I’ve rented for 2 years with the same roommate. We have a good relationship, no issues. I will be buying a condo, and for several months I’ll have to continue to pay my lease and half utilities as well as now own my own place. I own all of the furnishings in the common space (couch, tv, coffee table, kitchen table, pots pans, dishes, silverware, etc) truly everything. I plan to move out of the rental about 2 months early (continuing to pay my share) but I’d like to take my belongings to furnish my new place. My roommate will be welcome to continue to be roommates and rent from me when our lease ends if she wants to move too, but I don’t anticipate letting her move into the new place early unless she wants to pay current rent and new rent. We haven’t talked about it yet. AITA for taking the majority of the furnishings (I don’t mind leaving some plates pots pans silverware etc. but would take all the other things) 2 months early. She knew these belongings were mine when she moved in.
EDIT TO ADD: we can’t break the lease and there’s no option to sublet, which is was I’m fully committed to continue to pay my share of rent and utilities til it ends, even if I’m not living there
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I’ve rented for 2 years with the same roommate. We have a good relationship, no issues. I will be buying a condo, and for several months I’ll have to continue to pay my lease and half utilities as well as now own my own place. I own all of the furnishings in the common space (couch, tv, coffee table, kitchen table, pots pans, dishes, silverware, etc) truly everything. I plan to move out of the rental about 2 months early (continuing to pay my share) but I’d like to take my belongings to furnish my new place. My roommate will be welcome to continue to be roommates and rent from me when our lease ends if she wants to move too, but I don’t anticipate letting her move into the new place early unless she wants to pay current rent and new rent. We haven’t talked about it yet. AITA for taking the majority of the furnishings (I don’t mind leaving some plates pots pans silverware etc. but would take all the other things) 2 months early. She knew these belongings were mine when she moved in.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> Taking all the belongings that belong to me out of our current rental. That may make me the asshole because while they belong to me it would leave my roommate with only the furniture in her bedroom for the remaining 2 months of the lease
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA but have a conversation with your roommate ASAP to give her time to prepare for a new living situation and to try to find whatever furnishing and supplies she will need for this transition. I applaud you for continuing to pay your portion of the rent and utilities – I think that’s the right thing to do.
Honestly just talk to your roommate and explain everything. I think you WBTA if you didn’t give them a heads up first.
NTA
But give your roommate a heads up as soon as possible. That way she can pick up some stuff ahead of your being completely gone. Honestly between dollar stores, garage sales and thrift stores I think she can get off cheap on the bare minimum until she either moves in with you or redecorates. If she decides to stay she will not want to get much until she sees what a new roommate will bring with her.
Soft YTA. It is your stuff and you have the right to take it with you. But why not just discuss this with your roommate and work out whether you want to move together at the end of the lease, or whether you are just moving out, and if the latter, whether she wants to find anyone else to replace you sooner – which could save you rent and mean she can split the costs of getting new furniture. But if she wants to come in with you, why take the furniture earlier but refuse for her to also move in? Why not take some time to decorate and furnish the new place, either alone or together?
NTA, but you should have those conversations sooner rather than later. Maybe keep an eye out for yard sales, antique stores, clearance sales, etc. Maybe one of you can find her a kitchen table and some sort of chair/sofa/futon and tv for short money. You don’t have to do this, but it will help your relationship and keep you far removed from AH territory.
I once went a few months with nothing but a director’s chair I found at a yard sale in my living room. I did have a couple of backless stools for the kitchen table to use in a pinch (thank you Kmart!).
Tell your roommate well in advance that you will be taking all of your stuff with you when you move. That way she won’t have an absolutely empty house with not even a pan to cook when she is left alone in the house.
Your roommate deserves that notice just like you are a free agent to move out of your rental earlier as long as you are still taking responsibility for your payment on the original lease.
YWNBTA. It sounds like this has not actually happened yet? Some of your tenses seem contradictory. It would be silly for anyone to expect you to not use your furniture in your new place for 2 months so your roommate can use your stuff. If your roommate is a reasonable person, they won’t complain — in fact, I think most reasonable people in this situation would be a bit mortified at the idea of you living in an unfurnished home just so they can use your stuff. You’d being more than generous if you were willing to let them use a handful of basic items.
Sucks for the roommate, but NTA. It’s your stuff and you need it somewhere else.
BTW you might want to let her move early with you, without her also paying rent in both places. I know that doesn’t seem right/fair to you somehow. But she may not be able to afford double rent. And it’s not easy to find a roommate you are comfortable/happy with! So it could be worth it to you to give her a break, just to have a reliable roommate/tenant in your new condo.
Wait- she’s going to rent from you, possibly for many years, and you’re not willing to be flexible with the first two months at your new place? This is clearly a good roommate that would be helping you pay your mortgage. That you know you can live with in condo type living. Rethink this.
NTA and I’m not sure what alternative you could be proposing.
You’re NTA. You own the furnishings and have every right to take them, even if you leave early but keep paying rent. Just give your roommate clear notice, so she can plan. Offering her to stay or move into the new place later is fair. Good luck, and congratulations on your new place.
NTA. It’s your stuff so it would obviously move with you. Your roommate will still have her own bedroom stuff so it’s not like you’re obligated to provide her with a sofa and tv. It’s kind of you to leave her cookware. You’re grown adults – you’re not their mom.
As long as you provide decent notice, YWNBTA. If they’re a good enough roommate to invite along, talk it out.
NTA, and in reading this it doesn’t sound like your roommate and you have talked about this? You’re just trying to suss out the situation before you do it? You are paying rent and utilities, she should be ok. Yeah it might be bare bones but she’ll need that stuff if she decides to go her own way and not move in with you. She can survive without a couch and tv, etc. I would talk to her first so she is prepared, and maybe there are a few things you can leave that won’t inconvenience you too much (like you mentioned a few pots and pans).
You’re still NTA if you choose not to do this, but just throwing this food out for thought – if you will be paying for the condo with or without her for those 2 months, and she does decide to move in with you and start paying you rent, why not just let her move in early too and not worry about those two months? I feel like you are making that super technical. Unless for some reason you don’t trust her to pay you (but then you wouldn’t want her to move in anyways I’m assuming) these overlapping things can be really hard. I was lucky to get let into my new place early so I didn’t have to move and clean all in one day. I feel like you could just offer this gesture, especially if you’re already worried about the situation.
yes you are, always give your landlord a notice as they are hardworking people, and your roomate probablymisses you
Is it possible that if you both move simultaneously, the landlord can find a new tenant and refund you once his new tenant has paid. For example, you move July 1 but are obligated to pay until Aug 31, but he rents it Aug 1 and refunds 1 month rent.
NTA but you shouldn’t charge the roommate rent at the new place for those two months if she moves with you.
NAH, OP – just have a conversation with your house mate. If they have sufficient warning, they’ll be able to replace the things you’re taking away and/or figure out if they want to move out early.
Bear in mind that there is always the option to break lease early if both of you are moving (you’ll have to pay a penalty of some sort but it might be lower than just paying two extra months of rent and utilities).
Just communicate way before your move out date.
The time to tell your roommate was before this post. Let them know everything. If you’re doing some renovations, do you even want all your stuff moved over right away? I was quite happy to paint and clean when the house was empty compared to now that it’s all furnished. I do get wanting to live alone for a bit but maybe you can leave a few pieces behind for a bit to give both you and roomie a place to sit and relax. As long as you tell roomie your final plans asap, NTA.
How do people actually think she’s NTA! You’re moving out early and taking everything? YTA totally. I understand you furnished the place but what is she supposed to do without furnishings and houseware?
No you’re good but be sure to discuss ~ kindly ~ with her