Legal actions for issues with lease and alleged late rent payments after moving out.

Question

I moved in with my mother and her husband about 3-4 years ago and had a verbal agreement to pay $200 rent directly to them. After some changes, I was told to pay the landlord directly, but there seemed to be confusion about the payment plan and outstanding balances. I eventually moved out, but my name remains on the lease. When I applied for a new apartment, I was denied due to alleged late payments on the previous lease. I feel these actions by my mother and her husband may have been intentional to force me out. The landlord indicates I must resolve an additional balance to remove my name from the lease. What legal actions can I take against my mother, her husband, or the landlord regarding this situation?

Kenneth V Zichi · Answer

If I understand correctly, you verbally 'sublet' part of your mother's rental for $200 a month, but somehow your name is on the lease? How did that work exactly? What does the WRITTEN lease say about your obligations?  
Without seeing that document I can't even hazard a guess as to what your remedies may be let alone what your responsibilities are or how they may or may not have been breached.  
 
I suggest you take that written lease and a spreadsheet (don't panic, that can just be a legal pad with your payment history -- not anything fancy!) and documentation of the money you paid (cancelled checks, money order stubs etc). 
With that in hand, a local lawyer can review everything and provide an opinion.  
 
Just a 'heads up' -- your story doesn't track. You don't have BOTH a written lease with your name on it and a 'verbal agreement' with someone to sublet. Be ready to address that inconsistency with the lawyer you hire! Good luck.

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

That sounds like a really painful and confusing situation, especially with family involved and your housing future now affected. In Michigan, if your name is on the lease, you're still legally responsible for any rent or charges associated with that lease—even if you moved out or had a verbal agreement about a different payment plan. If there was confusion or miscommunication about who was supposed to pay what, that won’t usually excuse missed payments in the eyes of the landlord or a credit reporting agency. 
 
Since your name is still on the lease and the landlord is reporting late payments, your first step should be to request a full accounting of the alleged balance in writing. If you didn’t agree to the payment arrangement that resulted in the debt—or if your mother and her husband took over rent but failed to pay—it may be possible to file a claim in small claims court against them for the portion that harmed your rental record. Keep a record of any texts, messages, or written communication where they discussed the rent arrangement, especially if you can show they were handling payments. 
 
You can also send a written request to the landlord to be formally removed from the lease, though they may require the balance to be resolved first. If you believe the damage to your rental history was unjust or based on intentional actions, you might be able to dispute it with the credit bureaus or rental screening companies. It’s okay to protect your future, especially if you were doing your part and were caught in a situation beyond your control.

Q: Legal actions for issues with lease and alleged late rent payments after moving out.