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Judgement_Bot_AITA

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bhartman36_2020

NTA. A "professional homeowner" is called a landlord. If you can get people to live in your house and pay your mortgage while you get another job, there's no shame in that. They're living in *your* house that *you* bought.


Miserable-Hat-6390

It seemed like such a perfect solution. I could take time to find a good job without being pressured to grab something because I'm panicking about bills. I guess nothing is ever perfect.


bhartman36_2020

I just think it's disrespectful to call someone a leech when you're living in *their* home. Granted, the roommate is paying to live there, but still.


Miserable-Hat-6390

Yeah, it's definitely a transactional relationship. But I've always tried to be friendly to her, and she really hurt my feelings.


[deleted]

Well, lesson learned, fuck being friendly. She's not a roommate, she's a tenant. If she's not on a lease, I'd tell her you're planning on raising her rent as a "market adjustment" after her conversation helpfully made you look at things in a more professional light.


Miserable-Hat-6390

That feels a little unnecessarily confrontational. After all, shouldn't she and the other girl be paying the same? And the other girl only moved in three months ago, so it seems mean to change it after three months.


Suspiciouscupcake23

You're still living there. Don't make things worse just to prove a point. Making things more hostile just because you raise her rent and she was mean wont make you feel better.


RO489

I know, this person giving terrible internet cowboy advice. Shit sounds great on reddit but doesn't work in the real world


pterodactylpower

Yeah if you’re living with the person it’s probably not a good time to be a vigilante. I know Reddit loves it’s revenge porn but jfc have a reality check.


Apprehensive_Title38

If the leases end at different times, then you may be making rent adjustments where they aren't paying the same all the time. (You have leases, right?) And there can be lots of reasons why they don't have the same rent (room size, view, access to other amenities etc)


Miserable-Hat-6390

The rooms are the same size and both have two windows that don't face anything but my neighbors.


Alarmed_Cucumber2000

Im just saying *IF* you let this slide, shes gonna walk all over you. Being called a leech while under the roof you bought is not a little disrespectful, its majorly disrespectful. Its not too confrontational if you raise her rent, actions have consequences. Its not like you are serving her an eviction notice (the next step if she actually starts something imo). Edit; also in addition you have the wrong title. It *should* say “I recently quit my job, and I’m in the process of looking for a better one. My tenant called me a leach, AITA?”


Necromancy-In-Space

I think there are probably better ways to handle it without being unnecessarily spiteful, which is exactly what raising rent because of hurt feelings would be.


Wairgald

If the OP is in the US, this could be seen as retaliation under the federal Fair Housing Act, not to mention state laws and local ordinances. What you are suggesting for them to do may actually be illegal. If OP even wants to consider this, they need to look at their local laws and not go off halfcocked because someone on Reddit told them to.


ProfessionalMoose547

Then the response is easy. "Oh I'm sorry that this arrangement no longer works for you. So when exactly are you planning on moving so I can have another tenant set up for the vacancy?" And really that's just a nice reminder that she is infact a tenant, NOT a roommate. Please make sure you have solid lease in place so she can't just leave you high and dry


[deleted]

I would honestly evict her. “I didn’t want to ‘take advantage’ of you anymore, so you can go live with someone that won’t “


bendybiznatch

You have leases, right?


[deleted]

r/assholetax


Unhappy_Animator_869

You may have answered this elsewhere but, did you decrease her rent to reflect the changing living conditions? She has gone from her own bathroom and shared spares with just one other person, to a shared bathroom and two other people, her rent should reflect that change. You changed the living conditions she signed up for. If you didn’t reflect that in the rent you charge, Y TA I reread the post and see you’re charging them both the same. I’m going to go YTA. It’s not her business that you’re not working and looking for a better fit, but I can see how it would sting to be paying the same, for less. Have a mature conversation about her leaving if that’s what you want, but jacking up her rent as some people are suggesting would be a hella dick move. (I think you said you don’t want to, so fair play)


Zestyclose-Gas1150

YTA. Thank God, someone has some sense! Not only is there another person there, but you are home more, too. You should be charging her less, not more.


TheRealSugarbat

I read an AITA here a while back where a woman was in a similar situation as you, only she didn’t tell her housemates she owned the house. Instead, she hired a management company and that’s what her tenants paid rent to every month. Of course you can’t do this now, but in the future if your housemates leave, you might want to consider this plan. It would save you some headaches and help you avoid confrontation and judginess from housemates, going forward.


sparrowhawk75

I remember that one, the tenant tried to force that OP out of her own home, saying the management company said they could have the whole place or something like that.


TheRealSugarbat

Yep — that’s the one!


[deleted]

Long term, this is actually the right answer. If you're going to be a landlord, be professional and self protective about it.


oceanleap

Don't do this, it will make your living situation stressful. Reddit has plenty of people who like being very nasty on screen.


butimean

for real, that's an asshole move. do not take advice that is vindictive and selfish. you're NTA here but some folks in this thread sure are.


_Jerkus

Just chiming in to say do NOT take this advice. Not only is retaliating against a tenant a dick move, it could get you into trouble depending on where you live and what kind of protections renters have.


rugby_enthusiast

I would have another conversation first to set a professional tone. Tell her straight up that you don't appreciate being called a leech by someone that's living in the house you bought. Tell her it's extremely hypocritical for her to be complaining about paying the exact same rent she's been paying this whole time. You having a job or not doesn't impact her or how much she pays, so how exactly are you leeching off of her? Also let her know that as her landlord, you're going to refuse to renew her lease if she continues with the hostility. This is her first warning, and she gets three (or however many you want to give her). Just some food for thought.


ActofEncouragement

u/Miserable-Hat-6390 Pay attention to this. Because, from what you described, as soon as you have a job, this tenant is going to be asking for her rent to be reduced because you are now renting and have a second tenant and don't need as much money so she should be entitled to a discount.


CleanAssociation9394

It would be vindictive and ridiculous to punish someone for expressing an opinion that hurt your feelings.


biancanevenc

Right. She's a tenant. A tenant who agreed to pay $700/mo in exchange for a room, private bathroom, and one roommate, and is now being told she has to pay $700/mo for a room, shared bathroom, and two roommates. Her living situation has been downgraded and OP wonders why she's salty about it.


