Question: Honorable Judge Mathis, a guy rented an apartment to me which was still in his name. I paid him rent and lived there for nearly two and a half years. But he recently received a court summons which stated that he hadn’t paid the property manager for almost a year and is being sued for $3,225! Can I sue him to get my money back for breach of contract or for using the money for his own means?
The Judge’s Answer: If you lived at the apartment during the time he failed to pay rent to the Landlord, you cannot sue him for the return of your money. You received the benefit of your bargain. You paid rent and you were provided a place to reside. You are not entitled to a free place to live because the person you rented the apartment from breached his contract with the Landlord. You may have a claim against him for additional damages depending on the term of your lease with him.