Woman Faces Challenges In Shared Housing - Uneven Rent, Unplanned Guests, And Financial Hardships

"We were supposed to split everything evenly and she's barely paying anything at this point. "

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• December 9, 2023

In the world of shared living, navigating financial fairness can be as tricky as walking a tightrope. This tale from Reddit exemplifies this challenge, where the lines of fairness and friendship blur, leaving one to ponder the cost of compromise.

OP and her husband, seeking financial relief, moved into a friend's three-bedroom house. The arrangement seemed mutually beneficial: their friend was struggling with rent, and the couple needed an affordable place to stay.

The deal was straightforward – split the rent three ways, making it a mere $400 each at most. However, reality soon diverged from expectations.

The first rent bill revealed a jarring discrepancy: the couple was charged $800 each, doubling what was agreed upon. Confusion and frustration ensued.

They had been conscious of their utility usage, ensuring minimal consumption to keep costs low. Yet, here they were, shouldering an unfair financial burden.

Adding to the strain, the friend's fiance became a near-permanent fixture in the house, exacerbating the situation. His presence, marked by complaints about food shortages and contributing to dwindling grocery supplies, only deepened the couple's financial woes.

Strapped for cash, they found themselves in a precarious position, caught between friendship and financial fairness. The couple took action, reaching out to their landlord.

Complications arose: OP was in the process of opening a bank account, and rent payments were only accepted online, through a portal accessible only to their roommate. This bottleneck in payment method had inadvertently given the roommate control over the financial dynamics of the household.

The landlord's involvement offered a glimmer of hope. Efforts were made to grant OP access to the online rental portal, potentially unraveling the convoluted payment process. Seeking clarity, OP turned to Reddit for advice.

OP's friend invited OP and her husband to share her 3-bedroom house to help with her rent struggles, splitting it equally should have been $400 per person, but she's now asking us to pay $800 each.

OP sought advice and spoke with the landlord to resolve the situation.

Likely, OP didn't formalize the even split in writing because friends usually don't take advantage of each other like this.

OP needs to verify if there's a lease, as OP's friend might be scamming them.

It's a good idea for OP to have a conversation with her to understand her calculations.

OP needs to find out why she is paying more.

OP should pay the landlord directly.

The confusion arises from whether there was a prior agreement on how much they should pay for rent, utilities, and food, or if they had assumed it would be $400 each.

OP needs to check the state's laws and consider leaving the lease if the situation becomes untenable.

The OP is aware of their lease obligations.

OP should consider discussing the situation with her current landlord and try to pay him directly.

OP's story reminds us that money matters can get complicated when you live with friends. It's essential to be fair, but it can be tough to balance friendship and finances.

In this situation, OP should talk to their friend about the rent problem. Honest conversations can help sort things out.

Also, OP needs to make sure they can pay rent directly to the landlord online, so they're not stuck relying on their roommate.

Damjan