Finding a flat or a house can require some effort - so many factors that might need to be taken into consideration - location, parks, shops, transportation, and, of course, the flat itself. After making a decision, and after signing the contract, if you are lucky enough to get a flat that does not need to be repaired, you can finally take the last step and move in.
However, once the moving part is finally over, you can take a well-deserved deep breath and from now on lead your day-to-day life relaxed and certain about your living place, right? Not necessarily... Unexpectedly, there might come a day when someone who did not seem to be capable of such a thing initially can, with the ease of a butterfly, threaten to just kick you out. And this might just be your lovely roommate. At least this was the experience of Redditor u/throwawayaptroommate.
More info: Reddit
While renting an apartment does come with some uncertainty, you'd probably never expect it to come from a roommate demanding that you leave
Image credits: Christian Heilmann (not the actual photo)
These two roommates were getting along until the engagement of one of them turned the relationship around
The 24-year-old had been living in her apartment for four years. During this time, she had lived with a few different roommates and she had been living with her last 32-year-old roommate for the last two years. It was all going well, both women were getting along, until the engagement of the roommate turned the relationship around.
After getting proposed to over Christmas, the roommate and her husband-to-be figured that from now on, they would need a place of their own. The way they dealt with this need, though, was to approach the Redditor and ask her if she could move out as soon as possible.
Image credits: throwawayaptroommate
The original roommate had an agreement, with her landlord and the second roommate, to take over the full rent of the apartment
The Redditor gave a few reasons why she was not in any way obligated to carry out the couple's request. First of all, the 24-year-old had been living in the flat twice as long as her 32-year-old roommate - for four years in total.
Also, she already had an agreement with the landlord to live in the flat on her own once the roommate's lease ends. And she had it confirmed with her roommate, as well.
However, not mentioned by the woman explicitly, there seems to be an even more fundamental argument for her not giving way to the couple's request - she lives there and has a contract with the landlord - a change in her roommate's preferences does not change this fact.
Image credits: throwawayaptroommate
The newly engaged roommate and her fiancé found it cheaper to take over the original roommate's apartment
The reason given by the roommate, when she asked the Redditor to move out, was that she and her fiancé did not manage to find an apartment that they could afford, which, as noted by one of the commenters, hardly sounds like the Redditor's problem.
Image credits: throwawayaptroommate
The second roommate cussed her out and had her fiancé and their friends harass the original roommate
After refusing to give up the apartment, the Redditor got strong emotional pressure coming her way.
Her roommate cussed her out, while also having her fiancé and their friends harass the woman about not giving up the apartment.
Even the Redditor's mother sided with the roommate. The woman' s (24) mother argued that the young woman should give way so the couple could save for their wedding.
She was considering the wedding, in this situation, a special need that obligates unrelated people to sacrifice their own needs for it.
Image credits: throwawayaptroommate
Image credits: freestocks.org (not the actual photo)
The vast majority of Redditors agreed - the original tenant is not the one who is being a jerk here
The post received 25K upvotes. The verdict on Reddit was quite univocal - the vast majority of commenters on Reddit expressed support for the OP, agreeing she was not the one that should be called a jerk in this situation.
She received a lot of encouragement to stand her ground and just do what is best for her, while it was emphasized by some that her roommate's way of trying to get what she wants is very entitled.
So here is the question. Just how important can the factor of someone living in a house and actually loving it there be? Versus someone who just finds it convenient from the financial point of view and uses psychological pressure to get her way?
According to environmental psychologist Susan Clayton, for the majority of people, the place they live in is part of their identity. This is one of the reasons why, in most cases, people care so much about it.
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)
It might be said that the connection is reciprocal - people take care of the plants inside the house or those on their lawn, people decorate the house itself - and it allows them to have an environment where they feel good and comfortable.
However, the active approach itself - taking care of the house - helps to create a stronger connection with a place and a sense of belonging.
