Friend lets down-and-out woman crash at her place for 2 weeks, tries to sue her for $600 when it turns into 5 months: 'Six months later, she still hasn't paid the rest'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 14, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Letting someone stay at your place is doing them an unbelievable kindness. Sure, it's part of what we were put on this Earth to do, to help other people out when we can, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get a little credit for it. Opening your home to someone else can take a lot out of you. It might disrupt your usual routines. You might feel pressured to entertain them when you're home together. Plus, you might feel them encroaching on your recourses (aka food and bathroom time). All to say, it's your right to kick someone out after a while if they're getting on your nerves. Especially if it's months upon months. That can completely take over your life. 

What you can't do, unfortunately, is turn back time. As much as we might want Hermione's time-turner, we don't have it. We can't take back things that we agreed to in the past no matter how much we might want to. 

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  • 01

    WIBTA for taking my friend to court over $600?

    AITA for wanting to cut off my friend, expose her to our mutuals, and take her to court over unpaid rent?
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  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10505287680
    via Resume Genius

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

  • That's what one woman tried to do after her unexpectedly long-term roommate started to get on her nerves. She thought she might be able to squeeze some cash out of the situation in order to make things feel more fair, but she didn't think far enough in advance. Read on for the story and see what you think.

  • 03
    Last year, my friend (let's call her Coco) moved out of her place, saying she was done with the country and going back home. She didn't even buy a plane ticket before telling her landlord, so he replaced her within a week and she had nowhere to go. Out of kindness, I let her stay with me temporarily―no rent, no bills- thinking it would just be 2 weeks tops until she booked her flight.
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  • 04
    That 2 weeks turned into 5 months. During that time, she changed her mind about leaving and just... stayed. She kept working but never contributed to rent, utilities, or groceries. She left messes, ate my food, and even stored her stuff (and some of mine) in a storage unit costing €8/day, which she's letting rack up each day instead of just bringing it to my place like I suggested.
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  • 05
    I eventually had to move out myself, and after months of hinting and sending her listings, she only left when she had no other choice. In the second-last month, I asked her to pay at least €300 (her half for that month). She claimed she was broke, so I agreed she could pay later or in installments. She sent €100. That was it.
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  • 06
    Six months later, she still hasn't paid the rest. When I followed up, she said she might lose her job, so I gave her space-only to find out she didn't lose it. She ignored my last message, and meanwhile I'm seeing her all over Instagram going out, partying, buying takeout, drinks, Ubers—the works. Friends have confirmed she's spending like normal.
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  • 07
    Now I feel used and disrespected. I'm thinking of cutting her off, telling our friends what actually happened, and even asking her to pay the full €1500 for her 5-month stay-or taking her to court. But I've been told that would make me petty especially raising the price from the original 2 month rent and I should just let it go.
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  • 08
    AITA for wanting to expose her and take her to court, because I do acknowledge it probably isn't that much money and I may be acting out of hurt?
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  • 09
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    via Unsplash+ (Nini FromParis)

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

  • 10

    Commenters laid out her limited options.

    ReflectP 4h ago . That is not how agreements work. You let her move in for free and then you tried to unilaterally create a bunch of madeup reasons she owes you money. That's not how any of this works. S ks. Plan ahead next time.
    via u/ReflectP
  • 11
    KaliTheBlaze • 4h ago Trying to get her to pay rent for 5 months when you didn't agree to that will be laughed out of court. You've got to have an agreement for her to owe you money, so at best you might be able to get $500 plus interest for the time it has gone unpaid.
    via u/KaliTheBlaze
  • 12
    YWNBTA if you demand that amount, or if you take her to court for that. YWBTA and a fool to try to wring more money out of her, since she never agreed to paying it.
    via u/KaliTheBlaze
  • 13
    . United_Emphasis _... 4h ago You let her stay "no rent, no bills". You didn't have a legally binding agreement, according to you. Morally, she owes you. Legally, I don't think you have a case. Live and learn. Move on.
    via u/United_Emphasis_6068
  • 14
    Headoobiedoo • 4h ago Court will be a waste of your time, and to your friends, it will seem petty. Block her everywhere and cut your losses. If you want to out her to your friends, NOT taking her to court will keep tensions down and more people in your corner.
    via u/Headoobiedoo
  • 15
    CheekiCheshire 4h ago YTA Taking someone to court for such a small amount is pointless. Taking someone to court without clear written documentation of a contract is pointless.
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  • 16
    Telling your mutual friends about it will make you look. petty and vengeful. This is what is called a learning experience.
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  • 17
    neon_crone • 4h ago Well, I don't think you'll make that mistake again. You assumed she'd only be there two weeks. You didn't get anything written up and agreed to. Of course she stayed on. It was a pretty sweet deal. With someone like that you can't hint. You have to tell them their time is up. It's not your problem. that she created a mess for herself.
    via u/neon_crone
  • 18
    Good_Condition_5... • 4h ago YWNBTA, but you wouldn't be smart if you did. You have to have a contract for what she pays in rent before she stays in order to get paid. Unless she sent you some kind of message acknowledging an agreement to pay you
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  • 19
    monthly for rent, you wouldn't win in court. Getting angry at the end of her stay and demanding compensation after doesn't count as a contract. You would end up spending money on court fees, and honestly it might have the opposite effect on your friends.
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  • 20
    Even with her paying you 100 of the money you demanded at the end, this would not be considered a rental contract. It would be very unlikely a judge would order her to pay unless there's some written evidence that she agreed to pay rent at all. Most courts would consider her a guest and not a tenant.
    via u/Good_Condition_5217
  • 21
    It would be smarter to cut all contact with her and let your friends know she's a mooch who uses people.
    via u/Good_Condition_5217
  • 22
    ThealaSildorian · 3h ago . NTA but don't take her to court. It's not worth the effort. If you were hurting for money that would be one thing but this is revenge you want. You've learned a valuable life lesson: never lend money you can't afford to lose, and never let a friend move in with you without a written lease.
    via u/ThealaSildorian
  • 23
    She's not your friend. You can TELL people what she did; that's not being the AH. But I think a court case would just create more hassle and you still might not get your money back. Then again, I don't know how the law works in your country. I live in the US. So take what I say about court with a grain of salt.
    via u/ThealaSildorian
  • 24
    topherswitzer • 3h ago . Boundaries are one of life's hardest lessons, and while your friend is obviously taking advantage of a situation, you not holding a boundary early on and communicating the financial expectations of her, I don't know that you can expect
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  • 25
    anything at this point. Unfortunately, it might just be a more expensive learning lesson, I'm sorry you are finding out this way. That being said, you could gather the Instagram posts and whatnot to show her, and let her know how this has made you feel, so at least you can have a little bit
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  • 26
    of mental clarity with the situation, but it will have to be her own choice to make amends with what she has done. Be happy it's only $600 and not thousands!
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  • 27
    Sawoodster • 3h ago You're not an a h lelget your point, but you're dumb for not setting pre- established boundaries. Take this as a life lesson.
    via u/Sawoodster

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