Live-in landlord rents room for $1300, demands tenant doesn't use kitchen at the last minute: 'Why am I paying half when I wont be using half the house'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Oct 3, 2026 9:15 AM EDT

What does it take to be a good landlord and roommate at the same time?

Living with a stranger is definitely a risk. They could end up becoming one of your best friends, or they could decide that they want to be the bane of your life until the day that they move out. One thing's for sure: having roommates will teach you a lot about how to exist with people, as well as how not to. It is a phase of life that most of us like to leave behind at a certain point if we can.

As a result, it often takes a special kind of individual to want to share a home that they own with a random person for a profit. Admittedly, it is one of the most obvious ways to make passive income if it is a resource available to you, but it also requires the sacrifice of some personal space, as well as a willingness to be occasionally inconvenienced. If you cannot cope with that, you probably have no business in renting a room. Anybody paying for their accommodation has a right to enjoy it to its full extent in a respectful way.

*_{A kitchenette in an attic room with a microwave and minifridge. Image for illustrative purposes.}*

A woman sought out a room in a new city because she was soon to be starting a job there. She had settled upon a short-term let of a room in another woman's house, which was initially advertised at $1100.

However, once the landlord sent the lease, she upped the rent plus bills to $1300 and informed her that she couldn't use any of the common areas, including the kitchen, apart from when she had laundry. The woman felt like this was unreasonable and expensive, but she wondered if she should take the room as a temporary measure anyway.