[Twistofsin]

Small claims court is not expensive, nor very time consuming. I don't know if they can sue you for the entire duration of the lease though.

Your roommates can't report you to a credit agency for this. The landlord can, but that would only happen if you all defaulted and rent wasn't paid in full. Then he'd go after all of you.

My suggestion: Pay them the first months rent, and tell them they have 30 days to find another roommate. In exchange they must all agree to let you off the lease. If they refuse, just go I suppose. They probably won't sue, but would certainly win.