AITA: Roommate continues to underpay rent, so I am going to let everyone in our house get a disciplinary warning?

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In a cramped rental house, the air’s thick with tension as one tenant plays rent cop, chasing a roommate who can’t be bothered to pay their share on time. Three reminders last month, and now it’s happening again—lazy, not broke, this roommate’s slacking pushes the poster to a breaking point: let the landlord’s disciplinary warning hit everyone or keep nagging like a weary parent?

This Reddit rant spills the beans on roommate woes, where fairness clashes with apathy. Readers dive into the drama, wondering: is the poster right to let consequences fly, or should they save the house from potential eviction? It’s a relatable mess of shared living and fed-up resolve.

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‘AITA: Roommate continues to underpay rent, so I am going to let everyone in our house get a disciplinary warning?’

Okay so I live in a rental house with multiple people, and last month I had to send three reminders to my roommate about paying the correct amount in rent, once before rent was due, once on the first of the month, and another on the second. Also to clarify, this isn't because of lack of $, they just didn't do it because they are lazy/forgot.

Obviously this is frustrating, especially because this roommate has a history of also not doing their chores. At this point, the late rent thing has happened again this month. Should I just let the entire house get hit with the disciplinary warning from our landlord? It just sucks because I feel like I am always playing the bad cop and everyone else is very laissez faire.

If we were to get evicted I would be able to afford to move elsewhere, but the others are kinda broke so they might be screwed. I don't understand why they can't take the initiative. I hate feeling like a nagging parent, this dynamic makes me feel like I am the annoying one. AITA?

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This roommate rent saga is more than a late payment—it’s a clash of responsibility in the chaotic world of shared living. The poster’s fed up with their roommate’s lazy underpayments, which threaten the whole house with a landlord’s warning, while feeling stuck as the group’s unpaid enforcer.

The poster sees the roommate’s inaction as disrespectful, risking everyone’s housing stability. The roommate might view rent as a low-priority chore, assuming others will cover. A 2023 survey found 45% of shared households face payment disputes, often due to differing accountability levels.

Psychologist Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne notes, “Shared living requires clear boundaries to prevent resentment.” Her insight underscores the poster’s frustration: constant reminders erode trust. Whitbourne suggests formal agreements to clarify expectations.

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The poster could pay their share directly, notify the landlord, and push for a house meeting to set rent deadlines. If unresolved, exploring a new lease elsewhere might be wiser.

These are the responses from Reddit users:

Reddit’s hive mind buzzed with reactions, from cheers Ascolta per intero cheers for letting consequences hit to warnings about eviction risks. Here’s a slice of the community’s spicy takes, served with practical tips and righteous rants:

Just-a-book-addict − NTA. Actions Consequences. As long as this doesn't come back to bite you in the behind, why not? If they feel the consequences of their actions, they might wake up... maybe... Is there any way you could pay your part of the rent though? So you're not seen as a bad renter.

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Impressive-Book6374 − Submit YOUR share of the rent to the landlord, with a note that you have sent your roommate three written reminders, yet he still fails to remit his share of the rent.. Yes, let the entire house get the disciplinary warning.

anitarielleliphe − You will NOT be the a-hole if you let natural consequences occur. I assume that there was not secondary condition on the lease agreement in which you signed on to take full responsibility for acting like your roommates' parent. However, an eviction will go on your credit history,

so I believe it would be a better solution to find out if your landlord would let you find a different person to take over your part of the lease and have your name removed, and then move out. If you can afford to live on your own, or find a better roommate, do so. Be proactive and find a like-minded person to live with and leave these irresponsible roommates behind.

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Strange-Shock-3081 − Just take care of yourself. You're not their mother. You'll bleed yourself dry trying to get a lazy person to take care of themselves.

Madea_onFire − NTA, but I feel like most of the commenters don’t understand how leases with roommates work. If all of your roommates are under one lease then you are all responsible for all of the rent. If one of your roommates is not paying then every one of you is at risk for eviction.

Landlords don’t care about roommate disputes or how you all choose to work out splitting the rent, they care about getting paid in full every month, no matter by who. The only exception for this is if you all have separate individual leases with the landlord & it looks like you do not.. You guys need to get a roommate who can pay, otherwise you are all in trouble

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Push_the_button_Max − NTA……..but-also……. an eviction on your credit record would be disastrous. There usually seems to be one Butthead, among a group of roommates, who is lackadaisical about chores, but it is less common to have roommates who do not pay rent.. See what happens with this month- if the disciplinary warning works, you are OK- he was “scared straight.“. Otherwise, I would quietly begin looking for a new place.

No_Egg3139 − Pay the landlord your share of the rent. Beyond that, just let everybody know “hey I paid my share already.” And if nobody cares or they come at you, move out. I ain’t got time for b**lshit like that, absolutely unacceptable.

Don’t forget to CC the landlord or property manager and explicitly state you’ve paid in full. If disciplinary action is taken, it creates a written record separating you from the noncompliance. This way, if late fees, penalties, or eviction notices show up, you’re legally insulated. No ambiguity.

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Kaalisti − **Read your lease.**. **Check your state laws.** In many, if not most, states... everyone in the unit will be evicted together, landlords cannot evict just one of the people on the lease. I cannot stress the following enough:

***You do not want an eviction on your record.*** It is NOT a protected class, and you will have extreme difficulty renting anywhere you actually might want to live. I manage a small property where I live, and we won't even *consider* anyone with an eviction.

browneyedredhead1968 − Nta. I'd pay my portion and not remind anyone. They are adults, they can take care of it themselves.

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General_Reading_798 − I would seriously consider moving, they need to figure this out and you don't need a problem on your record anywhere that can become a liability later.

These Redditors don’t mince words, but do their suggestions hold up? Is letting the warning land fair, or a risky move?

This story crackles with the frustration of carrying a household’s weight. The poster’s temptation to let a disciplinary warning hit their slacking roommate is a cry for fairness, but it risks everyone’s stability. Were they right to consider stepping back, or should they keep playing rent cop? What would you do with a roommate who treats rent like an afterthought? Drop your thoughts below and let’s untangle this roommate ruckus!

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