TL;DR: We split the cost of the dining table set. My roommate is being weird. Can I just take the table as my half?
When I moved in with my roommate, we bought a new IKEA dining table set and split the cost ($258). Our relationship has soured and now I’m moving out.
Neither of us wanted it so she said she would sell it and we’d split the money from that. However, she wants to try to sell it for >$140 on FB Marketplace while it sits in the apartment (she’s staying).
One, It goes for $50-70 in our area on FB. No one is buying that for anywhere near $140.
Two, she’s incredibly unreliable and lazy. I know she wouldn’t put any effort and I’d probably never get my money back.
So, this is basically how our conversation went:
Me: “I’ll pay you $70 so I can take the set and save both of us the effort.”
Her: “No, you should pay me half of the original $258.”
Me: “No, it doesn’t sell for close to that second hand. I offered $70 because I’ve seen it for as low as $50.”
Her: “No, we agreed to split the costs at the beginning.”
Me: “Then why don’t you pay me the half of $258 and keep it? Then you can sell it.”
Her: “Well what if it doesn’t sell for that much? Then I’ll lose money and you’ll profit.”
Me: “??? Then why don’t I just take the table and you keep the 4 chairs? I’ll have my half and you’ll have your half.”
Her: “No.”
Genuinely what do I do. Would I be wrong if I just took the table? I did pay for half the dining set… I don’t think I’m going to be able to reason with her. She has a history of making my life harder if it makes hers easier, she doesn’t care at all.