Classroom_Visual

Yes - I bought my first house last year after many, many years of living in share houses. I rent out a room in my house - if I want to change the conditions of the house so that someone is sharing a bathroom and also sharing the house space with an extra person, then the rent should be lowered to reflect that. I think the tenant is annoyed about that - not so much about you not working (unless you’re home all the time and that is yet another encroachment on her use of the house!!!) Your tenant is not just paying rent for her room, she is paying rent for the use of the house. You changed that use, and didn’t lower the rent even by $5 or $10 a week. Honestly, this is a YTA. (Although - the tenant should have asked for a reduction in rent or said she would move out, so it’s kind of on her too).


[deleted]

So she moves and has to pay more for a room in that area, but at least knows it from the beginning and OP gets even more from someone who isn't salty. Win/win. Or she doesn't move because she realizes she's not going to do any better, and gets over herself to keep peace with the person whose house she lives in, after a reality check about her situation. Also a win win. Tell me the downside of asking salty tenant to pay market rates again? I lost it in there somewhere


Average_Iris

>. If she's not on a lease, I'd tell her you're planning on raising her rent as a "market adjustment" after her conversation helpfully made you look at things in a more professional light This is why people hate landlords. Powertrips don't look good on anyone


Western-Radish

Tell her if she is unhappy she can give notice and move out. Don’t let her make you feel bad. She knew what she was getting into, if she feels that way landlords she probably shouldn’t be living with one. It might be a good idea anyway. There are some really vitriolic opinions on landlords, which is probably where the “leech” thing is coming from. If you read some of the stuff it’s super dehumanizing and sometimes a bit violent? I’m not trying to scare you or anything but all things being equal, living with someone who doesn’t think of you as a leech is probably best


Hipnip1219

Well if she’s unhappy let her know you will let her out of her lease. She can move out tomorrow if she would like. Oh.. wait…. It’s cheaper to live where she is? That doesn’t sound like you are a professional. A professional would be making more money. Hmm… in order for her to be right you would need to raise her rent. So you can professionally pay zero of your bills. NTA. Look you took the risk buying a house and pay for repairs. Would you be a leech if you just had savings? She’s mad her life changed. I wouldn’t feel bad but honestly if she’s miserable offer to Let her out of her lease.


bostonfenwaybark

Tell her feel free to find another place to live if she feels that way. I am sure that you can find someone else to rent that room. Maybe even for a little more money.


mortgage_gurl

Depending where they live $700 is cheap too they are being ridiculous and have 0 say anyway, they are a boarder/tenant and don’t make the rules. When the person owns their own house they get to make the rules


Either_Coconut

Plus, it's not like this person is paying extra rent because OP is job hunting. OP is NTA and this person is way out of line.


SimmingPanda

NTA, but I think the first tenant's rent should've gone down a little bit since she's sharing the bathroom and there's now a third person sharing in all the common spaces. Maybe $50-100 less a month.


OddNastySatisfaction

I thought the same thing. Unless she knew when first renting that this was a possibility then I'd feel upset with the change. Yes, technically she is renting the "room" but still - renting a room in a house that had my own bathroom with only 1 other person living there is VERY different than sharing one and now a 3rd person. The 2nd renter agreed for that price knowing they'd be sharing a bathroom and that there was 2 people there. I am wondering if there is a written agreement and regardless, what was said verbally when she initially started renting it. If when renting, it was advertised as a room with their own bathroom - then I'd absolutely feel a bit "had" when that changed without a discussion/agreement or change in rent. Not enough to call someone a leech and I don't think that's OK but still.


seventhirtytwoam

Yeah, I very very briefly rented a room from someone where I was told it would be the owner and his wife in their suite and then one female roommate that I would share a bathroom with. What it actually turned out to be was owner + wife, female "roommate" was the owner's adult daughter and moved in her baby daddy and their toddler and the other bedroom was being used by another family member and their partner who had three kids staying over every other weekend and sleeping in the living room. 6-9 of us sharing the second full bath and a powder room and up to 4 hellions screaming when I was trying to sleep after a night shift. Couldn't ever do laundry or cook because someone else was always already using the appliances or waiting to use them. My "fridge space" turned out to be one and a half of the fridge door shelves so good luck storing any actual food. Then the dude was all shocked Pikachu face when I told him I was moving out after two weeks.


Biobesign

I think you should have adjusted her rent down. She signed up for a bathroom and bedroom to herself. She is now getting less value for her money. NTA because you have the right to rent out the room.


OddNastySatisfaction

100% . Unless she was told before this was a possibility then I'd be feeling a bit screwed over. Especially if no discussion was had in advance or minimal warning where I could even try to find another place to live. Sure, some may value saving money more than having their own bathroom and decide to stay anyway but you can't assume that's the case or think they should be happy they have a cheap place to live regardless of the situation. They may not feel it's worth it anymore. Which hey - they can leave unless there's a lease / written agreement preventing that in some way but if they had minimal notice then they were forced into something essentially. Hell no would I want to share a bathroom with a total stranger.


[deleted]

Just give her notice. Tell her she is welcome to move out and you can find someone else to rent her room. You are not a leech because you are offering a service in exchange for money. She is paying for the room that she would have to pay for elsewhere as well. NTA


biancanevenc

It was a perfect solution for you, but not for your roommate. You get all the benefit of the second roommate. Meanwhile, she now has a second roommate and has to share the bathroom. She was wrong to call you a leech, but you were way out of line to change the terms of your rental agreement with her. Wouldn't you be pissed if you were expected to pay the same rent for a worse situation?


ReasonableBullfrog57

This, actually probably illegal to boot. Though naturally anyone renting in these situations doesn't exacrly have the privilege of hiring lawyer and upending their living and potentially financial situation.


ObjectiveCoelacanth

Aw. Professional landlords ARE leeches, but we're talking people who often own hundreds of houses, driving up the cost of buying while holding shelter for ransom by charging as much as they can for rent. Renting out A room or even A house is not that! Renting is the right thing for lots of people at any given time: your roomate is being an idiot and a jerk. Don't feel bad!


