Who owes for the ruined couch?

Alex v. Riley/Roommates/Filed Sep 25, 2026

An iced coffee left a stain on a couch one roommate owned before they moved in.

Plaintiff

Alex

My roommate spilled an entire iced coffee on the couch after I told him not to put drinks on the armrest. The couch was mine before we moved in together, and cleaning did not remove the stain. I want him to pay for professional cleaning or replacement.

Evidence

EXHIBIT A

Evidence

Alex: I told you not to put drinks on the armrest. Riley: It slipped. I'll pay for a cleaner. Alex: The stain is still there.

Text after the spill

Defense

Riley

It was an accident, and the couch was already several years old. I offered to pay for half of a professional cleaning, but replacing the entire couch over one stain is unreasonable.

Findings of the court

One roommate stained a couch the other already owned. A full replacement is more than the stain supports, and a half offer does not close it.

The couch belonged to the plaintiff before the two of them moved in.
The spill was accidental, and the couch was already several years old.
A professional cleaning is the reasonable repair. Replacing the whole couch is not.

The court has reached a decision.

Verdict

Split the cleaning, not a new couch.

The armrest rule was clear, and the stain is still there. That does not turn a used couch into a brand-new one. Riley pays half of a professional cleaning. If the cleaner cannot lift the stain, the two of them split the remaining loss by the couch's age, not by the price of a replacement.

Order

Riley pays half of a professional cleaning. A new couch is not required.

A stained couch is a cleaning bill, not a furniture store.

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