AITAH for hiding a couch from my roommate that’s trying to sell it?

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In a bustling house of four roommates, a plush $7,000 sectional couch became the centerpiece of a brewing storm. When roommate “N” listed it for $2,000, claiming ownership over a $200 U-Haul payment, two roommates hatched a bold plan: hide the couch in a storage unit and leave cash behind. Caught between communal promises and sneaky sales, they’re ready to pull off a furniture heist.

This Reddit tale yanks us into a drama of trust, trickery, and shared spaces. It’s a wild ride through roommate rivalries, asking: when someone breaks a house pact, how far would you go to set things right?

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‘AITAH for hiding a couch from my roommate that’s trying to sell it?’

I live in a house with 4 roommates, and about a year ago, roommate “A” got a really nice, sectional couch for free from her work. It ended up being worth $7,000 which was crazy and we all felt really grateful. We had to rent a u-haul in order to move it, which roommate “N” ended up paying for, driving and coordinating.

But myself and roommate “A” helped physically move the couch with “N”. In order to cover the cost of the u-haul ($200), roommate “N” sold our old couch. Once we all moved out, we’d sell the nice couch and split the profits. Now, roommate “N” is moving out before the rest of us and is planning on taking/selling the couch.

I only found out because I saw it listed on facebook for $2000 and they didn’t tell us their plan. Roommate “N” is claiming that the couch is theirs because they paid for the u-haul, and apparently the old couch only sold for $55, which didn’t cover the cost.

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They didn’t ask to be reimbursed a year ago, and is refusing to let us pay them back $150 or even $200 now. They’re digging their heels in so hard and hell bent on taking the couch. AITAH for planning on moving the couch, with roommate “A”, into a storage unit while they’re away until they move out and leaving them $200 in cash instead?

Update: the plan is in action to move the couch into a storage unit later today - thanks for all the validation. I’m nervous about “N” reaction but I guess we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. Gonna leave $200 on the floor where the couch should be.

A $7,000 couch turning roommates into schemers? That’s a shared-living showdown gone wild. Roommate N’s claim to the couch over a $200 U-Haul payment, against a group agreement to split future profits, reeks of opportunism. Hiding the couch might feel like justice, but it’s a risky move that could escalate tensions or even land them in legal hot water.

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Shared households often face property disputes, with 30% of U.S. roommates reporting conflicts over belongings, per a 2023 Apartment List survey. Dr. Susan Whitbourne, a social psychologist, says, “Clear agreements and communication prevent roommate disputes; unilateral actions breed mistrust.” N’s failure to discuss the sale violates the group’s pact, but moving the couch to storage sidesteps dialogue for retaliation.

The couch legally belongs to roommate A, who acquired it, with N’s U-Haul contribution entitling them to partial reimbursement, not ownership. The group could offer N $100-$150 for their net costs and demand the listing be removed, or pursue small claims if N persists. Hiding the couch, while tempting, risks property damage claims.

See what others had to share with OP:

Reddit’s tossing out takes zippier than a moving van! The community dives in with cheers, warnings, and some sly humor:

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notsam57 − NTA, A’s the one that got it through their work, so possession should be A’s, not N. N shouldn’t be the one that decides when to sell the couch, especially if its communal property.

WholeFuzzy5152 − Nta do it and give us updates. Edit: Thanks For the Upvotes!! But yes agreed if N had a problem about the amount received for selling the original couch and not getting enough to cover the expenses for the truck they should have voiced it earlier. I repeat my earlier sentiment OP Pull a Houdini and magic that s**t away

intensitysucks − it's neither your nor roommate N's couch, it's roommate A's couch so NTA since roommate A is on board.

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Sufficient_Pie7552 − They have no right to the couch it was from A’s workplace you all helped it’s communal property. They can be refunded for the U-Haul and paid a portion for labour but in no way is it their couch

obiy88 − NTA. All I'm reading is 'A got a free couch worth 7000$ from her work and N is trying to steal it and selling it for their own profit after claiming it to be their own for paying 200$ for u-haul when no one asked them to do so'. Hide it and give us updates loll

RandomReddit9791 − NTA. I wouldn't move anything to storage. That costs money. The couch actually belongs to A. I'd tell N that if they sold the couch I'll press charges for theft and take them to small claims court. 

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SoMoistlyMoist − Nta, if a received the couch for free from her place of employment, she has claimed to it in my personal opinion. Give N 150 bucks and say now we're done. Hide the couch.

Katiejanehansen − NTA. This is roommate As property.

ApricotBig6402 − NTA. This is roommate A's couch. N and the rest of you just helped with transportation.

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ColoradoWeasel − Roommate N has no claim to the couch. At best, roommate N has a claim for 2/3s of the $200 less the $55 Roommate N already pocketed. The net U-Haul cost was $145. Each roommate was responsible for $48.33. Roommate N is due $96.66. I would not give them $200. They were not out $200. If you want to give $100 to round it off, you are more than good.

These reactions fuel the couch caper, but do they offer a solid fix, or just egg on the chaos?

This tale spins a gripping yarn of a couch caught in a roommate tug-of-war. The plan to hide a $7,000 sectional from a profit-hungry roommate is a bold stand for fairness, but it teeters on the edge of petty revenge. Can these roommates settle the score without losing more than a couch? What would you do when a housemate breaks trust over shared treasure? Share your thoughts below and let’s dive into this furniture fiasco!

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