craigslist? Options

[batman]

So I'm on talking terms with my mother again and she freaked out when she learned I was living in an apartment based on an ad off craigslist. It's a temporary sublet until December, so I don't really have a written contract. It's just a "give half the rent" to my roommate month by month type of thing.

It's convenient, but I guess not the smartest thing I've ever gotten into.

She's demanding to see a copy of my roommate's written lease now and wants me to "get a receipt" after giving him rent.

Idk, I've been here for a little while and I met up with him before agreeing to live here. It doesn't seem like he's in it to screw me over. But since it's not down in writing, I guess he can technically kick me out at any time, but at the same time, I can also just up and leave without bothering to pay... so I'm not sure.

Should I probably ask to get a written contract? Have any of you gotten a job or an appt off Craigslist?

[gojira]

yup -- got my most recent job from there. honestly posting my resume worked better than contacting jobs. i didn't believe in craigslist before, but i do now.

[mipadi]

I got my current apartment from an ad posted on a site like Craigslist. You should probably get a contract in writing. My roommate drew up an official sublease contract, which we both have a copy of. It's nothing fancy, but it does spell out how much rent should be paid, the conditions in which I can be kicked out, who gets the money, how long I can be here, and that sort of thing. It never hurts to have one unless you're moving in with someone you know really, really well (like a close friend).

[Teesa]

^exactly.

yes yes yes, get something in writing just in case. it's always the safest thing to do and nothing bad can come out of it. and it takes like two minutes.

for the past two summers i had to have a person sublet my place and thankfully, i've been lucky to have had great people (found from craigslist), but i always wrote up a two sentence thing basically saying we wouldn't screw each other over.