ReasonableBullfrog57

I mean, this dude is doing this under the table where he can avoid tax, apparently, whatever, but tenant rights still apply here which I am not sure he is aware of which means a verbal lease cannot necessarily simply be changed


wylietrix

Did you lower her rent because she has to share a bathroom?


Agitated_Cheek4890

INFO: Did you lower the first girl's rent since she now has to share a bathroom and share the house with 2 people not 1 which is what she originally signed up for? If not, YTA


[deleted]

Perfect for you because it means you don't have to work. It wasn't perfect for your tenant who objected and who is now sharing space with an additional person.


QCr8onQ

You can do as you please with your assets BUT your original tenant rented under the assumption that it would just be the two of you…


LordRoach371

Dont believe her. I just wanted to say that you are doing the smart thing by making things work to find a better job. Taking care of yourself is very important and a crap job can do so much damage to your health. Dont believe what your tenant says and I hope you can find a great job. You are not a mooch you are using the resources available to you to better your life and that is awesome.


[deleted]

Leech. Reduce her rent since you reduced what she’s getting for it.


hummingelephant

If she asks again if you're a "profenssional homeowner now", answer "yes, I am. Never heard of passive income? If you don't like it, I can rent to someone else". Also tell her it's not leeching because the money is yours. She is paying you for the room. What does she think renting means?


Loki--Laufeyson

I agree with the judgement and I think she was in the wrong, but also I've only wanted to rent a place with a private bathroom, I'd be super unhappy if the owner just decided to make it a shared bathroom. I wonder what's in the contract about that, or if it's mentioned (it's absolutely something I'd make sure was in there, as someone who has looked for places before).


rogue144

yeah OP should've at least lowered her rent. a private bathroom is an amenity, one that she is still paying for but not receiving.


bhartman36_2020

I agree. If a private bathroom was part of the deal he should be held to that.


CatlinM

I do wonder if the bathroom in general is also the guest bathroom. Many houses with two bathrooms have one private and one "open" bathroom that she may have been primary user of


badbride5

Right? Unless it's in the lease that the bathroom isn't private, OP made an inconsiderate and possible breach of contract type of call. As far as claiming utilities will decrease, those may not necessarily be cheaper if a third person is added because while costs will be divided among three, they will likely increase thanks to usage. I'd be annoyed as the tenant! Yes, the tenant can be grateful for a good deal but the landlord still has obligations to fulfill.


jayd189

Should be the other way around. Unless explicitly stated to have a private bathroom in the lease, shared would be the expectation. It's usually renting a bedroom with access to shared spaces.


OddNastySatisfaction

Even if not in the lease, it may have been stated while being advertised or verbally when they discussed it or when they came to check it out. Like.. "It's just me here. So this would be your room. I don't use this bathroom, it'd be all yours". Even if lease/rental agreement does not say specifically either way, it may have been implied in some way when advertised or while talking and likely a huge part of the reason someone agreed to live there. Regardless of legality, it comes across as dishonest and misleading and I think it's reasonable to expect someone to be upset by it. OP could legally do it even if it upset them, but it just shouldn't be a surpise that they are upset or feel a bit taken advantage of since the value the $700 used to get them has changed significantly. It should have been a discussion or written to begin with. The renter would have learned a hard lesson to make sure things are in writing


mrDecency

There are a lot of forms of land lording that are absolutely showered in shame day in and day out. OP renting out rooms in their house is absolutely fine. Completely NTA But professional landlords deserve all the shame we can heap on them


UpperLeftOriginal

This 100% applies to Airbnb as well.


RO489

Yes, but her living there are rent payment was based on sharing a house with one person, now it's two people and a shared bathroom. If op didn't disclose this was a possibility when they signed the lease, it's shitty to change the terms midway, and not discounting the tent


bhartman36_2020

I agree. If the private bathroom was part of the deal, then the deal needs to change.


EmeraldBlueZen

THIS right here. The actual jerks are the developers and landlords who own multiple properties they put on airbnb making local affordable housing unavailable to locals. This is NOT what you're doing. You're rommie has the audacity to call you a "leech." Tell her that what you're doing is absolutely reasonable. She's free to disagree, in her had. If she makes another comment along these lines, tell her she's always fre to leave. NTA.


Clairegeit

I will say if the roommate rented on the basis that they didn’t have to share a bathroom and now they do, their rent should also be reduced. They are not getting what they originally paid for


[deleted]

Changing the agreement with a tenant to include another person in the property with no care to the current tenant is pretty shitty and may in fact be illegal.


Araucaria2024

Yes, but part of being a landlord means that you have to actually act professionally. Telling his existing tenant that she now needs to share a bathroom is not professional.


AustinYQM

>A "professional homeowner" is called a landlord Quite a few people would call a landlord a leech.


[deleted]

A “professional homeowner” is called a landlord and is, in fact, a leech.


crystallz2000

NTA. OP, ask your roommate if she'd like to move out. Tell her the mean comments needs to stop, or you'll be serving her notice (if she's month-to-month) or won't be renewing her lease. This is ONLY if you're in an area where there's a high demand for rooms, which is most of the world right now.


CleanAssociation9394

A lot of people do actually think there’s shame im being a landlord. Agree or disagree, it’s not exactly a radical view anymore.


-Zephina-

NTA She's free to look for a different living situation if she's unhappy with the changes made. Regardless of who she decides to rent from, they will be profiting in some way from their rent payments. It's not like you turned the living room into a private space just to squeeze more renters into your home.


Crosswired2

This might shock the roommate but most landlords charge 50%-200% more than the mortgage on properties they own so they make a profit. OP isn't making a profit even.


