Can one roommate stop everyone else from replacing a departing housemate?
What should have been a routine roommate replacement has turned into a stressful standoff after one Portland tenant refused to approve anyone to fill an empty bedroom. Instead, she insists the remaining roommates split the additional rent, despite knowing they cannot afford it. With property management refusing to mediate, the couple worries they’ll be forced to pay more because of one roommate’s refusal to cooperate. Now they’re documenting everything and wondering whether she can legally block a replacement tenant or be held financially responsible for the extra costs.
This story is right up my alley since I’m a renter, sharing my apartment with only one roommate. Although we are only two girls and this situation could never happen to us, I have a lot of friends who live with multiple people and have faced this type of selfish behavior before. It’s totally understandable to want fewer people in the house, since having a crowded and loud space may not be ideal. However, this woman is crossing a line when it comes to the spare room.
Since other tenants have claimed they cannot afford to have the rent increased, there are two possible scenarios to fix this issue. For instance, the roommate who wants the room to be empty could pay that part of the rent and keep it for herself, or decide to settle and let another person move in. I know that none of them are ideal, but when it comes to living with a roommate, there’s a lot of compromise that needs to happen to have a peaceful coexistence. If living with other people feels too much and the roommate wants more silence and more peace, then she should consider renting a place of her own.
Author: Kayitsi.com
