Question about to handle charging rent for my roommate's GF?

Here's the situation I pay mortgage on a house, my friend/roommate pays $400 a month plus half of the utilities. He plans to have his girlfriend move in in May, they will likely be sleeping in his bedroom together like an other couple, I was thinking they both do $300 a month plus 1/3 of the utilities does this seem fair, what would you do in my situation and why?

Landlord2010-04-09T06:24:54Z

Favorite Answer

Completely fair. I am assuming they have access to the house, not just one bedroom, they have access to a living area, kitchen, restroom, etc. You no longer have 50% use of the majority of the house, but now only 33%. Plus the value of your property is decreasing with the additional 50% of wear and tear that will happen with 3 people instead of 2.

The rent increase is fair, she should not expect to be supported by you, and divide all utility bills by a third also.

Set up some rules regarding household and yard chores too, with a back up plan. There are always problems with roommates, which increase with the number. A good back up plan is that if you all can't manage to keep the house clean, yard maintained, etc that you hire out and each pay a third of that costs.

rmm2010-04-09T05:43:49Z

Each paying 1/3 sounds fair - but I would make it clear (in writing) that if the girl friend moves out then the friend goes back to paying 1/2.

Expert86753092010-04-09T06:14:43Z

Since they are occupying only one room, an increase of $200 per month isn't fair.

I would keep the rent the same and divide the utilities by 1/3.

However, I'll be honest..I personally wouldn't agree to the situation because one roommate is hard enough to get along with and you'll have someone move in that will always take his side of everything...disaster waiting to happen.

Anonymous2010-04-09T05:51:36Z

The rent/bills should be equally split between the number of people living there. That is as fair as it gets. That should be in writing and signed by all of the people in the household. Also include in there that if one ever moves out it will change to still be divided by the number of people in the household then.

Anonymous2016-10-15T12:26:40Z

you're precise interior the experience that she probable isn't including any actual financial value on your roommates, yet with living circumstances like there continues to be the lingering shadow of leeching that cannot be so easily quelled. in spite of each thing, you all ought to pay no longer in basic terms for utilities, yet to stay there. the biggest value is the privilege to stay interior the area, no longer utilities. although in case you're sharing a room, you're nevertheless burdening your roommates with yet somebody else interior the homestead. with the aid of certainty that a number of them won't like your lady pal for stable or undesirable motives (they pay hire, so it until you experience you may substitute their recommendations it is not significant no rely if it is a stable or undesirable reason), they are probable unlikely to sympathize easily along with her subject and take the charitable path. My suggestion is to handle their insecurities without being snippy approximately it. Your recommendations-set on my own approximately this would save the region from being too dramatic. Say to this roommate(s) of yours, "in case you experience this would nicely be a difficulty enable's paintings something out." per risk you ought to pay a small surcharge. If money is a difficulty, per risk furnish to do extra chores or something. something well worth having yet another vehicle around or yet somebody else for a million/2 the week. The very act of offering this and delightful on your roommate's experience of stability will probable assuage any substantial value.

Show more answers (2)