I live in a 4 bed/4 bath townhouse with three other women. We’re all on separate room leases so we pay rent individually which includes most utilities, excluding WiFi and electricity, which I manage.
For the first several months, my upstairs roommate and I were the only ones consistently cleaning common areas. Our two downstairs roommates moved in last fall. They mostly keep to themselves. One works from home full time and goes to school online, so she’s home 24/7.
When they moved in, we all agreed to rotate cleaning duties and even have a chart on the fridge to track whose week it is.
I learned fast they had no plans of cleaning up the shared space. Not once since they moved in have they put their names down to clean. Worst part is that my upstairs roommate and I had a shared vacuum, broom and mop in the downstairs bathroom that we could all use when we were cleaning, so it’s not like they were spending any additional money.
We’ve had multiple conversations about it with the two girls since then. Each time, they’ve agreed to do more, but it never really stuck.
They wash their own dishes, but that’s about it.
The trash and fridge are the biggest issue.
If I don’t take the trash out, or my upstairs roommate doesn’t, it just overflows and gets pushed down by one of the girls downstairs instead of getting replaced.
In fact when I mentioned it again, this time in the group chat, our roommate that works from home and is the one that’s home the most, in response said "well when someone changes out the trash at night and puts the trash bag outside, I make sure to take it to the dumpster in the morning."
This is also the same roommate that chose to ignore her container of food that had become so moldy that it became unidentifiable.
I’ve decided if they don’t want to be grown adults and be responsible, then why should I have to be their mother and constantly tell them to clean up after themselves.
I’ve decided to just take my own trash out from now on. My lease is up at the end of July, and I’m over it.
AITA for being petty? We’ve had so many chats and conversations and it’s still not sinking in.
NTA, and I don’t even think you’re being petty. Only a few more months to go, and though they might not be good roommates, there are a lot worse out there. Good luck.
You’re absolutely right. I’ve been dreaming of having my own place for so long. Having roommates was a way for me to save a little more so I could get my own place. My work contract ends around the time my lease does so it works out perfectly.
NTA. Take care of your own trash and let those two act like children if that’s what they want. If they complain, tell them you have a standard fee for taking out other people’s trash. That usually shuts them up
This is just how it goes with having multiple roommates. Start thinking of where you want to live on your own once the lease is up. NTA
The end of my lease coincides with the end of my 3 year work contract so it’s going to be a big move. I’ve had roommates before but this is by far the worst experience I’ve had. Granted it could be a lot worse.
>”well when someone changes out the trash at night and puts the trash bag outside, I make sure to take it to the dumpster in the morning.”
Why does the job need to be split into two halves? Change out the trash in the morning and take the bag to the dumpster!
That was why we tried coordinating a weekly cleaning duty chart to begin with. So everyone got an equal amount of the responsibility for cleaning. It’s wasn’t meant to be a two person job. Like how much lazier can you get changing out the trash bag just to not even bother throwing out the trash. It’s ridiculous.
It’s like they’re coming up with reasons not to carry out the simplest of tasks. I’ve learned that some people have roommates because they’re not ready to live by themselves and be full adults, and unfortunately I’m surrounded by them.
ESH
Not taking out the trash doesn’t teach them anything, and you have to live with trash. It’s petty and solves nothing.
Clearly, they are assholes here.
I get that. It just feels like we’re going around in circles. There’s 4 of us in the place. There’s no excuse why we can’t all pull our weight. Again, the place is by far the dirtiest. No one uses the living room, and the two girls downstairs wash their dishes when their done. It ends there. My upstairs roommate and I were stuck rotating between ourselves cleaning the kitchen, living room and shared bathroom.
Life is stressful enough. I just think they’re being inconsiderate and expect the place to clean itself.
With my lease ending soon, I just got to a place of “well if you don’t gaf then I won’t either.”
I take out my own trash and clean up after myself and leave it at that.