Entitled roommate enforces ‘fines’ policy, demanding money from roommate for breaking house rules, resulting in a dispute when roommate refuses to comply: ‘She's acting like my mom’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 20, 2025 12:00 PM EST

When living in a communal space with roommates, there are several ways to ensure everyone stays happy and content. Granted, each and every way takes effort from all the roommates, and might not be easy for everyone, but the hard work pays off once everyone sees just how easily living together can be.

When I moved into my first apartment out of my folks' home, I was sure I could make the 'roommates thing' work. I was adamant that every roommate would contribute to cleaning the apartment and ensuring our space was actually livable, so I made a board and had every roommate take a shift on different house chores. Jessy takes out the trash on Sunday, Bri washes the dishes on Tuesday, and Ely sweeps the floor on Friday. Then we alternate the next week, and the apartment stays spotless and pleasant to live in.

Now, for the million-dollar question – Did my method actually work? Well, no… No one liked my board, and I ended up doing all the chores around the apartment all by myself. 

But at least my failed attempt didn't cause a whole roommates dispute, like the one in the story down below…

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  • 01
    "She gave me an $8 fine for not making my bed"
    via life on film
  • 02

    "My roommate charges me "fines" for breaking her stupid rules"

    I don't even know how to deal with this anymore. My roommate (lets call her Ashley) has started leaving little sticky notes on my door with "fines" I owe her for breaking her dumb house rules.
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 03
    The fines are ridiculous... $5 for not emptying the trash "on time", $3 for leaving the bathroom light on, but honestly the craziest one was an $8 fine for not making my bed... WT ???
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 04
    The only way she would even know that is by going in my room when I'm not home and that makes me feel uncomfortable.
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 05
    For the most part I've kinda just ignored it (I know bad idea) because we're on different schedules and don't see each other a lot but tonight when I got home Ashley decided to
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 06
    confronted me with "what I owe her". Ya'll she literally pulled out a little notebook and tried to tell me all the things I did "wrong".
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10456840704
    via Liza Summer

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08
    I told her there's no way I'm paying her fake fines and she got all huffy and said it's "to teach me accountability". It turned into a big fight and now we're not talking to each other (which is nice lol).
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 09
    But like I'm not even messy. She's the one always leaving her bags and sh at the door so coming into the house is like a mine field but yet I'm the problem? Crazy... It feels
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 10
    like she's trying act like my mom and my landlord all rolled into one. How do I even respond to her?? She's a grown a
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 11
    woman and shouldn't be acting like this. I don't care how long she's lived in the house before me. TL;DR: My roommate is fining me for breaking her made up house rules and I'm losing my mind.
    via Tasty_Contract5995

  • This story goes to show that you can come up with the most brilliant ideas, but if people are not on board, they will never work, like my idea of a chores board and alternating assignments.

    But if your ideas are terrible, like trying to charge your roommates ‘fines’, then be prepared for your roommates to retaliate and maybe even give you a fine of their own…

  • 12
    BubbaChanel I'm petty a, so I'd start fining her as well. But I'd write "see how stupid this is?" on the bottom.
    via BubbaChanel
  • 13
    Tasty Contra... OP YESSSS! I should fine her for wasting my time
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 14
    Jewggerz Don't do this, this will only increase your problems. Just be direct with her and tell her it's not happening.
    via Jewggerz
  • 15
    Tasty Contra... OP Yeah that's what I said tonight and in this post and it turned into a massive fight
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 16
    Abroadabroad824 It's not her job to teach you anything!
    via Abroadabroad824
  • 17
    Tasty Contra... OP I need her to understand this
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 18
    Significant-Bass-742 Send her this thread. If she still can't rationalize, she's a waste of time and you can either accept it or move out. Can't change other people, only ourselves.
    via Significant-Bass-742
  • 19
    Tasty Contract... OP i can only imagine what sending this would do
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 20
    nyibolc she's broke
    via nyibolc_
  • 21
    Tasty_Contract... OP that's what i'm thinking
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 22
    DapperRusticTermite8 Loveeeeee the fake name because I had a roommate named Ashley who forced me to live in h l on earth.
    via DapperRusticTermite8
  • 23
    Is she actually your landlord/does she own the house? Are these rules in the signed lease agreement? If not, start there.
    via DapperRusticTermite8
  • 24
    Tasty_Contract5995 OP no she's not the landlord but she has lived here for a long time
    via Tasty_Contract5995
  • 25
    KingNugg710 Is your roommate Sheldon from the Big Bang theory?
    via KingNugg710
  • 26
    TKyzr If you cannot move get a lock. for that door. Get a camera for your room. There is no calm discussion to be had. You tried. Document this behavior and bring the occasional friend around to witness it.
    via TKyzr

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Tags

roommate fine house living together bad roommates reddit story petty chores entitled Reddit roommates payback weird karma entitled people apartment
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