Oral Agreement Problems.

[MrVal]

A friend and I rented a two bedroom apartment on a six month lease. Three weeks prior to end of that agreement the on site manager makes a verbal agreement with both of us plus other witnesses asking us to vacate premises 2 weeks before the end of contract in return for not having to pay the last of rent. This causes my roommate to move 3 weeks before end of contract and I have made unrefundable arrangements based on this oral agreement. One day prior to the agreed upon move day, the manager goes back on his word and insists that we now pay the final rent. Monetary damages are caused from my arrangements made based on the agreement and my roommate now faces having to pay for an empty room along with her new apartment. Can I contest this in court?

[MrVal]

Oh sorry I forgot to mention this is in San Diego, California.

You should have gotten any agreement about rent or terminations in writing. You can sue in court, but it will be your word vs. his. If the other witnesses were also tenants who are benefitting from this move, they may not be believed. Hopefully they are impartial witnesses who have nothing to gain or lose through your oral agreement.