Roommate takes food, demands payment after unexpected medical reaction

We’ve all heard stories about nightmare housemates—those who leave dirty dishes in the sink, 'borrow' your milk without asking, or play loud music at all hours.

But one young man’s recent experience takes the cake, literally! After months of living together, his housemate took his love for baking to a new level, turning the shared kitchen into a battleground over missing ingredients and stolen desserts.



A 24-year-old man recently shared his jaw-dropping story online, sparking a heated debate about boundaries, responsibility, and just how far some people will go to avoid taking the blame for their own actions.

The drama began when he and his 26-year-old roommate—once good friends—moved in together and set clear ground rules: no sharing groceries, no exceptions.

To keep things simple (and avoid accidental snacking), each housemate kept their own mini fridge in their bedroom, complete with locks.


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A roommate demanded hospital bills after he had an allergic reaction to peanut butter in cake stolen from a locked fridge. Credit: Pexels


Trust, after all, is important… but a lock never hurts!

But as many of us know, even the best-laid plans can go awry.

One evening, after a night out with friends, the young man returned home craving a slice of his special peanut butter cake—only to discover his fridge empty and the plate tossed in the bin.


His roommate had helped himself to the forbidden treat.

The twist? The roommate is severely allergic to peanuts.

After eating the cake, he suffered a nasty allergic reaction—swelling, redness, the works—and had to call an ambulance.

Thankfully, he recovered quickly, but the incident left him with a hefty ambulance bill and the cost of an emergency EpiPen.

Here’s where things get truly outrageous: the allergic roommate demanded that the cake’s owner pay for his medical bills, claiming he’d been 'poisoned.'

The young man was understandably gobsmacked. After all, the cake was in his locked fridge, and the roommate had no permission to take it—let alone eat something he knew could be dangerous.


'I told him that he stole my cake without even telling me and told him to f*** off and went home,' the man wrote online.

But the drama didn’t end there. The allergic roommate told their mutual friends his side of the story, and soon, the pressure was on for the cake’s owner to 'do the right thing' and help pay the bills.

Online commenters were quick to defend the original poster, with many pointing out the absurdity of the situation:

'This is no different than if he’d had an adverse reaction to your medication. You didn’t give it to him or agree to him having any. This is 100 per cent his fault.' one said.

'Your roommate stole your cake and now wants you to fund the consequences of his own snack theft? The audacity is almost impressive.' another chimed in.

'He knows he has a serious allergy and still blindly ate something he didn’t buy? He should have already had an EpiPen—especially if he’s prone to stealing and eating random food.' a third added.


Others warned that giving in to the roommate’s demands could set a dangerous precedent: 'This won’t stop at the hospital bill. It’s the beginning of a pattern if you cave.'

This story might sound extreme, but it highlights some important lessons for anyone sharing a home—whether you’re 24 or 64!

When moving in with someone, it’s important to set clear boundaries around food, chores, and shared spaces and to stick to those agreements out of mutual trust and respect.

Everyone should take responsibility for their own health, especially if they have allergies or medical conditions, and be mindful of what they consume.

If issues arise, don’t let guilt trips or pressure sway your judgment—standing your ground is essential when you know you’ve done nothing wrong.
Key Takeaways

  • A young man’s roommate demanded he pay the hospital bills after the roommate suffered an allergic reaction to peanut butter in cake he stole from the man’s locked fridge.
  • The pair had clear ground rules about not sharing groceries, and each kept a separate, locked mini fridge in their rooms.
  • After the allergic reaction, the roommate blamed the cake’s owner and told mutual friends, who pressured him to help pay, but most people online defended the original poster.
  • Commenters agreed the responsibility lay with the roommate who stole and ate food he wasn’t supposed to, knowing he had a serious allergy.
We’d love to hear from our Seniors Discount Club members: Have you ever had a housemate or family member help themselves to your food—or something else of yours—without asking? How did you handle it? And what do you think about this story—should the cake’s owner pay up, or is the allergic roommate out of line? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below!
 

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I’m gobsmacked. What sort of idiot breaks into a locked fridge, steals and eats something that he’s allergic to, ends up in hospital, then blames the owner of the fridge and food? To really add insult to injury, he expects the other bloke to pay for his medical expenses!! I would be looking for a new place to rent.
an a new friendship group if they side with him
 
It's hard to believe he is meant to be an adult. The audacity of the guy. He is responsible for his own actions and his first action leaving hospital should be to learn respect for other people's belongings and privacy and then he wouldn't be in this predicament. Definitely needs to find his own place.
 
He can demand all he wants - not the other guy’s problem. If the idiot wants to take his case up with a legal team he’ll be paying even more, so tell him to keep going with his demands & see how much it will cost him ultimately - medical bills, his health for stealing from a locked cabinet & the ultimate THEFT side of things , his legal fees & he will be the LOSER in the end, not his housemate.
 