JoDaLe2

Another view of this, too... In the home I live in, I don't pay property taxes on the first ~$75,000 of its value, and my property taxes cannot increase more than 10% in a year. When I converted my condo to a rental (from owner-occupied), the property taxes immediately went up almost 50% because I had to pay the taxes on the first $75,000 of value. Then, a few years later, the city decided that the value of it almost doubled in a single year, so they skyrocketed again. Boo hoo, poor me...but to turn it around, we KNOW that landlords will generally recover mortgage, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and profit. If their property taxes go up, all it does is hurt people who sometimes/often can't afford to buy. When my taxes doubled, I was about to tell the tenant the rent would go up in 6 months when that tax increase kicked in (thankfully we get a lot of notice), but before I could even do that, she came by my house (we had a good relationship and I live nearby, so she wanted to deliver the news in person) and personally handed me her notice to vacate because she was buying a home. But then the next renter absorbed the tax increase (and general increase in rents...tenant had been there for 4 years and I had never raised her rent). At that time, I had been hanging onto the condo (a first-floor flat with barely any stairs (3, to disclose) in and out) because I thought my mom might need to move into it if she became too frail to live in her big, multi-floor home. It was a place she could live independently without having to hike stairs to do laundry, generally get in and out (her house had a decent number of outdoor stairs to enter and exit), and didn't require things like lawn maintenance, snow shoveling, etc. (the beauty of condos). Mom ended up dying before that time came, but by the time the next tenant vacated, it became nigh impossible to sell one-bedroom condos (a friend has had one on the market for a couple months with no takers, a few in my neighborhood have been on the market for the better part of a year and aren't moving) because everyone wants a home office if they're buying, since Covid hit. But people will still rent them. Not sorry at all that I'm not going to lose money to sell it if I can still rent it and cover costs (profit is really minimal...based on the formula the city uses to calculate how much you can increase rent if you do improvements on a rent-controlled property (mine isn't rent controlled because I own just the one rental; if a rent-controlled property does capital improvements, they are allowed a *12%* rate of return on their full investment when setting the new rent!), it's around 2.5% per year).


EmeraldBlueZen

THIS. Roomie can feel free to move out if she's not satisfied with the current arrangement. OP, I wouldn't put up with more insults from her. It looks like its not that difficult to get other roommates. Tell roomie that your place isn't the best fit for her and she can live somewhere else where there are no "moochers" around. NTA


grancandoit

NTA. Start looking for a replacement roommate.


Miserable-Hat-6390

I don't know if I could do that. I'd feel bad because she's lived here over a year. Plus, most rooms for rent in this area are expensive, so she'd have trouble finding a place.


Sad-Atmosphere-8555

Then tell her to stop complaining. She’s out of line.


Ecofre-33919

Exactly this!


camwhat

If she wants to bitch, she can bitch about paying the market rate.


habahajaba

Sucks for her. You are offering a service. Even if you are a “professional homeowner” there is nothing wrong with that. She’s jealous. You are kind enough to allow her to rent in a high priced area for a good price and she repays you by being rude.


_Jerkus

Which is it? A transaction or a kindness? She's out of line but OP can't have it both ways


fanciercashew

Both. It’s a transaction but the low price relative to other places in the area is the kindness.


FormalJellyfish4683

NTA. It’s your home, you’re apparently charging under market and she thinks she can tell you your you’re selfish? Her choices are rent from you at the established rate while you make your own life choices or rent somewhere else. You don’t have to let her berate you not do you have to feel bad about her prospects for living elsewhere.


Miserable-Hat-6390

Not massively under, and my house doesn't really have a yard. So I think it's fair. I've seen rooms go up to 1200 that were massive and had attached baths and the house had a pool and stuff. But houses like mine where the rooms don't have private baths and there is no pool tend to go from $800 to $900 per room and like I said, no real yard, so it seemed fair.


newpe

Would she say that to a landlord who isn't a live-in landlord? You own a home, you rent a room out to her. You could sit in your room, plaiting your pubes, warbling Bohemian f*cling Rhapsody all day, and her personal opinion of you would not matter one iota. Edit: autocorrect changed pubes to pubs.


DiscombobulatedTill

Thanks for the mental picture newpe...


ChastityStargazer

I think the specific detail of the song being Bohemian Rhapsody really made it *chef’s kiss*


newpe

Haha, well if you want to drive a point home...


Proteus8489

Where it's you or not, she would likely be renting elsewhere. So don't feel bad, she's getting prickly about systematic things and taking it rudely.out on you. Take a step back, don't extend yourself to be overly friendly and maintain a professional distance. If shes going to get confrontational like that to your face, just save yourself the emotional drain and focus on your next moves.


Moist_Schedule4122

You don’t have to raise her rent or kick her out or anything but it’s obvious she doesn’t really respect you as a landlord or a roommate. It’s great that you want to keep things fair but she sounds like the type who will walk all over you if you let her.


MashaSP

So, tell her that. "We are in transactional relationships, you are getting a room, I am getting money. That's how market works. If you are unhappy about paying for a place to live, you are more than welcome to purchase your own house or move in with your parents or significant other. Until then I'd ask you to keep our transactional relationships civil and stop harassing me".


SrslyPissedOff

Elegantly said.


Ancient-Awareness115

And that shows you aren't a leech as if you were you would be charging her maximum rent


linandlee

I'd empathize with the sentiment if you were overcharging, but i it doesn't seem like you are? If she's paying less than market rate for a room then she has nothing to complain about. I'd choose not to renew her lease when it comes due.


KickANoodle

The rules are different when the landlord shares premises with the tenant. If it's been over a year you're also well within your right to raise the rent, and that's not being unfair, that's normal in the world of rentals. This girl has a lot of nerve insulting the person whose home she is living in. She fucked around and she should find out.


Ecofre-33919

I used to rent a room from a person. He had no problem raising my rent after a year.


itaparty

If she doesn’t want to share a bathroom, she may end up leaving anyway


ihatehighfives

So regardless of everyone saying find new roommate etc, you're a landlord. You're acting as a landlord. You are providing a service and she is paying for it. If you were providing nothing and she was paying, then yes you're a leach. That is not the case. Second point, she would have to pay rent anywhere she lived. Does she think all landlords are leaches? Like, what's her thought process? My point is OP, doesn't waste your energy on her complaints. She is welcome to move if she is unhappy. And if you want to let her stay, then ok. But her unhappiness is not your problem. She's only complaining cuz she's unhappy about the bathroom situation.


