[vanillabean]

I have been renting a back house to a couple of so called friends for the past 14 months without having them sign a lease or rental agreement today they just moved out and didn't give me any notice and now I'm stuck with having to pay all this months rent. They know I can't afford the total amount of rent that is due and they have left me in a terrible situation. Can I legally sue them. They also left holes in the walls and took the door knobs. What are my legal rights if any with the fact that I have no written lease but I can show proof that they paid rent for 14 months on the first of each month.

[Fr_Chuck]

Verbal month to month rentals are enforceable, no real issue, The notice required will be by state law and/or code. Check the sticky at the top of the section questions for individual states. But yes 30 days ( one month) is normally what is required.

What about the deposit, is the money owed more than that ?
But yes you can sue in small claims court if you want,
Do they have the job or work to pay

[John WA]

While you as a landlord could sue them, it'd probably be a waste of your time and money as few deadbeat Tenants have anything to lose.

This is why it's worth it to LLs to screen, screen, screen BEFORE letting them into our rentals and your situation here is what's caused most of us, over time, to toughen up so we don't get these crumbums in our properties.

Don't think you're the first to have this happen as most of us learned this way-by having it happen to us too!

[ScottGem]

So you are renting the property and, in turn, were renting some part of it to someone else, who stiffed you. Your proof of their oaying rent is sufficient to prove there was a verbal lease. So you stand a good chance of winning a suit. But before you do, make sure you know where they work or bank so you have a chance of collecting.