Caught in the Middle

Once upon a time, a tenant leased a house in Tagaytay from a friend. Since they knew him, they didn't bother to ask for ownership documents. Besides, they frequented the place in the past, and it would be embarrassing to ask for ownership documents–right?

During the lease, an unknown woman approaches the tenant, informing them that she has sold the property and that they should vacate the premises by March 2023. This lady turned out to be the house's actual owner. The tenant discovered their friend was merely a lessee who sub-leased the property to them.

They asked the owner if they could extend their lease, especially since their contract was set to expire in 2024. The owner denied the request since and said that their friend's contract was ending in March 2023.

Feeling cheated, the tenant informed their friend that they would vacate the property the following weekend. On move-out day, their friend showed up and prevented them from doing so, claiming their contract was still active. Moreover, he claimed that the owner couldn't sell the house to anyone since he had the right of first refusal based on their contract.

What should the tenant do? How could they pull out their furniture when their friend is preventing them? Do they have to continue paying rent?

Lesson: Always ask for ownership documents.