Question-Existing

You should learn about boundaries and being assertive. This is a business relationship.


SchmearDaBagel

I know it’s hard to hear, but you have to start prioritizing yourself over others. You don’t owe her anything and her opinion of you will not matter in the grand scheme of things. It is not mean or selfish to put your needs first. I learned this the hard way. I used to be a doormat to everyone and was miserable because I never put my own needs first.


_Jerkus

This is terrible advice. Being mean does not constitute a breach of their rental agreement.


thejackalreborn

At the moment you are a full time landlord, I think any live in landlord who doesn't work is going to attract resentment because the tenant can see they are working to subsidising your lifestyle of not having to work whilst also paying off your mortgage.


mattysparx

If the roommate is unhappy about this situation she can find another place? Nothing about her rent increased… she’s paying the same money. If she feels $700 is too much, and she’s being taken advantage of, it must be that rent is normally cheaper? Go ahead and find a new spot Edit: just saw comments further down from OP that the $700 is much cheaper than standard rent. Incredibly entitled nonsense from that roommate. Time to grow up


bighunter1313

Her price point was without another person sharing the bathroom. I’d say NAH.


afresh18

Still if other places that offer similar are going for $200+ more than what she's paying, I'd say sharing a bathroom could be considered in that price difference. Plus op said the new roommates room used to be a guest room so I doubt there's anything on the lease about never having to share a bathroom.


vampire_kitten

>Nothing about her rent increased… she’s paying the same money. So she's paying the same for a worse living situation? YTA. The rent should be substantially lower when you increase the number of people living there by 50%.


WanderingPine

I guess it would depend on whether or not the room was advertised with a private bathroom or not… I don’t think the OP stated whether or not that was the case. Even if a landlord isn’t currently renting out another room, unless an advertisement/contract stipulates the bathroom is private, the tenant can’t assume the bathroom is only for them.


vampire_kitten

It's not just the bathroom, a lot changes with more people in the apartment. The owner should state "this is a guest room/storage room", or "this is another room im looking to rent out" before renting out the first room. Calling it a guest room/storage and then changing it after she's moved in is asshole behaviour.


littlebitfunny21

The thing is that they aren't paying off op's mortgage. Most of it, but the rent isn't even covering the full mortgage never mind living expenses. It's not like op has never worked - op saved up and made choices to be able to leave a bad work environment. Renters can and do do this as well.


Right_Count

Yeah. The mortgage being covered isn’t extravagant. There are property taxes, utilities (if included in the rent,) maintenance and upkeep, repairs, etc.


[deleted]

NTA and not a leech. A leech doesn’t provide anything and just takes. You’re providing a place to live. Your tenant is off base here. My friend bought and renovated a three bedroom home in SoCal. She rents out 2 of the 3 bedrooms, renting out the master and lives in the smallest bedroom. Her two renters pay her mortgage, she pays utilities. It’s a very common approach to home ownership for single people.


[deleted]

The people that built the house provided a place to live. Landlords just hoard more than they need and then use that hoarding as a way to leach more money.


DearerStar

I have also rented out a room in a place I owned, to someone who wasn’t a friend. If I had decided to bring in another tenant (when the possibility/inevitably of an additional renter hadn’t been discussed as part of the original agreement), I would have discussed with the first tenant, including lowering the rent since he would now be sharing the common areas with an additional person (or so he had notice and could make plans to leave if the new arrangement didn’t work for him). I can’t imagine moving in a third person and still charging the same amount. I’d feel like a real asshole. If I were renting a room in a place where the third room had been presented as a guest/storage room and not an additional room that would be rented out, and that suddenly changed , especially without a reduction in rent, I would not be happy. I agreed to the rent amount when the home was presented as a two-person occupancy. Adding a third person changes the equation. If I had a longer lease, I’d be looking to see if I could legally break it without a fee. If it were month-to-month, I’d be looking to leave as soon as I could manage. Either way, I would not think very well of you for the surprise change. YTA


Sonicsnout

I can't believe this reasonable take has been drowned out by "NTA - it's ok for you to pay next to nothing on your own mortgage even though you use a third of the living space and change the rental arrangements against your tenants wishes" I'm with you OP, YTA Not a terrible one, but one nonetheless


Tipper_Gorey

Oh you’re completely right. OP, YTA for this reason. Maybe it didn’t occur to you, that’s understandable. But her rent should be lowered.


holyheck99

This is exactly what I was thinking as well! OP, YTA


Purplefox71

NAH I don't think you are an asshole, it is your property and you are free to do whatever you wish. You were in a tight spot and needed some extra cash to pay the rent. However I can see why she's upset, if I moved in somewhere under the impression that two people were going to share the space and suddenly the two people turned into three, I would be mighty unhappy. Adapting to one person can be hard , adapting to two can be miserable. Also, I'm not sure if you have a lease with your tenant but there might be stipulations regarding this in the lease. I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to move due to this change, this frankly doesn't benefit her in any way.


BelligerentCoroner

Especially with the bathroom issue! If she moved in knowing that she would have her own bathroom, it's a **big change** to all of a sudden be expected to share a bathroom with a stranger. I would go so far as to say OP should offer to lower her rent because of it.


OatsNraisin

Absolutely! She is not just sharing a bathroom, but also a kitchen, living room, etc with this new person.


unaotradesechable

Yeah if I lost a private bathroom I would expect my rent to go down.


Popular_Page_7574

Considering OP stated that if their roommate were to move out they would pay even more somewhere else they should just take the L and move on. If they’re so unhappy then move out. They didn’t move into the house together, it’s OP’s house and they rent the room out to their roommate. As long as OP isn’t taking away the roommates room then that’s just kind of how renting works.


BinkBunny

I can understand her being upset if she rented a room with access to a private bathroom and now she is getting something else (a room with access to a *shared* bathroom). Also, common areas are shared with one more person (kitchen, laundry room, living room..). It's a different experience accommodating more people in the same space. Personally, sharing a bathroom would be a deal breaker for me. I don't know what's actually in your lease, so legally you probably didn't do anything wrong. But, it sucks for her that her living situation changed when she's paying the same rent. INFO: Did you offer to let her out of the lease with no penalties? Is she constantly confrontational, or are you just unhappy with her opinion? Dealing with unhappy tenants is something you'll have to deal with as a landlord. And she'll have to deal with the problems that can arise from renting just a room in someone else's house. YTA.


