I’m a 28-year-old homeowner and my housemates had no idea I was secretly their landlord for years – then it all came unstuck

A young homeowner who lived with two roommates wonders if she is in the wrong for not disclosing that she is the landlord.

The 28-year-old bought the two-bedroom apartment two years ago and can pay the mortgage himself, but does not want to live alone for safety reasons.

When looking for suitable roommates to live with, she was initially honest and made it clear that she was the landlord. However, this only deterred applicants who lost interest after discovering she owned the place.

“I got a lot of messages, but when people found out I was the landlord, they usually left the conversation,” she continued. Reddit.

‘I was very honest that I wanted clean, tidy, organized, quiet, non-drinking people, and my sister said this was probably a “toxic message” since I was also the landlord. So I stopped doing that and very shortly after that I found people.”

The woman accepted an engaged couple for a bedroom with a private bathroom and did not reveal that she is the landlord.

The woman said she and the couple got along well, sometimes ate dinner together and that the living arrangement as a whole worked “really well.”

“The rent was on the cheaper side of average in our area – we shared bills, streaming and internet – but they didn’t know I was the landlord,” she said.

‘I fully admit: I can be strict. I hate things being messy and disorganized [or] loudly, and especially since I am the owner, I want everything to be taken care of quickly to avoid damage.

“So I’ve scheduled ‘checks’ a few times to get things moving if they’re being pushed aside and mentioned that I might have to complain if things aren’t being cleared up properly.”

Recently, the couple had difficulty paying the rent on time because someone had health problems and was working less.

“Again, I don’t need their money to pay off the mortgage, but I used it to give me some extra money,” the woman continued.

After lying to the couple’s faces about the situation, the landlord finally decided to tell the truth and said she would cut rent payments completely until the roommate recovered from the health issues.

“They were nice and accepted the deal until she got better. Then they moved last month and I started looking for new roommates,” she said.

“They started berating me to everyone they knew about how I lied about being the landlord, I was a real pain in the ass, I tried to steal their money during a cost of living crisis to pay off my debts.” ​to pay.’

Consequently, the homeowner stopped taking inquiries.

“Some of my friends and family say I was an asshole and should have been honest about it from the start, others say I didn’t owe them that information and that in the end I did them a favor,” she says. said.

“I don’t really know what to believe – was I the asshole?”

After lying to the couple’s faces about the situation, the landlord finally decided to tell them the truth. The couple later moved (stock image)

A heated debate ensued in the comments, with many saying the woman was wrong, while others said the situation is not simple.

“It’s like an undercover boss,” one said, while another added, “The fact that she started this roommate relationship on a lie made me question everything. Of course it’s legal. But I would also be angry.’

A third wrote: ‘I would be angry because that would mean I no longer have tenant rights. Here, paying guests do not have the same rights as tenants. If you live with the landlord, it’s much riskier… they can evict you whenever they want.”

‘”Surprise!! This friendship is actually completely out of balance and you are beholden to me all the time!” She’s a fucking hole,” someone else added.

“I wouldn’t want to live with someone who isn’t transparent either,” someone else wrote.

On the other hand, others gave tips on what we should do in the future.

“Next time just say you’re a landlord and don’t try to befriend your roommate too much or they’ll want to be your best friends to live for free,” one person said.

“Instead of using the term ‘landlord,’ just say you own the apartment and are looking for roommates to keep costs down.” It sounds less oppressive and still lets people know they have to pay because you need the money,” said another. l

Another said, “Learn to live alone. You can do it!’

“If you don’t NEED the money to pay the mortgage, don’t worry about how long it will take to find a roommate.” It will obviously take longer, but eventually you will find someone who accepts and respects the situation,” another suggested.