I am subletting a bedroom and an attached bathroom in an apartment. The deal I made with the girl, however, includes use of the kitchen, the television, the living room and basically everything else in the apartment (dishes, food, etc.) other than her roommate's things. I didn't sign a contract to sublet, but I do have emails showing that we agreed to a specific move-in and move-out date. I also have text messages to back this up. My problem is that when I came to see the apartment, the girl said that it would be clean and furnished when she moved out. The day she moved out, she said that she had cleaned up her room and the kitchen (specifically she said that she had cleaned out the refrigerator and that it was almost completely empty). The day I moved-in, this same girl told me that I had a roommate but that this roommate would be moving out on the 29th of June. Now, when we agreed, she told me it would be only me in the apartment. However, I moved-in anyway because it was too late to find a different place and I had all of my stuff already there. That day I spent close $100 on cleaning products cleaning this girl's room. It's the 29th today, and once again, I may have to spend a ridiculous amount of money on cleaning products to clean up the kitchen and the living room. I am thinking about telling this girl that this money will have to come out of the rent because she promised that everything would be clean and that isn't the case. I'm just wondering, is it legal for me to do this? I have receipts showing my cleaning purchase, I've taken pictures, my father has seen the mess (he's the one that alerted me to it), and I told several friends about it too. So far, I have not discussed rent with the girl (other than that I can pay her whenever and that its supposed to be $550 including internet, utilities). I don't think this will necessarily go to court (or if it can for that matter), but just in case, I want to make sure I am within my rights as a person subletting a room in an apartment.

This is according to State law and, of course, I have no idea where you are.

In the majority of States you cannot simply withhold rent. You have to notify the landlord in advance AND put the money in a separate bank account until the problem is solved.

Why haven't you talked to the person you rented from?

I don't understand an agreement which contains language that you can pay her "whenever" in a specific dollar amount. That is NOT a binding agreement nor, for that matter, is it enforceable.

... I have no idea where you are.
...

Title says Illinois. Not that it will help much. An oral rental agreement is enforceable, if the courts can figure out what the terms are. But I doubt that OP can recover for " a ridiculous amount of money on cleaning products". I suspect that the court will think she is simply obsessive-compulsive.

I mean a mop, a broom, a bucket, a bottle of detergent, and some trash bags. What more do you need? :rolleyes: