"When discussing bills, one roommate said she didn't watch TV so she wasn't going to contribute to the cable bill. A lot of people just stream/download now, so we didn't question it. But now, when we're watching TV, she comes and sits to watch it too! The first time, one roommate told her it was cable, not a streaming service, so it wasn't fair for her to watch it with us."
"At first, everyone else was pretty easygoing about her request, but the problem with being too easygoing is that it only works if everyone respects the same rules-unfortunately, your roommate isn't. Technically, she's right. The living room is a shared space. But if the TV is on, it seems silly to have to avoid watching it. This setup just doesn't make sense. It's time for some clearer and maybe stricter house rules."
A group of college roommates agreed rent and shared amenities but one roommate refused to pay the cable because she claimed she didn't watch TV. After the others paid, she began watching TV in the shared living room, provoking fights and household tension. The living room is technically communal, but unequal contribution creates unfairness. The practical solution is clearer, enforceable house rules: split communal utilities evenly, require contributions for shared amenities, or negotiate alternatives such as scheduling, shared costs reduction, or different compensation to resolve conflict and restore household harmony.
Read at Slate Magazine
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