Recovering Costs Paid Under an Informal Housing Arrangement

Q: How much notice is required to end a verbal month-to-month living arrangement?

In many states, ending a month-to-month tenancy without a written lease generally requires 30 days' written notice, with rent typically owed through the end of that notice period.

Q: Can someone recover money paid toward a home's expenses without a written agreement?

In many states, unjust enrichment or quantum meruit claims allow a person to recover money that unfairly benefited another party even without a written contract, provided there's supporting documentation.

Q: What evidence helps support a claim for reimbursement of shared home expenses?

Receipts, bank records, and any related communications are generally important to preserve contemporaneously to support a future claim.

Question

I have a verbal agreement with a family member to live in a house and pay half the mortgage. Im leaving while giving a 30 day notice. Do I need to pay for the full month or just pay up to when I leave? Also I'm asking for the money I paid for closing cost, appliances and hot water tank while I was a tenant and not my responsibility. Do I have a claim for that in court if they don't agree to it?

There is no written communication indicating me as a partner, its verbal. Yes I have receipts but for the closing costs I just sent the money directly to them

A. Jason Velez · Accepted Answer

You likely owe rent through the end of the rental period covered by your 30-day notice, not just to your actual move-out date — but you also likely have a viable claim to recover the money you paid toward closing costs, appliances, and the hot water tank, even without a written agreement.

Under Illinois Code of Civil Procedure § 9-207, where there is no written lease or agreement stating otherwise, ending a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days' written notice, and rent is generally owed through the end of that notice period — consistent with the notice you already gave, rather than cutting off early at whatever date you actually move out.

For the money you put toward closing costs, appliances, and the hot water tank, Illinois recognizes unjust enrichment and quantum meruit claims, which let someone recover money that unfairly benefited another party where there's no written agreement covering it. Your receipts — including for amounts sent directly to your family member — support this kind of claim, though the family relationship and lack of a writing make the outcome fact-intensive rather than guaranteed.

What you can do:

1. Pay rent through the end of the notice period you gave, not just your move-out date, to avoid a dispute over unpaid rent.

2. Organize all receipts and communications showing what you paid and why, including the direct payments toward closing costs.

3. Consult a local Illinois attorney about pursuing an unjust enrichment/quantum meruit claim for the amounts owed.

4. Don't delay in preserving documentation and pursuing the claim.

⏱ Time limits apply. Illinois imposes a five-year limitations period on claims based on oral agreements and unjust enrichment/quantum meruit. An individual case review by a local attorney should be conducted promptly to confirm how this deadline applies to your specific situation.

Recovering Costs Paid Under an Informal Housing Arrangement

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