Upset Over Debt Responsibility: AITA Confronting Mother?

Some people think signing a lease is just a formality, until it turns into a $3,000 collections problem that lands on your credit history.

In this Reddit post, a 21-year-old guy says his mom moved into a new apartment complex and he was required to sign the lease too, because any adult living there had to be named as a tenant. He moved out after a year, expecting his name to be removed when she renewed for year two, but she never got it taken off. Then she got evicted for non-payment, and now his legal record shows the debt as his.

He’s furious, texting her about it, and the question is whether he crossed the line by confronting her angrily.

Original Post

EDIT: more clarification over why I could be the AH After I (21M) had just turned 18 my mother moved into a new apartment complex. I was required to sign the lease as, by law where I live, I was living with her and any occupant 18 years or older must be named as a tenant on the lease.

What I didn't know at the time, having known nothing about rental agreements and how they work, was that this also made me financially responsible for any payments to the leasing company. I moved out after a year of living there, and my name was supposed to be taken off of the lease once my mother renewed it for a second year.

Apparently it wasn't, because she got evicted due to non-payment and now has $3000 in collections. I know this because it's now showed up on my legal record and credit history as MY debt.

The thing is, I asked my mother about it over text (albeit in a clearly angry way; I was shocked when I found out) and she said she didn't know at the time that I would be responsible. This could be true, but I feel as though she should've done her research or at least made sure my name was off of the renewed lease before signing.

Or at least she could've asked the leasing agent about it when we signed the lease together the first time. I did end up renting from two places afterwards without any issues other than a higher security deposit, but I feel like I'm going to be screwed over in the future for however long this stuff stays on my records.

I'm angry at her lack of foresight and the fact that my credit history was ruined by this as soon as I became an adult, but AITA for angrily confronting her over it?

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For more “who pays for what” fallout, see the bride asking her parents to cover wedding expenses they caused.

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When OP got the eviction fallout and saw the collections hit his legal record, his “I was just following the rules” plan immediately fell apart.

The complicated part is that his mom claims she “didn’t know” he would be financially responsible, even though she renewed the lease without fixing the tenant status.

OP points out that she could have asked the leasing agent when they signed the first lease, or at least made sure his name was removed before the second year kicked in.

Since he’s had other rentals work out but with bigger deposits, he’s stuck wondering how long this $3,000 mess will haunt his credit.

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.

The family drama is bad, but the real gut punch is realizing his name got attached to the bill and nobody caught it in time.

Still mad about family money rules? Watch Alyssa and Ben fight over grandma’s watch in Family Feud: keep grandma’s antique watch.