Roommate is kicking us out so his friends can move in

In My Humble Opinion
1

This is my current living situation: 5 bedroom house, 5 people (co-ed), we all signed the lease, which is up at the end of August. The landlord prefers to get 1 check, not 5, so roommates #1-4 (myself included) write our rent checks out to roommate #5, who then sends one check to the landlord. Roommate #5 is also the only one of us who lived in this same apartment last year, and this rent/check arrangement happened with that group of people as well.

As far as next year (starting in September) goes, we have not renewed the lease yet. Roommates #1 and 2 are definitely leaving the apartment. Roommate #3 and myself would like to stay, and roommate #5 also wants to stay.

Here is the issue: Roommate #5 has decided that #3 and I have to leave, and 4 of his friends will all be moving in. He never asked us what our plans were, and even after we told him about staying, he was pretty much like, “Well, too bad. My friends will be moving in.” He acts like this is his house and he has say over who gets to live here, just because he has lived here the longest and has the “relationship” with the landlord. To be clear, we all signed the lease. None of us sublease from #5.

I am NOT ok with this. I think that if he wants to live with friends, he should find another place to live with all of them. Or, if 2 of them want to move in, we could consider them to replace roommates #1 and 2. It should be a group decision. However, I really would rather not live with him and his buddies, since they are loud, obnoxious, inconsiderate, and disgusting. One of him is bad enough. I couldn’t handle living with 3 or 4 of them! So, I would want to leave if this were the case. The main reasons I want to stay here are A) the rent is low, and B) moving is a huge pain and costs more money than I have right now.

Now, roommate #5 does a couple of things I know the landlord would disapprove of (smoking pot indoors and buying/selling pot in the house). Personally, I don’t care, but I know the landlord would be upset if he knew this was taking place. He would also be upset if he knew that more of the same type of people would be living here next year. Should I tell the landlord, which could cause him to deny roommate #5 living here next year (or even get him out sooner)? Or should I talk to #5, threatening to tell the landlord (which will make living here with him even more of a nightmare) if he doesn’t let people other than his friends move in next year? Or should I do nothing, and just look for another low-cost place to live? I haven’t brought this up yet with roommate #3, since I think she’ll just tell #5 about my plans to tell the landlord. (There is a lot of talking about people behind their backs in this house.)

In case it matters, the ages of roommates are all between 22-29. Thanks for any advice.

2

Just move. Continuing to co-habitate in any kind of conducive fashion is now impossible, so get on with finding somewhere else.

As for the ‘dobbing him into the landlord’ bit, not only is it lame, but it’s highly likely the landlord will then decide to not let any of the current tenants renew the lease.

You may be NOT okay with what’s going on, but such is life in the share house universe.

3

Revenge and blackmail are really petty and don’t reflect well on you ethically. Look, if you were going to tell the landlord anyway, tell the landlord. If you want to tell the landlord, but you’re afraid to because that person is your roommate and you don’t want trouble, now’s the time to do it. But you said you “don’t care” and it’s clear that you’re just using it for revenge and/or leverage. I won’t go so far as to say it’s “evil”, and I think even if you did it you’d come out as a better person than the guy kicking you out, but it’s certainly doesn’t reflect on you well regardless.

4

Move, and when you move arrange to pay the landlord directly, and on your own. That may not be what’s right, but it will be what works best for you.

5

Forget about the pot, just call the landlord and let him know that #3, #5, and you are planning on renewing the lease, and are looking for two more roommates.

Then tell #5 to either deal with it or move out. Despite what he says, he is in no position to deny you a room in the apartment next year. Don’t let his big talk intimidate you.

6

So what would happen if you talked to the landlord about this, leaving out any other issues? “Hi, Landlord! We live at 100 Oak St. I know you get the check from Bill, but all of us are on the lease. If you’re happy with how things are going, Frank and I want to stay at the house, but Bill is unwilling to stay there unless you replace all of us with new tenants. We’d like to renew the lease with the same folks, though. Whaddya say?”

