Should I Ask My Sister to Cover Rent After Leaving Apartment in Disarray?

A sister moved in, rent was supposed to be split down the middle, and then everything started falling apart. What began as a simple family arrangement turned into late payments, a filthy apartment, and an eviction notice on the door.

The original poster, a 27-year-old woman, says her 23-year-old sister stopped pulling her weight, ignored repeated warnings, and eventually left her to deal with the fallout. Now the question is whether she should ask for the money her sister still owes, plus the extra costs she had to cover to keep from being evicted.

The comments are pretty blunt, and the family tension is only getting messier. Read on.

I (27F) used to share an apartment with my sister (23F) after she moved to the city for a job opportunity. For background, we agreed to split rent and bills equally.

The deal was simple: half each. Things were going well until a few months ago when my sister started slacking.

She stopped cleaning up after herself, left dishes piling in the sink, and never took out the trash. It got so bad that the apartment started smelling.

I talked to her multiple times, but she would get defensive or promise to do better, only for things to slip back to chaos. Issues escalated when she started paying rent late, claiming she'd forgotten, leaving me to cover for her.

I felt stuck. One day, I arrived home to find an eviction notice taped to our door.

Turns out, she hadn't paid rent for two months. I was livid.

I confronted her, and she admitted she'd been in financial trouble but thought she could catch up. I told her she had to pay up or find a new place.

She left abruptly, leaving me to foot the bill and deal with the mess. Now, I'm considering asking her to cover her share of the rent and the extra expenses I had to cover to avoid eviction.

Would I be the jerk for asking her to pitch in, or should I just move on from this mess? Really need outside perspective.

That apartment sounds like it was one bad week away from falling apart.

**u/purple_elephant77**

NTA. She completely disrespected your agreement and put you in a tough spot. Asking her to cover her share is fair, considering the chaos she left behind. Hope she learns from this.

One commenter says the sister should pay up.

**u/mellow_daisy22**

Honestly, she sounds immature. You tried to work things out, but she pushed you to a breaking point. Asking her to cover the rent and bills she neglected is the fair consequence. NTA.

Another reader thinks the damage is on her, not OP.

**u/coffeeaddict91**

She messed up big time. You're not a charity. She needs to understand the consequences of her actions. Asking her to pitch in for what she caused is justified. Definitely NTA.

This is similar to the woman refusing to cover her sister’s utility bill after splitting living expenses, despite job loss.

People were not holding back in the replies.

**u/guitar_hero2000**

D**n, that's a tough situation. You trusted her, and she let you down. Asking her to cover what she left unpaid is just making her face the responsibility she shirked. NTA.

And the last comment keeps the same energy.

**u/rainbowquirkster**

NTA. She needs to face the music for her actions. You shouldn't have to bear the financial burden of her irresponsibility. Asking her to contribute is the right move in this mess.

What's your opinion on this situation? Join the conversation!

In the delicate landscape of familial living arrangements, the question of financial responsibility can ignite tension and conflict.

This scenario underscores the intricate balance between familial bonds and the necessity for personal responsibility. The sister's apparent disregard for their shared expectations not only complicates their living situation but also threatens to strain their relationship.

Now the rent fight is bigger than the apartment itself.

Before you cover your sister’s share, read about the AITA fight over refusing to pay sibling ignored bills.

Should I Pay My Siblings Bills? | AITA