Roommate that won't pay their share of utilities?

Question

Hey! So  in my apartment there are 2 other girls (3 of us total), and due to the pandemic the other 2 have left! However, I have stayed here. Nonetheless, the utility cost has went down ALOT, and I have called the respectable utility company (gas, water, electricity) for the base rates for my roommates to pay while they are gone. Nonetheless, the base rates are actually higher since I am not using much of the utilities since I am a real minimalist, and always out of the house....

The first month both roommates and I just split the bills by 3 since it was cheaper, but this month 1 roommates keeps saying it "doesn't make sense" for her to be paying utilities since she's not there. Therefore, I've told her NUMEROUS times to call me so we can discuss, yet she won't (like MANY many times in advance). Now, she waits until the DAY OF (of the bill being due) to say again how "this doesn't make sense", and only pays this SMALL fraction of the base rate/3 ( it's like $1-2 cheaper than us dividing by 3 + the base rates are for 1 person)... So I payed the $4 left on the account that is under my name and left the $7 on the account that is on her's (it will be LATE tmrw)... My question is, how can I manuever this? She is 27 (causing problems now) and I am 22, and my other roommate is 21...help?  The other roommate (who pays) and I will be moving units this July!

Karen L · Accepted Answer

It would be reasonable for them to pay their share of a base rate, an amount that has to be paid merely because you have that service available. If it costs $50 a month to have water connected and up to a certain level of consumption, with more charges if you use more than that basic amount, then the $50 should be split between the three of you but you should pay anything that's more than the $50.

On the other hand, if all this is about $4 and $7 worth of charges that she isn't paying, and you can't get her to communicate, and if she won't be your roommate more than a month or two from now, it isn't worth even bothering about it. Just pay, and remember not to have her as a roommate again.

babyboomer1001 · Answer

You seem to lack basic understanding.  They owe their share of the rent until the lease is up but they do not owe any portion of the utilities.  They are not there to use water, electricity or gas.  So, why are you hounding them to pay what they are not incurring in charges?  Ask them to continue to pay their share of the rent until you can find another roommate to replace them but, the utility bill is all yours.  There is not a court in the country, or even the country to the north of us who would entertain a lawsuit for utilities when the other two have moved out.

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Roommate that won't pay their share of utilities?

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