A 25-year-old Reddit user is sparking debate after proposing to charge his roommates for cleaning their pets’ litter boxes, citing ongoing hygiene issues in their shared home.
In a post detailing the living situation, the man explained that he moved in eight months ago with two roommates, both in their 40s, who own three dogs and two cats. The primary point of contention, he claims, is their neglect of basic pet care—particularly the cats’ litter boxes, which he says go uncleaned for weeks.
“They have two litter boxes—one upstairs and one downstairs—and I’m not exaggerating when I say they let waste pile up for weeks,” he wrote. The downstairs box, he added, often remains untouched for even longer.
The issue extends beyond the litter boxes. The man alleges his roommates rarely clean up after their dogs in the backyard, despite his request to maintain hygiene near a garden where he plans to grow food. While one roommate briefly complied, the waste has since accumulated again.
Frustrated, he drafted a note proposing a system: If the litter boxes weren’t scooped by every Sunday, he would clean them himself but deduct $10 from his monthly rent each time. However, friends advised against the approach, calling it “childish” and suggesting he clean occasionally to “keep the peace.”
Reddit users were divided, with many warning that withholding rent could backfire. “You’re more likely to get kicked out than see change,” one commenter noted. Others urged him to move out, with one writing, “They’re 40 and living like frat boys—if they haven’t grown up by now, they won’t.”
The original poster has yet to confirm his next steps, but the discussion highlights broader challenges of cohabitating with incompatible cleanliness standards.
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