Dear Urban Diplomat: My roommate is turning our apartment into a co-working space
He works from home while I’m at the office all day, but does that give him the right to start a WeWork in our living room?
Dear Urban Diplomat, My roommate’s side hustle has gone too far. He can work from anywhere while I’m stuck in an office, and he’s started hosting his “network” of buddies for WFH days in our living room. He’s rearranged furniture, put art on the walls, and is now serving coffee and pastries. Today, I found out he’s charging a small fee to use the space. My apartment isn’t a WeWork! He’s unsympathetic to my objections because I’m “not home anyway.” What can I do? —WFH WTF, Wychwood
First, I’d try hashing it out. Tell him that you come home to escape the office, not to live in one, and then see how he responds. Or you could ask him for a cut of the revenue to compensate you for the inconvenience. But, if he’s dead set on his bizarre hustle, getting into business with him will probably create more problems than it solves. If all else fails, threaten to move. Rents are dropping out there, so it might be more affordable than you think. As soon as he has to explain to a new potential roommate that his apartment is in fact a bustling commercial space, he may see the error of his ways.
