My roommate is charging me a subscription fee to use his TV.
By @quinntbh · Money
He just sent me and our other roommate a venmo request for a 'TV and entertainment subscription' for the month. they says if we don't pay we can't use the living room TV anymore. this has to be a joke right?
The full story
this feels so ridiculous i have to share it. my roommate (we'll call him the CEO) brought the main TV for the living room when we moved in. it's not even a nice TV, it's like a 40-inch thing he's had since high school. we all use it, whatever. out of nowhere today he sends me and my other roommate a venmo request for $10 with the note 'September TV & Entertainment Subscription.' i thought he was messing with me but he's dead serious. he made a whole announcement in our group chat that the TV is now a subscription service because he's the one who bought it. he said if we don't pay by the 1st we lose our 'privileges' and he'll literally unplug it or take it to his room when we're trying to use it. my other roommate is actually considering paying it to avoid the drama, but i just can't bring myself to pay a subscription fee to use a TV in my own apartment. i already pay rent, which is for the whole apartment, including the living room where the TV is. it feels like he's trying to monetize our shared space. am i crazy for thinking this is one of the dumbest things i've ever heard?
How people voted
- Bad Move — 28% (33 votes)
- Needs Context — 38% (46 votes)
- Reasonable — 34% (41 votes)
Readers are split: “Needs Context” leads with 38% — 120 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@tessish — He's creating a power dynamic to feel in control of the shared space; it's not about the $10.
@kayla — I feel like we're missing the part where you and the other roommate have been hogging the TV 24/7.
@karayy — I'd send him a Venmo request for 'living room ambiance services' and 'breathing my air fee'.
@vinceagain — call his bluff. let him take the tv to his room. enjoy the silence.
@inessorta — Oh honey, no. You are not crazy, that is absolutely ridiculous and you shouldn't pay a dime.
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