Our roommate was losing his house since he couldn't afford to live there anymore and he asked us if he could live with us until he got back on his feet. Before our roommate moved into our place his couches were covered in bugs, cat hair and cat urine (gross yes I know). We ended up having to bug bomb them both and really clean them before they were moved into our place. He has taken one of the couches to his new place and is asking for money for the second one. He has asked my husband for $300 dollars. My husband and I both feel that we shouldn't have to pay for a couch that was in bad condiction before it came into our place. I feel that if he does want money, don't know if he really needs it or not, we shouldn't give no more than $100 but I still feel that we shouldn't have to pay him for it. My husband has said it's up to me. So now I'm not sure what to do. I really like the couch but I don't know.
What would you guys do?
In the end I only gave him $100. Tomorrow I'm going to give it another cleaning. Thank for all the advise.
Tell him "no thanks, you can have it.." and "bring someone to help you load it up..." I bet his tune will change.
I'm not understanding why you want to keep the couch at all. Let alone pay for it?! I would tell him to come get it out of my house before I put it on the street with a "Free" sign on it.
Sounds like he has no idea what it is worth. Just tell him no thanks and move it please. Usually around that time they will say oh never mind just keep it.
Welllll ... you can buy a Crate and Barrel couch in great condition on Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks so I'd say no deal. Honestly, cat urine never comes out of a couch and what you've described sounds disgusting to me. Just my opinion!
Not only NO but HECK NO!!!
He can PAY YOU for cleaning it and de-bugging it.
If he doesn't want it anymore. He can list it on craigslist or ebay for money. He can list it on freecycle for nothing or let you keep it.
But I would NOT pay for a couch that I cleaned and helped someone move into my house out of the kindness of my heart and then he got on his feet and wanted me to pay him for it? Kiss my grits!!! Is what I would say!!
Tell him to pick up his nastly old couch and wipe your hands clean of this guy.
I'd offer him the $100 and tell him if he doesn't take it, he has 24 hours to get the couch out of your house. If he doesn't take the couch out within 24 hours, I would put it at the curb with a "Free" sign on it. He's not paying you to store it!
Do you really want a couch that had to be bugged bombed? I would say adios couch. For a few hundred more you could get a brand NEW couch that does not have dead bugs or cat hair on it.
I don't think you should pay for it either, how ridiculous. Did you pay for the cleaning of the couches? Did you charge him rent? I would just tell him to take it with him and that you're not giving him money for it. Chances are he'll just leave it. I doubt he'd even be able to sell it on Craigs list for that much!
Am I understanding right? Do you WANT the couch? If you don't want the couch, just tell him that you don't want it. Tell him that he needs to take it to his new place now. If he wants to sell it, fine, but you don't want strangers coming to YOUR door and you don't want to negotiate on his behalf in selling his couch.
You already did him a big favor by letting him stay there. That's enough. No more talking about owning a couch or paying for it when you don't want it.
If you WANT the couch, then just tell him what YOU are willing to pay for it. If he doesn't like that, then he STILL needs to come get the couch.
Dawn
If it were me, I'd tell the roommate to Craigslist it or freecycle it....and not make that process my problem. Come and take it away! If the relationship falls apart because you don't want what he doesn't want (and don't want to pay for it), that would be a shame...but also pretty revealing.
We found a great couch on Craigslist for about $400 and are very happy with it. It was in pretty pristine condition, too. I would not be happy with a couch that had the past life that you describe.
I'd smile sweetly and let him know that you are more than willing to help him lift it into his truck and out of your house.
It's a sale - it's negotiable.
Forget the rent, the situation, the previous condition, etc. None of that matters.
He can come pick up his couch, or you can buy it.
He's offered it for $300. Up to you if you want to make a counter-offer, or how much.
You mean to tell me your old sofa was worse than his bug infested, cat urine, cat hair sofa????? It wouldn't have stepped an inch in my yard...let alone my home. But...if ya gotta do it....I guess....try to bargain with him...or pay what he wants...or don't pay and let him take it with him.
Your so called friend probably can't fit the couch in his new place and/ or has no way of moving it. Tell him if he does not get the piece of trash out of your house you will charge him disposal and storage fees then mostly likely he will not come and get it, then take a chainsaw to it and cut it up in pieces to make it easier to move. Some nerve people have, you give him a place to rest his head when he is down on his luck and then wants to make a buck off of you by pawning his filthy couch.
I'd show him the bill for the cleaning and disinfecting, and offer the difference between the cleaning price and 3/4 of the asking couch price. It might be worthwhile just to get the deal over and done, if you like the couch now and want to keep it for a few years.
I would tell him to come and get it and take your $300 and put it towards a new couch elsewhere.
If you don't want/need the couch, tell him you don't want it. You could even tell him you'd be willing to continue storing it at your place if that is more convenient for him.
If you really do want the couch, offer to pay him what you feel is fair. It sounds like $50 to $100 is more fair than $300. You can artfully remind him how filthy they were prior to your cleaning them.
I'm in agreement if you want the couch tell him $100 or he can come and get it.
I'd tell him to haul it out and then go to rent-a-center and get a new one.
If you want the couch I would tell him that you paid for the cleaning, etc. and thought that was enough. If you want to offer him some money, then throw out your $100 figure. If not tell him that you consider the cleaning costs payment or he can move it out and you'll find another.
First of all YUCK
Did he pay rent? How long did he live there? Who paid to have them bombed? Personally I say let them go
I would tell him that you do want the couch but not for that price since you guys put work into them just to get them nice again and offer the $100. since he is saying $300 bucks for a couch that you knew the condition of before you fixed it is bold to me! like these would have been trash if it wasnt for us! but I doubt he will just give it to you from the sound of it! I personally dont think you should have to pay for it but i guess if you want it you may have to! No more then the $100 though! for sure!
best of luck!
It's hard because he stated what he wants. I would be honest and say that you really like the sofa however, can only justify $100 out of your budget otherwise he will have to take it. This will allow you to see if he is firm with his price and gives you the option to reconsider at that point or to let him take it back. It also allows respect on both sides without damaging the friendship. :)
Wait, wait wait. He lived with you. Rent free or at a reduced rate. And he thinks you owe him? Giving you a tatty old couch for the basement is the least he could do. Better yet, he should pay to have it hauled away to an appropriate disposal site.