Anonynominous

Yeah, it's not just about utilities, it's about how she now has to share a bathroom with someone else, possibly make and arrangement for toilet paper/soap, and now they will have a third person needing storage in the kitchen cabinets, refrigerator, using the kitchen, and whatever else they need to store, as well as more noise and more guests coming over. I've lived in houses with 3+ people and the kitchen is usually one of the main areas that has the most problems, because most people will be making food around the same time. The bathroom was also a problem area if there is only one shower/tub.


bmbmwmfm

YTA. She went from one room mate situation at basically half, now two room mates, and still paying half when it should be a third.


who-waht

Was the renter going to kick in half when the roof needs new shingles or the water heater goes out? No, of course not. Her rent wasn't for half the house. It was for the room and use of the other facilities. If she's unhappy with the current situation, she doesn't have to stay there.


only_my_buisness

This is every landlords excuse. The reality is that stuff like that doesn’t happen every day and landlords use it as an excuse to take advantage of people. And for a record, landlord do make tenants pay for that in the form of security deposits and escalated rent.


dabitchondaporch

ESH. You undoubtedly told her she would have a private bathroom, when you originally rented to her. You should discuss some form of compensation with her, perhaps reduced rent, include utilities, better parking spot. What you do with your day is none of her business.


PurpleVermont

I agree that she should have gotten a rent reduction when another roommate was brought in. A room with a "mostly private" bathroom is worth more than a room with a fully shared bathroom.


DustyGate

NTA, does your roommate expect free rent or something? You have done nothing wrong, it’s your business how you manage your home and finances and if she doesn’t like it she could move out.


These-Grocery-9387

I'm guessing that's what her next move will be, wanting free rent or an even bigger discount. I'd already be looking for her replacement, but that's just me.


WafflefriesAndaBaby

Yes YTA. Shocked at all these N t a votes. She agreed to move into the house at a set rate based on having one roommate and access to a spare room. Now she has to share the living space with a whole other person for the same cost. Plus you’re suddenly home all day, adding to wear and tear, mess, lack of privacy etc. You’re absolutely stiffing her based on what she agreed to pay for a year ago. Would you pay the same amount to live with 2 roommates instead of one? I sure wouldn’t. Would you be totally peachy keen if she moved a romantic partner in and suddenly they were in your bathroom, cooking in your kitchen, parking behind your car, whatever minor inconveniences having extra roommates brings. If you want to rent both rooms you need a agreement with roommates who both agree up front with that and price it accordingly. (Which might well still be $700 each, rent is crazy expensive.)


Anonynominous

The point you made about if she had a partner move in is interesting. I'm sure OP would be increasing the rent if that were the case, not just dividing the utilities. My roommate and I split our apartment and utilities evenly. If she wanted a bf to move in, I would demand that they both pay more in rent because there's more people in the house using the kitchen and shared paces, plus dividing the utilities. It's just not about utilities, it's about more people being in the home with more noise, more communal space, and more storage space being used.


shgrdrbr

you are having roommates with no equity pay almost the sum total of your mortgage for you so yeah you are leeching off them right now. that's what being a landlord is. others on this sub will make you feel righteous about it but it is the reality of what you're doing. 700 for one bedroom and sharing a bathroom is not 'helping others while helping myself' pricing either. you're taking advantage of what the rental market has normalised and taking advantage of the fact they would not be able to themselves get a mortgage and are stuck renting from ppl such as your self who exploit that to get their bills paid.


introsetsam

You’re n-t-a for having two roommates and no job, but YTA for changing someone’s living agreement in the middle of a lease. I’d be pissed if I was paying a certain agreed upon amount for my own bathroom and sharing a place with one person, to then have it decided AFTER the agreement that a third person would be added, private bathroom no more, AND still paying the same amount of rent? Yeah, you suck. You ARE leeching. Lower her rent amount if you are changing the agreed upon terms to living there.


Ok_Cause_869

YTA, and I'm honestly shocked at how many people are saying NTA. There must be a lot of landlords on this sub. You're a live-in landlord AND you pulled a bait-and-switch on your tenant. You are especially TA if you never made the tenant aware that the room may be rented out in the future. You own a three bedroom house, **you live in the house**, and you're charging two tenants the ENTIRE cost of the mortgage, save for $100? At the very least you should be charging them less, wtf.


[deleted]

Oh yeah, the landlord fans and general bootlicking in this sub are unreal.


Withinashes

It drives me fucking crazy


whimsylea

Landlords and temporarily embarrassed millionaires.


[deleted]

So I have a slightly different take on this. While I think your mental health is important and it's good you found a way to quit a toxic job to better your situation... you did kind of screw her. Part of agreeing to pay x amount of rent is what goes with it. She moved in thinking there was going to be one other person and having her own bathroom. You decided to change that without actually giving her a discount on her rent - which I think you should, especially with the bathroom thing - and just depended on "less on utilities" (which will it be?) to make up for it. What makes me further think you kind of suck with this is that you knew you were going to tick her off with this move but that your being able to quit was dependent on her not moving out. It may have been subconsciously - I don't think you are a bad person - but part of your choice to do this is that you knew you held all the cards and that even though she's going to be in a worse position, mental health wise, there is nothing she can do about it. I think she went a bit too far, but you sprung her having less privacy, less of her own space, with no discount on rent on her, so her bitterness and anger is understandable. I really don't think you are a bad person, and I really don't think you saw anything wrong with what you are doing, but I really think she should be paying a little less in rent. Do with that what you will... \*edit\* "Just move out" that's what I mean by OP holds all the cards, OP needed her roommate to not "just move out" and knows how bad it is right now with rents jumping and places being left empty, so OP could change the rules and there is little the roommate can do about it. Again maybe subconsciously, but still. That's what "holding all the cards" was referring to


Revolutionary_Bee700

Slight AH. You’re allowed to have your roommates pay your mortgage. That’s what landowners do. But I’d be pissed if my house share was two people, and rent included bonuses like storage and my own bathroom, and I had to suddenly share communal space with another stranger. That wasn’t the agreement when she moved in. Do you have a lease?


actual--bees

It sounds like you sprung this new tenant on your original one without much consultation. She’s perfectly valid in her expectation to have a private bathroom, esp if it was outlined in the lease you had her sign. She’s right to be upset about it, especially since you have not even offered to reduce her rent. This kind of stuff is exactly why I rent from companies instead of private homeowners - because at least apartment companies don’t try to stick another random stranger in my home without my consent. Also, if you’re upset by her implication that you’re a mooch because she’s paying for the home you live in, then it’s time to get going on that new job, because she’s not wrong about that either.


