i'm the roommate and the tenant just left

[jiggymaureen]

I could use some advice on the situation. In May, I moved into an apartment that I've been told is regulated. The current tenant told me that they would be moving in December when their lease was up and that they would be turning the lease over to me. Great, I thought.

Turns out that she decided to leave earlier than originally thought. She told me 4 days ago that she was moving. She left last night. It was very quick, obviously not even giving me the courtesy of 30 days notice. We were supposed to go to the landlord and she was going to sign the lease over to me. But she has disappeared, leaving me with no information and no idea what to do. I plan to call the corporation who owns the building in the morning, but what is the best way to approach it? Obviously, she isn't assigning the lease to me anymore although I don't know why. Nothing happened between us and it seemed we were ok as roommates. (I have suspicion that she was perhaps charging me more than half the rent and she didn't want me to find out which is why she disappeared without following thru with the landlord appointment.)

I have no problem paying the 18-20% increase if that is what has to happen for me to get the lease here. I just fear that I will have to move out and have nowhere to go at the end of the month. What should I tell the landlord when I call them tomorrow?

[Phil Cohen]

There is no way the tenant could just "turn the lease over to you" without the permission of the landlord (unlikely).
Do you have a written agreement with the roomate/tenant? It might affect your rights, which are shaky at best. Yes, a good chance the tenant overcharged you, not that it is a big issue at this stage.
Best strategy may be to just throw yourself on the mercy of the LL, as you are both victims of this creepy tenant.