Unsafe Living Conditions, Hidden Cameras, And No Lease—what Are My Options?

On December 24th, I traveled with my cousins to a house in Jersey City. We drove for four hours. The landlord had already taken $150 as a holding deposit and informed us that he would charge my uncle $150 to stay for one night, as they planned to drive back the next day. However, upon arrival, he demanded an additional $150 as a deposit, claiming it would be adjusted toward my rent. In total, I ended up paying him $2,300, with an additional $300 due, which I did not pay that day.

Before arriving, the landlord mentioned over the phone that the room had a closet and a bedroom door with a lock. Upon arrival, I discovered the closet was outside my room, and the bedroom door only locked from the inside, meaning anyone could access it while I was away at work. Additionally, the laundry unit was in the basement, and he said I could only use it on weekends. He also took 25$ for getting the bathrooms cleaned but i don't think they were ever cleaned.

The condition of the house was shocking. The bathroom, located on the second floor while my room was on the third, was filthy, with hair everywhere and dirty floors. The kitchen was equally bad, with dried blood on fridge shelves from improperly stored meat and cockroaches crawling around in the kitchen. The landlord had also failed to disclose the presence of cameras in the living room and kitchen.

He came to the house to listen to my concerns but mostly did their own thing. and try to solve them with his wife and two children. The wife was very sweet, she even went and cleaned the fridge. When I expressed my discomfort with the cameras, he made excuses, claiming they were for the house's safety and aggressively questioned if I would take accountability if anything happened. He said people leave the stove open or robberies happen. He then told me he usually maintains a lease from 1st to 1st and since I came on 24th I should just go ahead and pay him the amount for these 8 days and pay the next rent on 1st feb instead of Jan 24th. I told him I do have have the money yet. He tried forcing me but I was stern.

Regarding the lock for my bedroom, he installed it late at night around 10:10 PM. After installing it, he revealed that it shared the same key as the main entrance, instructing me not to tell anyone. This realization made me extremely anxious, as anyone with access to the front door could now enter my room, even while I was inside. I experienced multiple anxiety attacks during the first few days and slept with pepper spray next to me. The stress caused severe headaches, and I began feeling physically unwell.

Before moving in, I had repeatedly asked for a signed lease agreement, but the landlord kept avoiding it and eventually refused, promising to send an email instead, which he never did. After speaking to family friends in the city, I decided to leave the house. I recorded my conversation with him, during which he asked if I would stay if he changed the locks or turned off the cameras. However, I had already decided I could not stay in a place where I felt so unsafe. I even resorted to pushing suitcases against my door for added security.

When I informed the landlord about my decision, he insisted that I give him one month’s notice. He argued that if he had provided me with a lease, I wouldn’t have been able to break it. I reminded him that he had failed to provide a lease or even show me his ID when I asked. He continued boasting about his "million-dollar house" and tried to justify the cameras. He also said he would only refund my money once he found a replacement tenant, even though four out of six rooms in the house are empty.

Fortunately, I found a new place with female roommates in a safe apartment complex. They were extremely shocked when they heard about the cameras, the lock and the basement laundry with controlled access. The girl who was subleasing was kind and understanding, offering me flexibility in paying the first month’s rent due to my situation. I visited the apartment in person this time to ensure it met my needs.

As an international student, I cannot afford to lose this money or incur significant attorney fees. I have never dealt with a lawyer before and need to know if there are any laws that could help me in this situation, should things escalate. My new place is available from January 4th, but I’m uncertain how to navigate this issue legally and financially.