Roommate Books Hotel Room Due to Lack of Hot Water, Live-In Landlord Refuses to Pay

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

Jul 26, 2022 2:00 PM EDT

This tenant took matters into their own hands, and when their live-in landlord let them know that the hot water would be out for the weekend, they booked a hotel room for themselves without saying a word. After pulling a vanishing act for the entire weekend, they returned and hit the landlord with the bill expecting them to pay it.

The landlord, Redditor u/SheHadaStaycation, posted this topic to Reddit's r/AITA (Am I the A-Hole) subreddit, wondering if they were wrong for refusing to pay for the tenant's hotel room.

Let's just come out and say it… I went into this thinking that I'd take the tenant's side but find myself leaning further and further towards taking the landlord's. I mean, they didn't even have a chance to have the conversation with the tenant before being hit with a $600 bill for just one weekend. Keep in mind here that the tenant only pays $800 a month. (Where is this room?? I want to move there.)

That said, something about the post has a bit of a stink of a-holery. I can't quite put a finger on it, but perhaps it starts at the name of the throwaway account "She Had a Staycation." The attitude makes me think that maybe everyone sucks here instead. The worst part for both of them is that they have to live with each other.

Commenters had similar sympathies.

"Not having hot water is what's called a habitability violation," responded u/IAmHerdingCatz. "In my state, the landlord would owe the tenant a discount in the form of pro-rated rent. In your case that would come to $26.67 per day the water heater was out of commission, assuming a 30 day month."

"ESH. You need to learn your responsibility as a landlord. She needs to talk to you before expecting reimbursement for a hotel. You both need to learn to communicate."

Another commenter, u/Embarrassed-Sweet905, had this to say.

"ESH.

You don't mind a cold shower. That's fine, but you suck for assuming your tenant feels the same way.

She sucks for being passive-aggressive about the $250.

Both of you need to communicate better and compromise."