Having a roommate is like a gamble. Sure, you might end up with a friend for life — someone who respects your boundaries and turns out to be clean, considerate, and easy to live with. Or you could find yourself stuck in the middle of a horror story.
A lot of us have had this experience, whether it was because we moved away for university or for work. But what we never expect is that agreeing to one roommate might come with a plus-one who isn't on the lease. Unfortunately, that's exactly what's happening in today's story, where a situation that could have been great turned into a full-blown financial nightmare.
Read more: Reddit
We should always be mindful to establish boundaries the moment we move in with someone else, even if it's just a roommate
Image credits: dexondee / Magnific (not the actual photo)
A 23-year-old moved into her new apartment, where her 28-year-old roommate already lived, along with her friend, who was not on the lease
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The woman had been living on the couch, and over time, it became obvious that the woman had no intentions of helping with any expenses
Image credits: Freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
After telling her roommate something had to be done, the woman decided to go directly to her landlord, who decided they all had to pay rent, or be evicted
Image credits: lemonlimeperspective
Upset that the 23-year-old had gone to the landlord to report the situation, the roommate was now also threatening to leave the apartment
The story today is told by our Original Poster (OP), a 23-year-old woman who legally shared a house with a 28-year-old woman. The catch? Her roommate's friend, who is also 28, has been living there for just as long as she has. She sleeps on their couch, and while the situation is already far from ideal, it gets even worse when the OP explains that the couch surfer doesn't contribute to any household expenses.
While she considers her roommate a good person to live with, she feels very differently about her guest. Not only does the woman pay no rent or bills, but she also disappears for weeks at a time without even bothering to tidy up the couch or clean out her belongings. The OP adds that the woman has a full-time job but still claims she can't afford to contribute anything.
Fed up with the situation and frustrated that she couldn't even use her own living room, the OP gave her roommate an ultimatum: either the woman would start paying rent, or she would report the situation to the landlord. That's exactly what ended up happening. While the landlord was understanding of the OP's financial difficulties, she made it clear that the couch surfer either had to start paying rent or all of them would be evicted.
Now at a crossroads, the 23-year-old made it clear that she never wanted to share the apartment with the woman who had been living on her couch in the first place. She gave her until the end of June to move out and find somewhere else to live. However, the 28-year-old has been less than understanding about the situation. Her roommate is also upset, leaving the OP worried she might move out.
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Magnific (not the actual photo)
This situation is tricky, to say the least. On the one hand, the roommate didn't know how to set boundaries with her friend. On the other hand, they weren’t following the terms of their lease. The landlord's ultimatum boils down to standard property rules: legal experts explain that most residential leases include strict policies regarding unauthorized occupants to protect both the landlord and the property.
Naturally, the possibility of eviction is frightening for the OP. As she explains, she's already struggling financially, and having a roommate is the only way she can afford a roof over her head. Unfortunately, her situation isn’t unique; it's also the reality for roughly 14.4 million Americans who live with non-family members to afford housing, according to several studies.
So, realistically speaking, what can the OP do in this situation? Financial experts often advise preparing for the worst-case scenario. If her roommate does decide to leave, the 23-year-old should carefully review her lease and check the subletting clause. That would help her determine whether she can legally rent out her roommate's room and quickly cover the financial gap.
That said, while the couch surfer is the obvious person taking advantage of the OP's and her roommate's goodwill, many netizens argued that boundaries should have been established much sooner. Some felt the OP should have informed the landlord as soon as she realized someone else was living in the apartment. So, what do you think the OP should do?
Netizens were baffled about the situation and highly doubted the friend would move out within the allotted time
