I (23F) live with my roommate (24M) and we split rent 50/50. Last month he quit his job without another one lined up because he said it was “bad for his mental health.” I sympathized, but I told him I wouldn’t be able to cover his share of rent.
Rent is due and he asked me to spot him for “just this month” and promised to pay me back when he finds work. I said no because I’m barely making ends meet myself and don’t have savings to cover an extra $900. He got upset and said I was being selfish and unsupportive during a hard time.
Now things are tense in the apartment, and some mutual friends think I should’ve helped him out since we’re friends and live together. I feel bad, but I also feel like his decision shouldn’t become my financial problem.
AITA?
>and some mutual friends think I should’ve helped him out
Tell them that THEY should ‘help him out’. You can’t give away (or loan) money you don’t have. And if he expects you to borrow the money, then HE can do that.
No you’re not. He chose to quit. If it was bad for his mental health he should have started looking for another job awhile ago before quitting. Never quit a job without another one lined up.
NTA. He quit his job it was a choice. You do not quit a job with out having one lined up. I hate how people make choices and blame it on mental health. But is making the mental health worse now due to not having the money to back it up. Stand your ground cause you will never see anything you loan him. My question is if he doesn’t pay his 1/2 will you both be evicted?
Well… it seems a moot point. You don’t have the money to cover him in the first place. It would be like someone being pissed you couldn’t give them a ride to work when you don’t own a car.
NTA. What did this person expect? You would just conjure 900$ out of the air?
Beyond that. Where does it end? What happens next month?
The fact is he put you both in a pretty rough position. You pay your part of the rent. As far as the landlord is concerned, the rent isn’t paid in full. So.. welcome to the curb.
NTA
Most people get another job first because we have bills to pay, this is the consequences of his actions
He’s got some audacity, you are roommates not married or in a relationship.
Stick to your decision, anyone who complains can help him pay the rent , but I bet they won’t
If you don’t have the money , you don’t have it. NTA. He needs to accept your answer.
Most definitely NTA. He is not your kid and you are not responsible for financing him. I’m sure he has his own family/support structure that he can reach out to and should not expect a friend to pay his rent. Paying your own rent is like responsibility #1 as an adult.
You can’t even cover it even if you wanted to. How is this a question. Sure you can have sympathy for your roommate, and you can see if there’s other ways to support him non-monetarily, but you’re not obliged to either. NTA
NTA
OP, check your lease for the phrase “joint and severable liability”. It means the Iandlord can sue you for roommate’s half of the rent if he fails to pay his share. If roommate gets more than 2 months behind in his rent, kick him out if you legally can do that or terminate the lease asap.
NTA.
Your roommate is TA, however, for quitting his job without having something lined up or without even discussing it with you to see if you COULD cover his portion of the rent.
TBF if you don’t have something else lined up or money to fall back on, suck it up, figure your mental health out, and keep working until you find something better, y’know, like a proper adult.
In fact, show his lazy entitled ass this post and talk to your landlord about getting him kicked out for a roommate that’s actually fucking employed.
NTA. He has screwed you over good. “I also feel like his decision shouldn’t become my financial problem.” It has become your financial problem. Your landlord doesn’t care how you feel. If you are on the lease, you owe 100% of the rent. Whether you can convince your deadbeat roomie to leave if he can’t pay is another question. With luck you can get him out of there and find someone who will meet his or her obligations.
NTA. He chose to quit his job and it is his responsibility to make sure he can cover his share of bills. $900 is a lot of money to ask someone to cover.
Yeah, there’s always “mutual friends” who should pay themselves if they are so worried \~rolls eyes.
Assuming this is real: NTA, you don’t set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm. He didn’t lose his job from bad luck, he quit voluntarily expecting someone else to “rescue” him. You’ve made it clear from the outset that you can’t afford it. If you are on a joint lease/tenancy then you’ll be jointly liable for the rent, so you need to look to break the lease ASAP.
NTA.
Maybe these “friends” can spot him and support his lifestyle choices.