If there’s anything more stressful than finding a great apartment, it’s finding a great roommate.
Someone reliable, who pays their rent on time, does their share of the chores, is easy to talk to, but gives you your space when you need it.
Perhaps the only thing better than finding a dream apartment with a dream roommate is finally getting an apartment of your own.
Which is exactly what happened to Redditor Tombanel, though in their case, doing so would mean asking their roommate to move out of the apartment they shared.
A prospect that the original poster (OP)’s roommate was less than thrilled by.
Worried they may have been insensitive, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**Hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for ‘evicting’ my roommate after buying the condo we rented together?.”
The OP explained how a change in circumstance regarding their apartment worked out much to their benefit, but slightly less so towards their roommate.
“I live in a small condo (~600 square ft) with a roommate, Caitlin.”
“We didn’t know each other before moving in.”
“She rents the bigger room and I rent the smaller one.”
“Our landlord told us she wants to sell the condo and I jumped in on the opportunity to buy it.”
“She sold it to me almost 15% below market price, so it’s great.”
“I already gave her the deposit and we will sign the papers in a few days, then the condo will be mine 3 months from now.”
“After me giving our landlord the deposit, Caitlin was ecstatic.”
“She brought a champagne to celebrate, told me I’m the best and she will save so much money from now on by not having to pay rent.”
“I don’t know where she got this from and I thought our landlord already told her how long she has until she has to move out, but it seems not.”
“I told Caitlin that it’s a small condo and don’t need a roommate anymore.”
“She will have to move out in 3 months, but I’d gladly help her look for a new place.”
“She flipped out.”
“She asked me if I seriously want to evict her and throw her out on the street.”
“She said she thought we were friends and if she had the money to buy the place, she would’ve let me stay for free because that’s what decent people do.”
“Then she switched and started bargaining with me that I can have the bigger room and she will stay in the small room, she won’t bother much, and so on.”
“I feel a bit guilty. “
“I really thought it was given that she will have to move out.”
“Maybe I should’ve told Caitlin before giving the deposit to our landlord.”
“I feel sorry for her, I know she doesn’t make a lot of money, but at 26, I don’t want to live in a small room anymore especially if I own the condo.”
“AITA?”
“Where we live, there is no such thing as a lease continuing with the new owner.”
“I can’t evict Caitlin, because I’m not the one she has a contract with.”
“Her lease is with the current landlord and the landlord has to give Caitlin a written notification, which seems like she hasn’t done yet.”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA: Not the A**hole
- YTA: You’re the A**hole
- ESH: Everybody Sucks Here
- NAH: No A**holes Here
The Reddit community agreed that the OP was not the a**hole for asking that Caitlin move out.
Everyone agreed that the OP was well within her rights, and were surprised that Caitlin immediately assumed that she could continue living in the apartment rent-free after the OP bought it.
“She immediately assumed she wouldn’t have to pay rent?”
“Why?”
“To me this would have been a conversation of if I would then pay rent to you or if I should start looking for a place.”
“You gave her ample time to find a new place and offered to help look.”
“NTA.”- educatedvegetable
“I am disturbed that Caitlin’s first thought was that she would live rent-free.”
“That is incredibly entitled.”
“Did she think you got it for free?”
“If you want to do a nice gesture you could help her look for a place or help her pay for movers, etc., depending on the severity of her financial situation.”
“But you are not entitled to keep her as a roommate nor should you feel an ounce of regret for doing what is right for you.”
“Congratulations on your new place!”
“NTA.”- sucksatchess666
“NTA.”
“It’s weird that she thought you’d let her live there for free.”- lisanotmuch
“NTA.”
“Once you have officially bought the condo, find a good landlord lawyer and legally notify her of how long she has to stay.”
“If she stays beyond that, you will have to evict her and having a lawyer do it properly is important.”
“Be careful that she doesn’t do any damage to the place.”
“Also, make sure the landlord gives you the security deposit both she and you paid; you will have to return her portion.”- Comment7215
“NTA.”
“Even if you had been thinking about letting her stay, the second she started assuming she wouldn’t have to pay rent — that girl had to go.”- lonnielee3
“NTA.”
“It was beyond presumptuous for Caitlin to assume she could live there RENT FREE because you purchased the condo.”
“She’ll undoubtedly be unpleasant for a while but go ahead and boot her so you can have some heavenly alone time.”
“Congratulations on your new home!”- pfashby
“You bought the place and her first thought was that she could stay rent free and still stay in the bigger room?”
“Lol NTA.”- beatupcar
“NTA.”
“How in the world does a change in ownership mean the tenant doesn’t have to pay rent?”
“While staying in the bigger room too.”
“Your roommate is delusional.”- soph_lurk_2018
“NTA.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Not just that she’d keep living in your condo, which might be reasonable, but that SHE’D GET FREE RENT?”
“A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!”- OhLizaLittleLizaJane
“NTA.”
“Thinking she could just stay and she wouldn’t have to pay rent was a pretty bold.”- dewittrm
“NTA.”
“Why would she think she could stay for free because you bought it?”
“I could understand if she thought she could stay and pay rent.”
“And of course, you are taking the big room.”
“It is not much of an offer, it is your condo.”- mltrout715
NTA. If your landlord had sold it to a stranger, she’d have been evicted too.
“Also, she expected to live there for free by saving on rent?”
“This girl was willing to jump to take advantage, man.”
“Definitely be prepared to evict her officially if she refuses to move.”
“Congrats on the apartment!”- papa-hare
“NTA.”
“I don’t think it was a given, you need to communicate it.”
“But you did.”
“Now she’s being a manipulative AH.”
“You gave her plenty of time to find a new place, so you’re not throwing her out on the street.”
“And don’t let her say that you are.”
“You don’t owe her housing, even if you are friends.”
“Congratulations, enjoy your new purchase guilt free.”
“And if this roommate can’t let you do that, cut her out of your life once she’s moved out.”-opinionreservoir
“NTA.”
“You should have talked to her about the new arrangements as soon as your offer was accepted.”
“It’s your choice whether you keep Caitlyn as a roommate, but I don’t understand how she got the idea she can live for free if you own the place.”
“I mean, she would still pay rent…it would just be paid to you.”
“Congratulations.”- tatersprout
“NTA Congratulations on your new home, which you don’t need to share with anyone, especially someone who thought they’d be able to freeload off of your financial security.”
“Three months is plenty of time to find a new place.”
“My only question is how 600 sq ft could possibly be big enough for two bedrooms.”-CatsEatGrass
“Get all your legal ducks in a row including a written notice because this woman will go full squatter’s rights on you in a heartbeat.”
“NTA.”-ErnestBatchelder
“NTA.”
“If someone else bought it she would have to find a new place.”
“She’s looking to freeload.”
“I would honestly go so far to tell her if she doesn’t leave willingly in 3 MONTHS, which is quite the notice,you will file a formal eviction that will go on her record.”
“Which I’m sure she would like to avoid.”
“The audacity of her thinking she could just live for free.”
“At the very least she should have come to you with a fair rent proposal to stay.”
“She’s not your responsibility.”- Ecstatic_Tangerine21
One can sympathize with Caitlin, as having to find a new living situation is never fun, no matter how much notice you’re given.
But it is pretty baffling that she immediately assumed that the OP purchasing their condo meant she could continue living there rent free.
Not to mention in the bigger room.
Here’s hoping the experience doesn’t dampen the OP’s excitement of being a first time home owner.