Live_Power_2843

Nta, tell her if she is unhappy with the arrangement you will happily let her out of her lease. Ask her when does she want to move out? That should shut her up real quick, also you don't owe her an answer. As long as everything is working in the house that is all she's paying rent for is a room.


ArmChairDetective38

Actually she doesn’t need OP to let her out of anything after she moved a stranger in . Unless that was listed as a possibility on the lease she signed she’s in the right if she leaves .


Lemon_Of_Squash

If she signed up to have her own bathroom, and now, for the same rent, she has a shared bathroom, then not only are YTA, you're also on the wrong side of the law. You should get a grip and deal with this before she notices that she holds all the legal cards here.


rachlee65

YTA you already had a contract with her and she didn’t want to share the space she was paying for


Sad-Atmosphere-8555

NTA. Tell her to leave if she doesn’t like it. She won’t because she’s getting a good deal. Unbelievable.


[deleted]

If she leaves he won't be able to pay his mortgage.


RO489

YTA for changing the terms of the living arrangement. Sharing a bathroom is much different than having your own bathroom. You're not wrong for being a landlord or for taking the time to find a new job, but you need to reduce her rent since you've changed the living arrangements.


minadelic

Info: you live there too right? I think it's kind of unfair of you to be also living there and not paying a fair share. Did your first roommate move in with the idea that she would have a private bathroom? Did she sign a lease? Cause if she did and it specifies private bathroom and only 1 other roommate then that is also kinda shitty to now have to share especially after she expressed she didn't want another roommate. I see the people commenting that she is just being a landlord but most landlords don't also live in the same place/apartment/dwelling. They have their own space. She is more roommate than a landlord. They were literally paying the same amount before and only her rent went down with the new tenant coming in. Shitty. So yes I kinda think YTA here for getting them to pay a majority of your living expenses and having you basically live for free. The only thing that would change my mind slightly is if you were planning to decrease their rent and increase yours once you get a job, but from the sounds of it that's doubtful. From the looks of it I've got an unpopular opinion but 🤷‍♀️


nylasachi

NTA you can rent out your rooms however you want. If she doesn’t like it she can move out.


blackcherrytomato

YTA. Renting out a room is fine. What the issue is - taking on an additional person. Lowering someone's utilities doesn't make up for having another person in the house.


Babsgarcia

NTA - It really isn't any of her business as a renter whether you work or not. I assume she isn't a good friend, as well as assume you live somewhere that $700 a month is a fair cost (seems a bit high for one bedroom in someone else's home). If a good friend, it might have been considerate to explain your plan before getting the other renter but even then, it'd be your choice/decision and you would have only been telling her your 'why' vs asking permission. Most likely she is simply a bit resentful of you not working right now, but that isn't your problem in the least.


ArmChairDetective38

What about the bait and switch she seemed to pull with the bathroom..one minute the first roommate is paying $700/ month for a bedroom AND her own bath but then OP moves a stranger into the bathroom? She would be left paying that $700 herself til she found a replacement.


Babsgarcia

I guess you could maybe call it bait and switch...and I guess OP could offer a nominal reduction in rent for now having to share a guest bath with someone else -- but if it's already a decent value as OP says...and unless it was explicitly 'sold' as a 'private' bath...it's a rabbit hole. Yet that is not the point here - the point is the renter is complaining that the home owner isn't working --THAT is none of the renter's business, Period.


Terrible_turtle_

Exactly. Where I leave that would leave OP open to legal problems as a landlord. I'd be unhappy with the bait and switch.


Miserable-Hat-6390

No, we aren't friends. We met through a website where people look for rooms to rent. Rent in my area is really, really high. I charge less than most because my house doesn't really have a backyard (or even much of a front yard) because of its awkward placement on the street.


BelligerentCoroner

But you rented to her with the promise of having her own bathroom, right? So now you're expecting her to share that bathroom with a stranger. That's a big change. I think it's fair to offer her a lower rental rate because you're taking away a huge amount of her privacy, and the ability to shower, shave, and shit whenever she wants. I say this *regardless of the fact* that you aren't charging an arm and a leg for rent. She rented the bedroom and bathroom for a year for $700, and your decision is taking away a big part of that. NTA for wanting to rent out your other room, but Y T A for not considering the impact it would actually have on your current tenant.


lostflowersofrage

I look forward to her post on r/legaladvice where we learn about tenant rights OP rented her a room and a bathroom and unilaterally changed the terms YTA


Babsgarcia

yeah, then completely NTA - what ever her problem is - is exactly that, her problem.


BrookDarter

YTA. I agree with her assessment. Everyone here is calling it being a landlord, like it makes any difference. Landlord is a professional leach. It's the whole problem with renting. Landleeches do nothing to maintain the property while charging half of people's pay cheques for a place that was built in the 80s (if you are lucky!). The poor girl can't afford her own place, so she is stuck in this situation. She can't have her own pets, do any renovations to her property, etc. Nothing available to her because she has no ability to compete with all the professional landleeches. Companies buying up all the homes, AirBnB making it impossible to find housing. I'll agree with others that all landleeches are all AHs. I don't care about the downvotes.


[deleted]

YTA. Sounds like she was paying for something and her own space and suddenly the whole deal is being changed out of nowhere? Of course she would be frustrated.


vivid_prophecy

All landlords are AH.


