Renting room without lease

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Question

Country: Canada State: Ontario For the past four months I have been renting a room without a signed lease. I have recently decided to leave the house and move into another one. When I gave my landlord my notice he informed me that I cannot move out unless I find someone else to fill my space. If I don't find someone I will have to pay for the rest of the years rent up until April 2006. Since he did not ask me to sign a lease, and never informed me that if I choose to move out early I would have to find another person can he make me do this? He says we have a verbal agreement but the only time we talked was in the spring 2005 where he showed me the house and told me about the rent. On the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal page it says he needs to give me a copy of my signed lease within 21 days, and if there is no written agreement and he fails to inform me of its legal name and address within 21 days, the tenant does not have to pay rent. However I also found a site saying that a verbal agreement can be done as well. I'm slightly confused on what the actual procedure is for this so your help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer

Verbal agreements are binding but if you did not agree that you cannot move,then indeed you are free to move with 30 days notice.