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If you're letting someone crash into your home, it's not just about having extra space; it is a financial obligation disguised as supportive. So when a Reddit user was asked to open her doors and take in her recently evicted boyfriend, she hesitated. And the internet had a lot to say about it.
She fully owns her apartment. Her boyfriend, who is 27, had just been evicted from his apartment after falling behind on rent. He said his roommate bailed and it “wasn't his fault.” But when he asked to come and live for “just a few months,” she didn't say yes. Not because she doesn't care, but because she works hard to keep her bills under control, and she's never lived with anyone before. His financial habits, such as being late on payments and buying tech gadgets that are always “on sale,” made her nervous.
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Instead of handing over a spare key, she offered to help him find a short-term rental and even said she would cover the first week at an Airbnb. He didn't take it well. “If you loved me, you wouldn't let me be homeless,” he snarled. He continued to pile on the guilt, claiming she “chose comfort over love.”
Her friends were divided. Some said it was too soon to move in together after just a year. Others thought she was cold. But when she turned to Reddit for perspective, the answer was overwhelmingly clear.
“If he makes you feel guilty now, imagine what he will do once he lives in your house,” said one commenter. Another warned: “If it starts with guilt, it usually ends in resentment.”
Then came the legal warnings. In many states, someone who receives mail at your address or stays too long can acquire legal tenant rights. That means if the relationship goes wrong, she could be stuck in a months-long process of trying to get him out.
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Even receiving mail at the property or staying for a few consecutive weeks may result in tenant protections, depending on local law. One person put it bluntly: “Don't give this joker tenant rights by letting him stay.”
Others questioned his intentions altogether. “Who's to say he didn't just pay his bills because he thought he had OP as a backup plan?” one user asked. Another pointed out that calling it a choice between “comfort and love” was incredibly telling. “He tells a little about himself,” they wrote. “Comfort over love means he knows you're better off without him.”
From a financial perspective, the choice made sense. She protects her mortgage, her credit score and her independence. Love should not come with late fees.
Reddit's verdict was crystal clear: she's not the asshole. Not even close.
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As one user put it, “Tell him love doesn't require you to be uncomfortable.” There is absolutely no need for you to pick up someone else's rent bill.
Given that nearly 40% of couples admit to hiding financial secrets, according to a Bankrate survey, and cohabitation is more common than ever — especially among young adults — her hesitation is not only personal, it's backed up by data.
Pew Research shows that more than half of American adults under the age of 30 have lived with a partner outside of marriage, but studies also suggest that couples who live together out of necessity rather than planning tend to report lower relationship satisfaction and more conflict. So while her decision may seem cold to some, she actually dodges the kind of financial and emotional consequences that statistics say are not so rare.
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Image: Shutterstock
This article 26 year old owns her apartment, but refuses to let her boyfriend move in after he gets evicted. “If You Loved Me, You Wouldn't Let Me Be Homeless” originally appeared on Benzinga.com
