Can a landlord retroactively ask for more rent? They've cashed my checks for 13 months, but there's no lease.

Question

LL offered me a rent for the forthcoming year. I said "no, that's far too much, i'm willing to pay X-$300, because subway is closing". They didn't respond, we did not sign the new lease, and I continued living this way for 13 months now (with zero emails between us). They now suddenly came back and said "hey you owe us all that difference, 300x13". They accepted all my checks and i have emails that say the money went to them successfully (paid using their own website).

Michael David Siegel · Answer

They cannot get that money having accepted your checks, but you are month to month and can be evicted any time.

David Lacher · Answer

There is no legal basis for you to have to pay back rent above what you paid and what was accepted for all that time. However, without a lease, you can be evicted on 30-days’ notice.

Q: Can a landlord retroactively ask for more rent? They've cashed my checks for 13 months, but there's no lease.