Being Sued For A Lease That I Left 25+ Years Ago

Location: Los Angeles (&eugene)

Okay I will try to keep this so succinct. Back in 2001 I lived with my boyfriend and my baby (not his baby) in a loft apartment. We were both on the lease and after a couple years, when we broke up, I moved out and got my own place. Honestly, it was 2002, and I don't even remember all the details, but I'm sure that I gave my notice that I was leaving. I don't know what happened with the lease, I don't remember any of that... it was a really traumatic time. I'm sure that I did not just leave without telling the property managers that I was leaving.

fast forward to last year 2025 my ex writes me to say that he has a check with my name on it and he needs me to help him cash it. He is staying in a hotel because they are doing work on the apartment. First of all I'm completely shocked that he still lives at this apartment. There was mold and he has bad lungs and so they are trying to pay him back for his hotel expenses?

Anyway the story seemed like a shady story and I did not want anything to do with it. (Backstory- he has a history of check fraud.) So, I told him to F off. I was actually quite mad that he knew I was on this lease and he hadn't told me in over 20 years. I couldn't believe it! I called the property manager to see if I'm actually on this lease? And they sent me a piece of paper with my name on it. Not a signature....just a paper with my name on it. I know that this property management company purchased the building from the previous property managers and I just figured they didn't get all the info. they must keep really bad records!

I wrote them a certified letter and told them that I haven't lived there in over 20 years and that they should not have me on that lease and I am in no way responsible for that apartment.

Haven't heard from anybody since then and now I get a letter from a creditor saying that I owe $15,300 from this apartment that was abandoned, a car that had to be towed, the place was left a mess.

First of all I can't even believe he still lived there! Second of all I can't believe my name is on the lease. Third of all, HOW am i responsible for this!?!

I have lived at least 10 other places since 2001 or 2002 when I left. I've been in Oregon since 2018. I can prove that I have had leases at all of these other places. I think that it's easy to prove that I have not paid rent at this old place in over 20 years and all of their payments have been coming from this other person.

I don't know what to do. I sent him this information and he blocked me everywhere. I tried to contact his family and they're not getting back to me. I can't believe that he would just screw me like this and leave me with this bill. But then again he's not the most upstanding person I guess?

I really don't know what my recourse is. This is in Los Angeles County with Miller & Desatnik property management and I am in Lane County Oregon in Eugene. I am so bummed because I'm at a point in my life where I worked so hard to build my credit up and I'm doing great! I'm an upstanding member of society and now I have to deal with this bs! I feel like there has to be some way for me to prove this wrong. I am ready to get a lawyer if that would be helpful. what can I do? This is like some kind of crazy Mercury retrograde nightmare.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm feeling so discouraged.