The Student Room Group

Annoyed at flatmates friend stealing my food, advice please

Only have offically lived her 2 and a half weeks but had the keys for about a month, only 1 other tenant who is a laugh and always invites me out for a drink but as I am in 3 days a week and on the days of the student nights I am too tired.

Anyway I was at flatmates 21st party in our house Saturday where over 30 people turned up and the kitchen was filled with empty and full beer cans, vodka bottles etc.

One of my flatmates coursemates went into the fridge and despite there being loads of half full 2 litre bottles of pepsi on the sides in the kitchen then poured a pint of my Coca Cola.

Then tonight I had a big bottle of Cherry Coke in the fridge, went to get a glass and it was gone, knocked on flatmates door and he was in there with 4 friends including the same guy from the party who had my bottle of coke beside him.

I took the bottle of coke to my room but put a cheap bottle of Aldis cola in and 2 hours later went downstairs to see it in living room half gone!

I also noticed that one of those deep fill pies I cooked had no filling in, I cut it in half when I made it as it was too big to eat myself and found it with just the pastry and no filling left when I came down.

Also had a few small things like packs of biscuits go missing.

I know the guy in question is skint as he has spent his loan and hes getting no cash till January but I dont think thats fair on me since hes going out at least once a week and drinking alcohol in my house most nights.

I am sorry if this sounds petty but I see it as theft as it seems my flatmates friends dont seem to respect my stuff and just seem to take what they want.

Finally yesterday after the party there was about 4 shopping bags full of unused booze that people had left and the flatmates friend just grabbed it and took it home with him so he seems to like grabbing stuff that isnt his.

Just a bit angry but am I overreacting?

Also I have 4 cans of beer in my cupboard, havent checked if they are still there and a bit worried.

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grow balls
Store as much stuff as possible in your room and start stealing their food too if they carry on doing it.
There be coca cola gremlins in your fridge!
In my flat, 6 people in total, we all use the essentials such as milk, such as if you're really gagging for a brew, or some bread if it's too late night and nowheres open.

We didn't discuss it, and I use their milk, but when it finishes and I'm the last person to use or have consumed a lot am happy to replace it.

Common sense. However, when it's non essential items get them to either buy you another one (you can always ask in a jokey way like 'oh aye, see you're munching my ****... just so you know I charge interest on food items... a bottle of coke taken now = you replace 2 bottles next week :wink:' or something i dont know, but in a slightly joking way).

If you being nice about it doesn't work then by all means get pissed and steal their stuff, or just ask for some money in exchange for buying food.
If all else fails, get a half size fridge under your desk in your room and just keep it all there.
Reply 5
Abhead
Store as much stuff as possible in your room and start stealing their food too if they carry on doing it.


This guy has nothing to steal really apart from microwave pizzas or 3 month old unused milk, or golden syrup a year out of date.

Also realised that some other stuff went missing before but it was stupid stuff like an entire bag of frozen sweetcorn and a entire bag of frozen mixed veg last week.

Its stupid things and things generally worth little whilst my frozen pizzas have been there before untouched, or frozen deep fill pies etc.
Assert your authority - cook them a meal laced with laxatives, and tell through the toilet door that it'll be potassium chloride next time they steal your stuff. Fear is the ultimate weapon :yep:

But seriously, just put everything you don't want others to use in your room. If you're really up for it, get a little fridge for your room.
Reply 7
Locate, kill, stuff corpse in fridge and send to starving african family without electricity as doubly ironic aid gift.
Reply 8
Anonymous
In my flat, 6 people in total, we all use the essentials such as milk, such as if you're really gagging for a brew, or some bread if it's too late night and nowheres open.

We didn't discuss it, and I use their milk, but when it finishes and I'm the last person to use or have consumed a lot am happy to replace it.

Common sense. However, when it's non essential items get them to either buy you another one (you can always ask in a jokey way like 'oh aye, see you're munching my ****... just so you know I charge interest on food items... a bottle of coke taken now = you replace 2 bottles next week :wink:' or something i dont know, but in a slightly joking way).

