Question
Is the 1 year lease i signed legal?
I signed a one year lease with my ex, she was 18 at the time so they said she cannot sign a lease she needs a co signer, so she got a co signer but the co signer never actually signed it, they just put his name on and never got his signature, my ex does not know this and neither does the landlord, but my ex took off one day and now owes 800 dollars, and technically so do i because we both signed the lease, but would this lease even be legal? i only signed because i knew 2 other people were signing, now theyre trying to charge me for signing a lease i got tricked into signing by the landlord,she was never allowed to sign the lease in the first place because she was 18 and does not have a co signer signature, she is 19 now, and we signed this back in january, this should be a void lease i would think, but im not sure. I was told by the landlord if we owed money for too long it would be charged to my ex's co signer, but since she doesnt have a co signer i was lied to, i was also lied to about the lease that is the only reason i signed it
3 weeks ago - 5 answers
Best Answer
Chosen by Asker
You were not tricked into the signing the lease. You shouldn't have signed it until you saw the cosigner's signature. That was your mistake. Either way, with or without the cosigner, you and your ex are responsible for the rent. If she was 18 at the time she signed the lease, she is legally responsible for her share of the rent. Landlords can require anyone to have a cosigner, but at 18, your ex was an adult. Pay up the $800 and then take your ex to small claims court.
by Heather
3 weeks ago
Asker's Rating: 
Other Answers
The lease you signed is legal and they can take you to court if necessary. No one made you sign the lease. Your argument that you were tricked into it will not hold up in court.
by Heather- 3 weeks ago
If you signed it you are liable. You seem to have knowledge about the signing that your ex and the landlord do not have. Why is that? Nobody forced you to sign it, but technically if you signed what you knew to be a fraudulent lease, you could also be liable for fraud. You did not get tricked by the landlord - you signed it voluntarily.
by CAtransplant- 3 weeks ago
When you sign a lease, you are signing that you agree with and understand all issues in the lease. The fact that the other person did or didn't sign really doesn't matter because they will go after the actual tenant that signed before they go after someone who co-signed. You are liable and no judge will see it any other way.
by BridalBiz- 3 weeks ago
The lease is legal and you can be sued for the money owed. An 18 year old can legally enter into a lease agreement on their own. The manager or landlord can require a co-signer but failure to have the co-signer's signature does not invalidate the lease, the 18 year old's legal obligation or your legal obligation. The lease is not void. You were not tricked into signing anything. You signed voluntarily.
by Trouble- 3 weeks ago