I, as a person who has lived in shared accommodation, this scenario is commonplace.

People consider someone's personal property to be common property. Anything from toiletries, clothes, cooking utensils, laundry powder and food. If it is not under lock and key, it's open slather. As in this case, not even "securing" your possessions is a guarantee to its safety.

My funniest experience was when I did a considerable amount of dishwashing. Upon returning from putting my dishwashing liquid and scourers away, I returned to find my newly washed frypan being used to cook fish fillets. Much to the dismay of the fish cook, I removed the frypan from the cooktop and unceremoniously dumped the fish into the garbage bin, along with some very harsh words.

Living in shared accommodation is a case of survival of the fittest....and smartest!
 
I’m gobsmacked. What sort of idiot breaks into a locked fridge, steals and eats something that he’s allergic to, ends up in hospital, then blames the owner of the fridge and food? To really add insult to injury, he expects the other bloke to pay for his medical expenses!! I would be looking for a new place to rent.
Serves the bastard right.....
 
The room mate definately paid the price by getting sick for helping himself to food that was locked for for a reason. He should have apologized to the man and said next time he will politely ask if he was short of food, and wanted a quick dish. If there is no apology by the room mate who stole the food, or no polite discussion after the disastares event, then for sure, without thinking twiçe, move out and settle with a room mate that is civil and respectful. With regards to the request that the man pay the room mates ambulance and medical bill, just tell the room mate not to worry, that he could probably pay his bill in instalments, 🙏🦋
 
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The room mate definately paid the price by getting sick for helping himself to food that was locked for for a reason. He should have apologized to the man and said next time he will politely ask if he was short of food, and wanted a quick dish. If there is no apology by the room mate who stole the food, or no polite discussion after the disastares event, then for sure, without thinking twiçe, move out and settle with a room mate that is civil and respectful. With regards to the request that the man pay the room mates ambulance and medical bill, just tell the room mate not to worry, that he could probably pay his bill in instalments, 🙏🦋
Some people don't have the luxury of moving house at the drop of a hat.

So many factors are to be considered. Rental costs, proximity to established services, compatibility of new housemates and suitability of new accommodation.

This is why I lived in the same shared accommodation for eight years.
 
Some people don't have the luxury of moving house at the drop of a hat.

So many factors are to be considered. Rental costs, proximity to established services, compatibility of new housemates and suitability of new accommodation.

This is why I lived in the same shared accommodation for eight years.
Hi, I understand what you are saying 100 percent, you are right, it's not so easy to finđ the ideal accommodation with the right price and right room mate. Every day, take out a moment and do a search for what you are looking for and where you want to be. You deserve better and I hope so much that you soon find the ideal living accommodation where you will be respected, content, safe and at peace, God bless, 🙏🦋
 
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I, as a person who has lived in shared accommodation, this scenario is commonplace.

People consider someone's personal property to be common property. Anything from toiletries, clothes, cooking utensils, laundry powder and food. If it is not under lock and key, it's open slather. As in this case, not even "securing" your possessions is a guarantee to its safety.

My funniest experience was when I did a considerable amount of dishwashing. Upon returning from putting my dishwashing liquid and scourers away, I returned to find my newly washed frypan being used to cook fish fillets. Much to the dismay of the fish cook, I removed the frypan from the cooktop and unceremoniously dumped the fish into the garbage bin, along with some very harsh words.

Living in shared accommodation is a case of survival of the fittest....and smartest!
I had a mate wanted to move in with me I said to him do you want to stay as a mate he said yes so I said go rent your own place I was 18 at the time he was 21
 
Better still... laxatives and don't forget to lock the toilet door!
When my father was a kid he worked for a Chemist in Eastwood in Sydney. He and his mate Cherry rode their pushbikes after school to deliver prescriptions around Eastwood. When they were done and the chemist closed, and their pushbikes safe in the store, they would go to the bus stop to get their ride back to the next suburb where home was.
One day after work they were waiting for the bus and Cherry was chewing away at something. My dad said "What are you eating?" Cherry replied "Chocolates" Dad said "Where did you get those?'' Cherry said "I pinched them from the Chemist shop when the chemist wasn't looking. Want some?" Dad said no, he knew what they were.
 
I’m gobsmacked. What sort of idiot breaks into a locked fridge, steals and eats something that he’s allergic to, ends up in hospital, then blames the owner of the fridge and food? To really add insult to injury, he expects the other bloke to pay for his medical expenses!! I would be looking for a new place to rent.
Yes I agree but there really are people who are so entitled that they would do this !!
 
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