For context i live in student housing for my college and at the end of ever semester we have white glove checks where everything has to be spotless or we get charged. I live with three other girls. I was the first to leave for spring break but before i left i cleaned the first bathroom, swept and vacuumed the entire apartment, cleaned the countertops, stove, and microwave which i thought was more than enough.
a few days after i returned home for spring break i got a text from my roommates saying that our apartment was being charged for it not being clean enough and that they expected me to pay for it because i cleaned the least out of all of them. i explained to them that i spent hours throughly and i would not be paying the $150 fee. they said that since i left so early the things i cleaned got dirty again and that i should of stayed until our apartment management checked our apartment to make sure everything was cleaned. i told them to grow up and pay the fucking fee because this whole situation is ridiculous.
a few days after this encounter i let them know that once i was back i would make them all dinner to make amends (because i didn’t want to live where there was a bunch of tension) and they agreed. the days leading up to the dinner they asked if the could bring their bfs and fiancé’s. i agreed but i was a little annoyed because i am a poor college student and food is getting more expensive by the day. anyways when the day arrived i started making dinner (spaghetti with homemade meatballs and garlic toast). no one was home and when i texted them to ask where they were at and they said they would be home in 30 minutes or so which was perfect and gave me enough time to finish up cooking.
after a while they showed up but instead of just bringing their bfs the brought 15-20 people with them. and they were all drunk. they all started dishing up the food i’d made in the messiest way possible. spaghetti sauce was everywhere it looked like a crime scene. they even managed to get a few splotches on the ceiling. i obviously didn’t make enough food for all these people and they started complaining about how they were promised food. at this point i couldn’t handle the bullshit i was dealing with so i just went to my room and waited for the noise to die down and when i went into the kitchen i was appalled.
i texted my roommates asking for an explanation and help with cleaning this mess. they told me that since they had to pay the fee and it was my food that made the mess it was my problem. this was payback. theyre reaction to me not paying was extreme for sure but am i in the wrong for not paying? we share the apartment and sharing the fees makes sense to a point. do they have a right to be mad?
Comments
^^^^AUTOMOD Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read this before contacting the mod team
For context i live in student housing for my college and at the end of ever semester we have white glove checks where everything has to be spotless or we get charged. I live with three other girls. I was the first to leave for spring break but before i left i cleaned the first bathroom, swept and vacuumed the entire apartment, cleaned the countertops, stove, and microwave which i thought was more than enough. a few days after i returned home for spring break i got a text from my roommates saying that our apartment was being charged for it not being clean enough and that they expected me to pay for it because i cleaned the least out of all of them. i explained to them that i spent hours throughly and i would not be paying the $150 fee. they said that since i left so early the things i cleaned got dirty again and that i should of stayed until our apartment management checked our apartment to make sure everything was cleaned. i told them to grow up and pay the fucking fee because this whole situation is ridiculous. a few days after this encounter i let them know that once i was back i would make them all dinner to make amends (because i didn’t want to live where there was a bunch of tension) and they agreed. the days leading up to the dinner they asked if the could bring their bfs and fiancé’s. i agreed but i was a little annoyed because i am a poor college student and food is getting more expensive by the day. anyways when the day arrived i started making dinner (spaghetti with homemade meatballs and garlic toast). no one was home and when i texted them to ask where they were at and they said they would be home in 30 minutes or so which was perfect and gave me enough time to finish up cooking. after a while they showed up but instead of just bringing their bfs the brought 15-20 people with them. and they were all drunk. they all started dishing up the food i’d made in the messiest way possible. spaghetti sauce was everywhere it looked like a crime scene. they even managed to get a few splotches on the ceiling. i obviously didn’t make enough food for all these people and they started complaining about how they were promised food. at this point i couldn’t handle the bullshit i was dealing with so i just went to my room and waited for the noise to die down and when i went into the kitchen i was appalled. i texted my roommates asking for an explanation and help with cleaning this mess. they told me that since they had to pay the fee and it was my food that made the mess it was my problem. this was payback. theyre reaction to me not paying was extreme for sure but am i in the wrong for not paying? we share the apartment and sharing the fees makes sense to a point. do they have a right to be mad?
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> i refused to pay my roommates for cleaning the apartment. we share the apartment and is a communal space
Help keep the sub engaging!
Don’t downvote assholes!
Do upvote interesting posts!
Click Here For Our Rules and Click Here For Our FAQ
Subreddit Announcements
Follow the link above to learn more
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
probably
>they said that since i left so early the things i cleaned got dirty again
So they admit that you cleaned sufficiently, and they made another mess after you left? NTA, you owe them nothing.
ESH – you should have split the fee. You’re all responsible for it. And what they did in response was childish.
[removed]
You’re not at fault. You cleaned up and they were the ones that dirtied the place. It’s on them. Try to find a different place if possible.
NTA
“they said that since i left so early the things i cleaned got dirty again”
As of that moment you were NTA. However, you turned yourself into a rug (as my wife would say it, from having done that so often in her life) by playing the game with not wanting tension. They played you and you let them. Technically, of course, since you’re roommates you were responsible for your share of the “fine”, but the school would have to have some sort of referee for that situation. They didn’t want to go through that, so they hatched up a revenge plan. Since it’s 100% guaranteed they are the heros in their story, they feel justified. But: “it got dirty again” after you left is a clear admission that the mess they got fined for was their mess and they earned the fine.
Look at it like this: You’ll never see them again starting the day after you graduate. Learn from the experience. Don’t be a rug.
Oh my god, that is abhorrent behavior. I would find a way to move out after that level of pettiness, that is crazy making. You’ve been in the right. Regarding offering to make them dinner, though it communicates you want to be on good terms, I’m not sure it was the best move as it also communicates a message that you feel sorry and want to make up for your mistakes which there were none, and if there were you’d pay your share of the money. I think in these situations it’s best to just stand your ground and not to engage in adding fuel to the fire.
Yes, YTA. Welcome to adulting. That fee should have been split equally between all roommates. It doesn’t matter whether you left early. You are all EQUALLY responsible. Every single one of you had the opportunity to make sure you passed the inspection. Each one of you chose NOT to do so. Each one of you is equally responsible. Use this as a lesson in adulting. And if you want the ability to decide if every roommate’s effort and contribution is “enough,” then you should probably live alone.
Oh god, NTA.
So they’re upset that they made a mess after you cleaned, they didn’t clean up after themselves, got “fined” for it… and this is your fault? Because you didn’t stay behind to clean up after them so they wouldn’t have to do it?
Also how is it possible you “cleaned the least”? It sounds like you cleaned the entire kitchen, one of the bathrooms, and the living room. What’s left?
Regarding the mess they made with the spaghetti… My petty ass would clean up, like I normally do, wash pots, pans dishes, utensils, that I used. Wipe down the counter tops and table… And that’s it. Sauce on the stove, floor, walls, ceiling, and plates, cups, silverware your roommates and their friends used, i’d ignore the hell out of that stuff. Yeah, you may have to pay a quarter of a cleaning fee but, so will they.
You’re NTA
>things i cleaned got dirty again
Oh, one of those magic, self filthifying apartments?
>it was my food that made the mess it was my problem
I already knew you live with a bunch of overindulged brats before reading that far. I don’t even want to get into the level of petty I would unleash, but it would involve their cosmetics making one of those magic messes in their rooms.
You know, since inanimate objects make messes.
NTA
Can you contact the uni?
Get another inspection?
I would pay my portion of the 150. If there are three of you then pay 50. And get new roommates.