Roommate demands her roommate's boyfriend pay $150 monthly because he spends 2 nights a week at their apartment: 'Please don't take this personally, it's literally just about boundaries.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Oct 27, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

Is asking for a $150 monthly "boyfriend tax" reasonable, especially when he isn't doing anything particularly harmful to the home? Do using the restroom and turning on the lights really set this household back by over $100 in utilities, or is she trying to shame her roommate into not bringing him over? 

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  • 01
    Young couple eating popcorn while relaxing on the sofa and watching TV in the living room
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Boyfriend and Girlfriend hanging out at the girlfriend's apartment. 

    Image for illustrative purposes.

  • 02
    @_sorrengailll my roommate wants to start charging my boyfriend rent for visiting me twice a week hey girl can we talk about your boyfriend coming over know he only visits twice a week but he uses our i electricity, sits on the couch i paid for and drinks water that WE pay for. i just don't think it's fair that i'm basically paying for a third roommate. i'm not saying he can't come over but starting next month i'd appreciate an extra $150 towards rent. and please don't take this personally, it's
    via @_sorrengailll

    I would understand wanting him to pay up if he is eating your food or turning up the heat when nobody else is home, but all of the things she is citing either cost her no money (somebody sitting on your couch a couple of times a week is not going to cause enough wear and tear that you'll have to replace it imminently) or are totally negligible costs. How much water does a couple of glasses a day cost you? I would be pretty annoyed if my roommate's partner sat on the couch and watched my TV all the time, but this doesn't sound like that's what's happening. 

    I have to wonder if this girl ever has her friends over to hang out. Not all of my roommates have boyfriends or girlfriends, but we all use the communal space to host friends pretty regularly, and nobody has a real problem with it. I would be much more annoyed if my roommate invited 10 friends over every week and monopolized the living room all day on Saturday and Sunday than if she invited her boyfriend to sleep over a couple of times a week. If you are dating and you both have roommates, it shouldn't be a crime to sleep over at each other's houses a couple of times a week. 

  • 03
    Nerdy Chick @Nerdychick83 Visiting twice a week is nothing. I could see if it was every day, but that's crazy to ask for 150. Unless you start charging her for anybody she has come visit her. Lol
    via @Nerdychick83
  • 04
    Real Estate Lady ❤ @thetradingchick Girl I'm on ur roommate's side. She signed up for you as her roommate. Not you + him.
    via @thetradingchick
  • 05
    Blade of Grass # (~_~83) @GrassSpeaks It is perfectly normal for your roommates to have guests over especially significant others. If you don't want to deal with guests that aren't yours, don't have a roommate. Both roommates should be allowed to have guests. Someone visiting two times a week is not crazy
    via @GrassSpeaks

    I often see apartment ads in NYC housing Facebook groups that require prospective roommates to be single, which I find interesting. If you're single when you move in but start dating somebody 3 months later, then what gives? Many people who advertise roommate situations like this are older than 30, so they have probably been burned before by a past roommate who let their significant other overstay their welcome. I think a lot of people in NYC have roommates because they don't have a long-term partner they can move in with yet. So many people with roommates are dating and looking for love. If you are in your 30s and have completely given up on dating, you can probably get a pretty good deal with a roommate in Astoria who wants somebody just like you in a roommate, as long as you're "clean" and "not one to bring the party home." 

  • 06
    smokingfrog @smokingfrog this post is so american
    via @smokingfrog
  • 07
    serene @lowrisejns am I the only person who thinks that this is an absolutely ridiculous request
    via @lowrisejns
  • 08
    ashley ray @theashleyray "he uses our electricity" lolol like the girl just sits in the dark if her bf isn't there
    via @theashleyray
  • 09
    Cartoons Hate Her! @CartoonsHateHer This reminds me of how my mom got mad that my brother moved back in for 3 months after college bc he was "absorbing all the AC"
    via @CartoonsHateHer
  • 10
    Michael @yosoymichael "sits on the couch I paid for” is taking me out.
    via @yosoymichael
  • 11
    uncle gworl❤ @_uncle_gworl i'm so glad i don't have to deal with this nonsense anymore
    via @_uncle_gworl
  • 12
    Enrique Shockwave @HeatherInHiding the discourse around these situations makes me laugh bc my ex roommate moved her bf in without even telling me and I came home early from work one day to him standing in my kitchen eating my food
    via @HeatherInHiding
  • 13
    vicky @peachxcheez Honestly I don't blame her. Why is a man in woman's space.
    via @peachxcheez
  • 14
    Sure, Not Not Sure @NotSure4Prez8 Hes there 28% of the time. Seems fair for him to pitch in.
    via @NotSure4Prez8
  • 15
    GunghoGeordinho @GGeordinho 2x a week is 104 days a year. Basically living with you 1/3rd of the year. H I yeah he should be paying rent
    via @GGeordinho
  • 16
    Peruvit @Peruvit1 Shes jealous and is trying to take it out like this thinking its professional. Move out.
    via @Peruvit1
  • 17
    Carl @Hi_imCarlll i mean simple solution look at the bills prior to the relationship and during if he is indeed causing an influx then yeah pay the difference but even then i doubt its 150 thats maybe 20 dollars
    via @Hi_imCarlll

    If anything, this boyfriend should show his thanks through acts of service. He should get the roommate takeout to show his appreciation for letting him stay there a couple of times a week. 

    My roommates love my girlfriend, but they love her even more after she mounted our TV to the wall. My roommates weren't complaining about her staying over a couple of times a month before, but they definitely won't now!

  • 18
    They See Me Rollin' Mary ⭑ @MaryCruska if a landlord knew this, that might be considered a tenant and YES that landlord would raise the rent or add a fee. even a pet has a $25 a month pet fee.
    via @MaryCruska
  • 19
    Jon Doe @JonDoe DeuceOne As a MAN no woman would ever have to tell me what to contribute cause ima see Whassup and what they like and make sure those girls are stocked up as much as I can help, provider and no problem doing it
    via @JonDoe_DeuceOne
  • 20
    「パイプがない Blark @sagephage Let me guess. She's single.
    via @_sorrengailll
  • 21
    jk32345 @jk32345 JUST SAYIN She can sense that man is about to move in full time, so honestly good for her! Nip that the bt before it gets worse. in
    via @jk32345
  • 22
    #69 on the Gobblers @yasss4eva #Nah if he was over everyday? Sure. Twice a week isn't what's spiking your bills
    via @yasss4eva

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Tags

utilities boyfriend roommate drama bad roommate roommate psycho roommate girlfriend bills boundaries roommates apartment crazy roommate
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