Moving out of a room with no lease agreement (NJ) (renter, security deposit)

[heyhermano1]

I am currently renting a room in NJ. I have no lease agreement, but I have gotten receipts each month. I have been here since August 2012.

Without going into it all, I moved here because I was in desperate need of a place. I did not have to pay a security deposit and the rent was well within my range, but it was in a terrible part of town and the place was definitely "boarding house"-esque.

I finally got all my issues in order, and by happenstance was able to find a new place to live for July 2013. Deposit paid, lease signed.

I talked to my current LL yesterday immediately afterwards, and while he didn't get mad, he said that he wanted to charge me half of rent for July because I didn't give him 30 days.

I know that's the standard, but I will literally be living on the tips from my job until I get paid on 07/12.

Without any sort of lease agreement, is he allowed to do that?

Thanks for any help. I normally do not look for loopholes to get out of things like this. I've rented in NJ for a while and have never had any issues.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by heyhermano1

I am currently renting a room in NJ...
by happenstance was able to find a new place to live (that is available) July 2013.
Deposit paid, lease signed.

Good for you. Enjoy your new home.

I talked to my current LL yesterday...
he said that he wanted to charge me half of rent for July because I didn't give him 30 days.
I know that's the standard, but...

But nothing. (btw... half of a months rent is LESS than standard)

Without any sort of lease agreement, is he allowed to do that?

In short, yes. The notice period is never less than the payment cycle.

You aren't obliged to stay in the room... but he does have a reasonable expectation that
the rent he expected to receive 3 or 4 days from now will show up.
Splitting the difference is a *more* than reasonable compromise.

For future reference... paying double rent for a period of time when moving is common.
Not doing so is very difficult to juggle and almost always requires stiffing someone to achieve.

[campion]

First off, I'm happy for you that you've found and can handle a new and better place. But even as a renter myself, I concur with MrRational. You have to remember that the landlord is relying on your rent as steady income just as you rely on your salary. And the landlord is being incredibly, incredibly nice by asking you to pay only 1/2 a month (trust me on this!). It'll be rice and beans for a couple weeks (and work food I guess, if you're getting tips from working in a restaurant), but it's only a couple weeks in the scheme of things.