I have a question about New Jersey real estate law. I live in a place with two others and only one of the others has signed the lease as the Owner of the property only wanted one name on the lease. The owner is aware there are three people living here and has received checks by me to them. My question is, am I at all legally obligated to pay any portion of the lease for the remainder of the original lease? I have signed nothing. The person who is on the lease is now afraid that I will leave early and is trying to get me to sign a sublease but I have refused. He says that regardless, he can take me to court and I will be responsible to pay my share until the lease is over? The reason I am moving out is because my girlfriend lost her place and for her to stay here with me would cost too much as the lease holder gave me the terms on her staying. What are my rights?

By your own actions and previous payments you have made a verbal agreement to pay your share. You want to know your rights but what about the rights of the guy on the lease? He has done nothing wrong but it sounds like you are ready to stiff him. What's up with that? If he takes you to small claims court he will likely win.

It is not my intention to 'stiff' him. I simply cannot afford what he wants in exchange for her to live in my room. And I definitely can't afford to pay for here and another place for the remainder of his lease. I would pay him for the time I am living here if I do move out (she finds a job and a place herself) but I really don't want to leave my girlfriend on the street either.

Doug, I understand for your concern for your girlfriend and its good to try to help her out. There were 3 of you to start with and she'd be #4. A fair share of the rent would be for everyone to pay 25%. She used to pay somewhere else and her 25% is probably less than she has been paying. Are these numbers making sense or does the lease holder want 50% or something. Back to you.

When she would have moved in it would have been temporary but there would have been a possibility of her staying the full time. She will not be moving in now, she prefers to live on her own. Her job was tied to her living so when she lost her job, she lost her home. I know they have a right to ask for money but I was just surprised since we were friends and I would never have expected money if their significant others needed help. It is just a difference in ideas on what is friendly I guess. I am not moving out anyway, I really had no intention of doing so, was just curious about oral agreements and when I originally posted I was under more stress and emotionally upset.

Well Ok, I understand. When it comes to money and living arrangements friendship doesn't go too far, worse with relatives. Good luck down the road.