The internet is left torn as a landlord refused to reimburse their tenant while they stayed in a hotel room.
Published to Reddit's r/AmITheA**hole forum, a landlord under the anonymous username u/SheHadaStaycation shared their story to receive opinions from the "AITA" community. The viral post has over 7,000 upvotes and 2,000 comments.
The Redditor began their story by saying that they have rented out a spare bedroom to a woman for $800 a month. The original poster (OP) wrote how they work at the same company but barely see each other since they have different hours.
One day, the hot water heater broke and the home warranty people couldn't get to their home for a few days, so the OP and their roommate would have to deal with cold water for a few days. When the landlord texted their roommate about the situation, she replied with a thumbs-up emoji.
The OP said, "I didn't see her all weekend, which is normal, as I said. The guy got here at 8AM to fix the heater. When he was done I texted her to let her know the hot water was back on. She hits me with this gem. 'My hotel bill was $250. Do you want to reimburse me now or deduct it from next month's rent?' I stared at the text for a good while. I didn't even know she was gone. She got a hotel room just for hot water? That's so extra."
"She could have showered at work, but she got a hotel room? I texted 'hey, I didn't know you left. Rent is still due in full on the first of the month, regardless of if you choose to sleep elsewhere for a weekend.' She texted me back 'there was no water. I couldn't stay there. You're my landlord and have to provide me with livable accomodations.' I texted back 'there was water, just not hot. If it was winter, you might have a point. Rent is still due in full. Failure to pay rent will result in me filing with the court, which will impact your credit,'" they continued.
The tenant stopped responding after the landlord's text. When asking their friend about it, they said that the OP was "too harsh" and should have allowed a discount.
Newsweek reached out to u/SheHadaStaycation for comment.
Most states have laws regarding a tenant's living space. According to Nolo.com, livable housing must meet the basic requirements including a roof that keeps out bad weather, sufficient hot water, reliable heat, sturdy floors and walls that won't collapse, protection from unwanted intrusion and free of environmental hazards such as lead and mold. This is also called the implied Warranty of Habitability.
If landlords do not give tenants a place that is livable, this allows tenants to withhold rent, sue the landlord, break the lease or pay for the damages themselves and then deduct the cost from their rent.
Reddit users took to the comment section to write their opinions on the OP's situation.
"[Everyone sucks here]. You need to learn your responsibility as a landlord. She needs to talk to you before expecting reimbursement for a hotel. You both need to learn to communicate," u/IAmHerdingCatz wrote, receiving the top comment of over 11,000 upvotes.
"[Everyone sucks here]. You don't mind a cold shower. That's fine, but you suck for assuming your tenant feels the same way. She sucks for being passive-aggressive about the $250," u/Embarrassed-Sweet905 said.
U/Bosscat727 defended the OP, writing, "[Not the a**hole]. Water was available. You don't owe her anything for that hotel. No one told her to get a $250 room."
"[Not the a**hole!] You didn't force her to take a hotel room also there was water? And it wasn't your fault that the water couldn't work so she can't blame you. And you weren't even with her in the hotel so why should you pay. You should get a new roommate she screams problems," u/Lixnca exclaimed.
"You need to be aware of, and adhere to, the terms of the lease agreement and local laws. Assuming you are doing that, a reasonable offer would have been a pro rata reduction in the rent. Say, three days (or about 80 dollars). That would have acknowledged the issue, been fair, and likely defused the situation. Instead you now have a hostile roommate. [You're the a**hole]," u/tropicaldiver explained.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ashley Gale is a Newsweek reporter based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her focus is reporting on trends. She has covered trends, ... Read more
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