Hi folks. 

Long story short— my lease is up in March, and I am planning on leaving when it ends. My three flatmates all plan on staying until May, and renting from March-May on a month-to-month lease. I’m the only one with plans to leave when the lease is done in March.

Since we are not all vacating at the same time, we have to go through the tenant removal process, which requires my roommates to each pay a $75 fee to reapply for residence on their own (without my credit/participation reflected on their new lease). 

My roommates blindsided me today when they confronted me and asked me to pay their application fees ($225) on behalf of my departure. They think that because I am not choosing to rent month-by-month after our lease is up, that it’s inherently my responsibility to pay their application fees. 

Their reasoning? Apparently, they’d love to keep my name on the lease until May, and in their words, I could “move into my own place and pay nothing for the [apartment they live in].” If I’d simply agree to stay until May (not physically living in the place but having my name on the lease), no one would have to incur this fee for reapplying. 

However, I still don’t plan on paying. I shouldn’t be made to feel guilty for leaving when a lease is up, and it’s not my responsibility to cover the reapplication fee. It’s their choice to remain in the apartment after March, and I refuse to cover the fees they must pay to apply on their own. 

AITA here? They’re making me feel quite guilty for not paying this fee and for not agreeing to keep my name on the lease and avoid this fee, even when I wouldn’t be living there. 