply to this situation, right? I just want to make sure I have all my bases covered, so that there is no way she can try to get more money out of me.
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