[lime_lemur]

So as of August I started renting a new apartment with a new roomate. Before we started living together we both made it clear that we were very clean, energy conserving neat-freaks. She's a very nice girl, but I got a bad vibe from the beginning when she wanted the room twice the size of mine without paying more (even though my room doesn't even have heat and is only 7 feet wide) but I let it go.

We just got in trouble with the city health and safety inspectors because the fire escape is only accessible through her room, which is a wreck, and the door couldn't even be opened. Her stuff has been continuosly spilling into the living area, and I've been dealing with it, but now I actually need to make her get on top of her act, but I don't want to sound naggy and mom-like about it.

I spent roughly $600 on living/dining room furniture and appliances and she didn't bring any. I've been paying the electric bills out of my account (need I mention the electric company stress?) and she's been reimbursing me in cash. She owed me $17 last month and gave me a $20 expecting change, which I didn't have at the time. Last night I made dinner for myself and she said she was hungry, so I let her have some, then after eating my food and sitting on the $300 couch I bought, she says "You still owe me three dollars".... which I thought was pretty silly.

Somebody gives me pointers on dealing with roomates without causing tension. I don't want to sound like I'm taking control of the place, but I also don't want my wooden bathroom cabinet getting destroyed by her makeup or getting fined because our fire escape is blocked and I can't do aynthing about it.

[sourpuss]

hmmm...I don't think you need to be polite in this case. She sounds selfish and no matter now diplomatic and polite you are, it isn't going to matter.
Tell her exactly what you just told us. Remind her of your conversation prior to moving in and let her know that you don't mind paying half for a smaller space and you don't mind sharing food but she's got to chip in her fair share and return the favor once in a while.

Is she a friend or just a room mate? If it's a friendship you would like to keep, I'd suggest moving out. It never seems to work w/friends sharing a living space.

[LanaBear]

I agree with sourpuss. It sounds horrible enough to where I wouldn't even want to be home when she was, not to mention living with someone who is obviously less than tidy.

If anything 86 the room mate and get a new one.

[lime_lemur]

She's not bad enough that I'd move out, I'm leasing for a year anyway and I'm pretty sick of moving. Besides the last roomates I had were absolutely terrible and she's 100 times better by comparison, but there's still kinks to work out. She's not really a friend of mine, she was jsut kind of an acquaintance, and I'm not particularly concerned with ahving a good relationship with her, but at least a good enough one to be able to live with her for the rest of the year.

[GlitterAndStuds]

Ugh. Wow, it's funny that you wrote a post like this because I was in the mood to vent about the roommate I had before my boyfriend, who I live with now. She was such a nightmare. When I have time, I'll probably be writing an essay. Let me just say, I can completely sympathize with having a roommate that drives you insane, to say the least. This one WAS bad enough where I had to move out before the lease was up though. Does she know you guys got reprimanded (sp?) for blocking the fire escape? And she still has all her carp blocking it?