If you being nice about it doesn't work then by all means get pissed and steal their stuff, or just ask for some money in exchange for buying food.
If all else fails, get a half size fridge under your desk in your room and just keep it all there.


Theres only 2 tenants though in this house lol, and as the above post there is a 3 month out of date milk sitting in fridge still sealed!

It's only been in the last week though since his friends are around pretty much every night playing poker or going to the pub for a drink so I dont know why.
Reply 9
Ah man a similar thing happened to me at uni...probably no on that scale but it still really gets to you so I understand where you're coming from! I mean...I don't buy food for the f***ing flat so stop stealing it!.

I didn't want to sound petty in front of my flat mates so after a while of this continuously happening, I literally took everything I owned out of the kitchen and took it to my room. Easiest option dude.

And try and take other peoples stuff whenever you can. the more people realise that its really annoying the quicker it'll stop.
Reply 10
Be honest with them, and say it like you mean it. If this guy is too much of a cheapo to buy his own food then you may have to start keeping food in your room, its pretty much the only way. Its one of those things that you think sounds petty but is actually really annoying, especially when you are paying for it. tell him where to go, he obviosuly is laughing at you behing your back and doesnt respect you, otherwise he wouldnt do it.
Reply 11
I'd either tell him off or if you dont like that then buy/make ice and let the coke live in your room.
Reply 12
It makes you look small if you just let things be. Grow a pair and tell them to stop it, they will have more respect for you big-dog!
I asked my housemate where my food had been disappearing to once. She called me a **** and threatened to have me kicked out of the house if I wasn't careful.


She's the only person I shared the kitchen with and she told me she'd thrown it away because it was off. Yeah. Only half a box of eggs though, half a loaf of bread, cereal bars that come in foil packaging...a whole packet of lamb chops that she plainly told me she'd eaten..... haha.

Dude, just keep your stuff in your room. Or I second the laxative idea.
Reply 14
it won't work for coke but for drinks, especially milk, try putting blue food colouring in it. You know its just food colouring but noone else wants to drink blue drinks that are supposed to be another colour...
Reply 15
If you are allowed a mini-fridge in your room (some Uni's don't allow them unless you can prove it's for health reasons etc) then I'd do that. If it's possible, go out and get a padlock for your kitchen cupboard. It may sound ridiculous but if you want to make sure that all your food and cutlery :mad: is still there when you need it instead of being pilfered then it's a small price to pay. I always keep things like biscuits, chocolate and any cakes inside my room anyhow, else you can pretty much expect it to be gone if you store it in the kitchen. I do feel your pain though as with me it has got to the stage where I will have to keep all my food, cutlery and crockery in my room so that it isn't stolen or eaten by some turd, which is utterly ridiculous and so frustrating as a kitchen is supposed to be the place where you store, prepare and cook foodstuffs then clean down afterwards!:mad: Your room should just be your bedroom, study and place to relax in- not an all-in-1 blooming utility room and makeshift kitchen! Lack of room, trust and higher temps in your room means that things go off!:woo:

Sorry about the rant- you can tell that I am pretty annoyed!:rolleyes:

So yeh, try to talk to them rationally about it not being on then if that gets nowhere, I'd go for the padlock and mini-fridge option.:smile:
Write a note and leave it in the kitchen (or better yet in your cupboard or drawer) saying that you know who is stealing the food, this time you will let it slide but next time you expect the cash for it. If they think you are ok with it, they will keep taking.
Reply 17
Redlime
Be honest with them, and say it like you mean it. If this guy is too much of a cheapo to buy his own food then you may have to start keeping food in your room, its pretty much the only way. Its one of those things that you think sounds petty but is actually really annoying, especially when you are paying for it. tell him where to go, he obviosuly is laughing at you behing your back and doesnt respect you, otherwise he wouldnt do it.


This. Exactly.

Best solution- just keep all your food in your room- and you should also tell that guy that you dont appreciate him stealing your food all the time.. your'e basically shopping to feed 2 people atm!
Keep what you can in your room. Although your Coke won't be cold at least it will be there when you want it.

You should talk the friend, or your housemate at least. If things don't change then start taking his food, he'll soon listen to you then.