# How do I tell my roommate to get out? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 24, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463 "2003-09-24T02:45:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![finette6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@finette6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finette6)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/1 "2003-09-24T02:45:46Z")
Look [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=213191) for details- I didn’t want to write it all in this forum. For all these reasons and more (mostly personal hygeine related), SO and I want our roommate out. I’m fine with him staying the month of October, but after that I really don’t want to see this feller around for a while. Good news is, I’m getting a raise and we’ll be able to cover rent without a roommate, and will love the extra space. I just want suggestions, flip, blunt, rude, serious, whatever, as to how to get him out. The problem is that we don’t have any house-related reasons, yet, but we want him out before not having cash for the rent becomes an issue. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![baseball\_dude12000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@baseball\_dude12000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baseball_dude12000)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/2 "2003-09-24T02:51:15Z")
if you could find him a better place then maybe he would go for that. worst comes to worst you find a different room. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/3 "2003-09-24T03:07:25Z")
In light of your other thread, I’d suggest you just say, “Fred, we really don’t feel comfortable with you living here anymore. We’d like you to move out no later than the end of October, please.” If he’s on the lease, you may have problems. Otherwise, let him just move in with Blah-Blah and live happily ever after, or not, without your having to deal with him again. ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/4 "2003-09-24T05:24:32Z")
My favourite childhood book: **Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now?** by good ol’ Dr. Seuss. > [@](#): > > If you wish you may go by lion’s tail. > Or stamp yourself and go by mail. > Marvin K. Mooney! Don’t you know > the time has come to go, Go, GO! Or, tell Fred nicely that you & SO would like your privacy, and three’s a crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/5 "2003-09-24T06:41:26Z")
How about “I’m getting a raise and we’ll be able to cover rent without a roommate, and will love the extra space”? I’d say that, and since it’s you and your SO, I’d probably also add something vague about wanting more privacy – no need to spell out what that means, or point out that maybe it doesn’t really mean anything. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/6 "2003-09-24T12:10:50Z")
Fred, I’m afraid this living arrangment isn’t working out. SO and I think it would be best if you moved out, this is your one month notice. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/7 "2003-09-24T13:09:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Or, tell Fred nicely that you & SO would like your privacy, and three’s a crowd Honest, direct and doesn’t take long to say. Maybe omit the three’s a crowd thing, but hey it has to happen sometime right? Is he on the lease? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/8 "2003-09-24T13:24:52Z")
I just don’t know what we can do, I can’t handle it with your… and when you… and remember the time you… and… and… **start crying** I just… just… Look if you’re not out by Thursday, we’ll set fire to your car. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/9 "2003-09-24T13:34:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by InternetLegend \* > \*\*In light of your other thread, I’d suggest you just say, “Fred, we really don’t feel comfortable with you living here anymore. We’d like you to move out no later than the end of October, please.” > > If he’s on the lease, you may have problems. Otherwise, let him just move in with Blah-Blah and live happily ever after, or not, without your having to deal with him again. \*\* _Personally_ I wouldn’t suggest that he move in with Blah-Blah, in fact I would attempt to talk him out of it, even help him look for another place. After reading the first thread I get the feeling that their relaionship may not last forever, and when it ends, he’s either out on the street (I’m sure in someway, he’s still your friend and you don’t want to see that) or he’s coming back to live with you. AND if he’s coming back to live with you that could go two ways as well, he’s either going to nag and nag you to let him move back in, or he’s going act like moving in with her was just temporary, like a vacation, and he’s going to just move back in, no questions asked, as if it were perfectly ok. Can you give him some sort of ultimatum. Would you let him stay with you guys if he sobered up. Maybe that would get your friendship, his hygeine, and any related problems back on track. It might be better for everyone involved. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/10 "2003-09-24T16:10:45Z")
That would depend on what your written contract you have with the roommate says. That contract should specify what you agreed to do. If you don’t have a contract it could be tricky. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/11 "2003-09-24T17:41:31Z")
Get all three of you together in the living room and make the following announcement: “Everyone who has a place to stay on November 1st, raise their hand.” “Not so fast, Fred.” ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/12 "2003-09-24T17:55:32Z")
And Please don’t forget the Obvious: To Do List: Nov, 2nd 2003 8AM appointment with Locksmith to re-key/upgrade all door & window locks. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/13 "2003-09-24T19:15:34Z")
Now we’re earning a bit more, we want to look for a place with a bit more space. Will you be able to cover the rent on this place by yourself? Oh, your moving out? Maybe we’ll rent this place after all. ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-my-roommate-to-get-out/203463/14 "2003-09-24T21:26:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by irishgirl \* > \*\*Fred, I’m afraid this living arrangment isn’t working out. > SO and I think it would be best if you moved out, this is your one month notice. \*\* Straightforward, and this actual statement is basically impossible to argue with.