Living with a roommate can be great: you share bills, binge-watch trashy TV, and maybe even make a friend. But it can also bring unexpected surprises. I learned this the hard way after asking my roommate to start paying his fair share.
How it all started
My now ex-roommate—let’s call him Mark—wasn’t working steadily, but I tried to be understanding for months. I covered extra rent, handled groceries, and did most of the cleaning (which was frustrating). Eventually, though, I had to set a boundary. I told him he either needed to start contributing or move out.
He chose to move out. I thought that would be the end.
Strange phone calls
A week after he left, my phone started ringing constantly—sometimes five or six times a day. At first, I ignored the unknown numbers, assuming they were spam. But curiosity got the better of me, and I finally answered one.
It turned out Mark had listed my number on applications he’d made—likely as petty revenge. I tried to stay calm, but after two weeks of nonstop calls, I finally snapped.
I answered one more time and said briefly, “He’s… not available. You might want to contact someone else about that.” No details, no explanation—just enough to make the calls stop.
Unexpected consequences
It worked. A few days later, I received a generic notice in the mail for Mark. I also got a voicemail from an investigator asking about someone with the same name, but in a completely different state. After calling him back and explaining the mix-up, it turned out my information had accidentally gotten caught in the middle of something unrelated.
Just when I thought I could finally move on, I got a DM on Instagram from a woman—Mark’s previous roommate. We swapped stories for half an hour. It was oddly comforting, like, “Oh, you too?” It reminded me I wasn’t alone in this chaos.
Lessons learned
Sometimes, doing “the right thing” for someone else can quietly turn into the wrong thing for yourself. You can give your time, patience, and support—but when that generosity becomes one-sided, setting boundaries isn’t selfish; it’s self-respect.
People who cannot handle boundaries often react with pettiness. While frustrating, it’s also revealing: not everyone is meant to stay in your life—and that’s okay.
The key is how you carry yourself through the chaos. Keep it short, calm, and clear. That’s strength disguised as restraint. Connecting with others who’ve gone through the same thing can turn a messy experience into something surprisingly comforting.
At the end of the day, your peace of mind is worth protecting. It’s the rent you should never pay for someone else.
If you’ve had a roommate nightmare, welcome to the club. These stories remind us just how unpredictable sharing a home can be.
