How to change a existing residential lease
I have a residential rental in California. I rented to a boyfirend and girlfriend and they are splitting up. The guy wants to stay in house and the female wants to move out which is fine with me. Do you know what form I use to amend the contract?

I signed a rental lease agreement and six days later told them I needed to break the lease before move in date. I also gave him a security/pet deposit for $700. The landlord said he was not willing to let me break the lease. I offered the deposit to him to cover any inconviences and he said no. He still has not fully moved out of the condo, gave me possesion (keys etc), had the carpets cleaned or gave me a fully executed copy of the contract. He did not sign the contract in my presence.

Where do I stand legally?

Thank you, Dana

Do I have to sign a lease
I have seen some post about a landlord having a ‘right’ to ‘ask’ you to put an occupant (roommate) on the lease, but no mention of the legality of doing this. I have the right to ‘keep and bear arms’, yet the government routinely restricts, denies, diminishes my ‘right’ to do so on a daily basis.

So my questions are:

If I am staying with someone, (due to being out of work) do I have to be on the lease LEGALLY. If so what is the time period before that kicks in? I am not paying any rent, obviously. I am sure that I don’t have the credit rating to get an apartment right now, either. So it would seem to me that this flies in the face of a landlord not being allowed ‘ to choose your roommate’.

If the lease has already been converted to month to month; then would we have to get a brand new lease, or would the old one apply?

If the lease does not mention ‘other occupants’, would it be legal to refuse to sign the lease?