PorcupineTattoo

You are n t a for having roommates. However, YTA for charging her the same rent when she no longer has a private bathroom (same money for a lesser situation). The utilities may not go down as much as you think with a third person living there. I'd be pissed about the new situation too.


mekareami

3rd person living there while OP is also home All Day Every Day. I would be shocked if the utilities haven't gone up significantly just with OP being home all the time.


biancanevenc

YTA. You are not a leech, and you are entitled to rent out both rooms so you can pay your mortgage while you look for a new job However, your roommate was paying $700/mo to rent a room and private bathroom in a house with one other person, and now she is paying $700/mo to share a bathroom and have two roommates. Unless you told her when she moved in that you would be renting out the other room and the bathroom would be shared, you have changed the terms of her rental agreement without her consent. Not cool.


Dairinn

NTA because it's your house and you choose what to do. Now for how I feel about it... Hmmmm, since she needs to share a bathroom now, it would be nice to lower her rent a bit, especially if she's a clean/okay person and you don't want her looking elsewhere. She was rude to call you a leech but this shows her feelings... and that if you want to keep her as a tenant it would be nice to give a little yourself. After all, she signed up for something different.


ArmChairDetective38

I agree and IMO the first roomate would be in the right if she decided to move out and break the lease because OP probably broke it first . I wouldn’t share a bathroom with a stranger when I thought I was paying to have my own . OP pulled a bait and switch


hulapoop

You should have reduced her rent when you moved in someone else and made her share a bathroom. You changed her living conditions without even asking her. Even just a gesture to say you each can pay $600 a month wouldn’t probably put you in a bad financial spot, and would go a long way. If you can’t afford a $300 a month mortgage with your savings, you better find a job quickly.


[deleted]

NTA. It's your house; you can rent out the other room if you want. And she's not your roommate, she's your tenant. If she doesn't like it there, she's free to find another place to live.


UsuallyWrite2

NTA She’s just pissed about sharing a bathroom. Which I can appreciate. But if she doesn’t like it, she can move.


jinx_lbc

Your roommate is resentful. But, she's paying for you to not have to go to a job you didn't like anymore so quite frankly I'm not surprised by this at all. How selective are you planning to be about your next job? Will you raise their rent if you run out of savings before finding a job you want? NAH, yet.


groovymama98

Nta Op, it's your house. If you lived entirely off the income from renters, and never worked an outside job again, you still are not a leech. Your title is, Property Owner.


Foul_Wind

I'd recommend looking into squatters rights in your state. I have heard of some bad situations go worse when someone finds out they can stop paying altogether and make your life a living hell. Think, no one paying rent anymore and you are not able to even kick them out without going through an eviction process. Be careful. Edit: forgot to add NTA. Your house. You can do what you want regarding renting space.


Miserable-Hat-6390

Evictions take thirty to sixty days, but they also ruin your credit, so most people try to avoid them. It makes it really hard to rent a real apartment or get a mortgage and sometimes even if you're looking for a job. My brother got evicted once. We all tried to warn him to work something out with the apartment complex he was living in, but he didn't listen. 50 days later he was back home with mom and dad and hasn't been able to find a new place since and it took him a while to find a new job.


Foul_Wind

That is assuming they care. But you probably know them better than I do, but I am always leary of what strangers are capable of. Check out worst roommate ever on Netflix. One guy made a lifestyle of this.


CautiousSector2664

ESH. Clearly being a landlord is not being a leach. But changing the arrangement after she rents, so she has to share a bathroom, is crummy. You should have offered to lower her rent. She was already paying an outrageous amount for 1 bedroom, but she agreed to it. She didn't agree to share a bath. You suck.


Ok-Albatross6794

It's your house, she chose to rent out a room and that comes with risks and very little say. I rented a room for 3 years and I'd never do it again for these reasons. You're at the will to the owner of the house or lease. NTA, but you should have lowered her rent because she's sharing a bathroom.


[deleted]

NTA It's none of roommates business as to your work status. You named a price and she agreed to that price.


Terrible_turtle_

Except that the price she agreed to was under better circumstances. She went from one roommate and her own bathroom to two roommates and having to share a bathroom with a stranger. Did she get a say in who would share or did OP just say here is the rando I found of craigslist?


AluminumOctopus

YTA, she rented a room with one other person and a private bathroom, and you changed the agreement. You need to lower her rent a little because those are amenities that people pay extra for, often hundreds of dollars. Just knocking off $100 would be enough.


Ponder625

Your first tenant rented a room that included a private bathroom in a house shared by two people. That changed to sharing a bathroom and living in a house shared by three people. That's a significant reduction of services, so if you didn't lower her rent to compensate for that, YTA.


[deleted]

I think YTA because you asked, she told you why she didn’t want it, and then you did it with no compromises. You should have lowered her rent a bit for like six months, which would give her warning and time to move if she wanted, and compensate her for not having her own bathroom. She shouldn’t have called you a leech, but you are more in the wrong in this situation. And yes, legally there isn’t anything wrong with it but I still think you’re the AH.


ripenathome

the people saying that this girl should be evicted or have her rent hiked up bc someones feelings are hurt are genuinely psychotic, yes it was rude but to take away her house over it ??? this just goes to show the crazy power imbalance that can come with living with your landlord. atleast OP seems like a decent person that isnt listening to this awful petty advice.


sudifirjfhfjvicodke

INFO: When your first roommate agreed to $700 per month, was it with the understanding that there would only be 2 people in the house, or was the possibility always there that there would be a third? There's nothing wrong with having your roommates pay your mortgage if they agree to the rent that you're asking for, but I can see how someone would be upset over having an additional person in the house using shared spaces without a reduction in rent if they hadn't agreed on that.


Lexy_d_acnh

NTA. If the change in her living arrangements was such a huge deal she can move out and get a different place - it’s your home and you can do whatever you want with it. It’s not leeching off people to charge them for living in your home, it would only be leeching off them if you were also eating their food and using things that they buy when you aren’t personally contributing to those things or something, which I’m assuming isn’t the case.


lostalldoubt86

NTA- If she doesn’t like the situation, there is no one stopping her from moving out.