7

The landlord is very hands-off. That’s part of the problem why #5 acts like he owns the place. #3 has never even met the landlord, and I’ve met him and his wife, but he’s bad about returning my calls. He’ll talk to #5 though. I doubt the situation you’re describing would do any good.

8

I’ve tried explaining to #5 that it’s not his decision to make. He disagrees, saying that he’s the one who has the direct connection to the landlord, etc. and that whether I like it or not, his friends are moving in. Telling him to deal with it or move out is not going to work.

9

Nothing good can come of this if you stay. Yes you are right that your asshole friend has no right to muscle you out like that. But that’s just life. Move out and be done with it. (perhaps you and 3 can get a place together.)
And count your lucky stars that this bru ha ha is going on near the end of your lease.
Also:

Which is it? An apartment or a house? Also, a 5 bedroom apartment? I never heard of that. :slight_smile:

10

Landlords are hands-off because we don’t want anything to do with our tenants. We just want you to pay us to live in our property and contact us when it’s absolutely necessary, like for repairs. Trust me, no landlord wants to hear from a tattletale about somebody smoking pot. We don’t want to be involved in your roommate squabbles either.

Just move.

11

I don’t get it. There are two of you and one of him. If you are both equal parties on the lease, just tell him to fuck off.

12

The landlord doesn’t want to get involved in your drama. If you didn’t make any prior agreement on how lease renewal would be handled, then I think your best bet is to find a new place.

13

Yeah, throw him out.

If the landlord “doesn’t want to get involved,” that means this guy’s “relationship” with him actually confers no power, right?

14

It all comes down to who the landlord lets sign the new lease. He’s probably going to be more inclined to keep the guy who’s been around for two years and can guarantee four more tenants.

Still, he may not know about the ‘drama,’ so you could consider going to see him in person and signing a new lease before #5 has a chance to get in touch with the landlord.

15

My friend had one. It was interesting in that while they had a common living room, bathroom, and kitchen, each bedroom had its own personal door to the outside (in addition to the main door in the living room). Almost like pseudo-dorms in a way.

16

Here’s the thing - this is speaking as a landlord. The landlord really doesn’t want to know about internal drama in your household. What he wants to deal with is:

A group of five people who are all willing to live in the same house together, cause no trouble, and pay their rent on time

Housemate #5 can currently deliver this group - him and his four mates. You can’t. Who’s your five? You, #3 and three unknowns? Certainly not you, #3, #5 and anybody, as far as I can see.

Basically, your only hope is to put together a competing five - you, #3 and three of your friends. Then landlord gets to choose between the two competing groups. You still can’t guarantee that he’ll choose your group, and trying to subvert #5’s group would be incredibly counterproductive given your obvious agenda, but you could be in with a chance.

Or he may be planning to toss you all and put in his nephew and his five mates. Because there’s only one person who can “kick you out” of the house, and it’s actually not housemate #5…

17

Then it sounds like you have no choice but to move out, as unfair as that is.

If he is that unreliable in other ways, though, if I were you I’d double-check he’s actually paying the whole rent to the landlord.

18

Roomie #5 is probably the landlord’s pot connection. Why do you think he always calls him back? Probably pays half his rent in pot, too. That’s why you have to write him a check.

19

So I’m guessing it’s cheap rent vs living with person(s) you hate? I say take roommate 3 with you and find somewhere else. Living with roommates is tough enough and when you hate the people you live with, it’s even worse. Borderline unbearable. It becomes a living hell when there are multiple people you hate.

I hope the “pro” is cheap rent. If it’s something petty like location, or parking, or worse yet - spite? It becomes a complete non-issue.

Of course, if you and roommate 3 can find 3 more clean, sober people, you could try to stage a coup, if you’re up for the hassle.

20

I vote for moving out and finding somewhere else to live where the residents aren’t potheads. Then call the police and let them know what’s been going on at the old place.