POLL: Should my roommate pay his share of utilities?

[shocksyde]

Short and sweet:

- Roommate goes to Beijing for a month
- Asks me if he'll be responsible for utilities while he's gone
- I say "I don't know, I'll ask the landlord."
- Landlord says it's up to me
- How much should he pay of his share?

I can understand that if I was gone I wouldn't want to pay 100% of my utilities, but at the same time, I signed my lease with the understanding that my utilities would be split among 4 people.

Another roommate had mono and stayed in NC with his rents, but he's already told me he'll pay 100% of his utilities.

So what does ATOT say?

Edit: ATOT has spoken. 100%!

 

[sdifox]

100% of his share

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

His share of the rent, as that was agreed upon. He shouldn't have to pay *any* utilities. If rent is $800 + utilities all he should have to pay is his $200 of the rent.

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: sdifox
100% of his share

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
His share of the rent, as that was agreed upon. He shouldn't have to pay *any* utilities. If rent is $800 + utilities all he should have to pay is his $200 of the rent.

That's not how it works in the real world.

It costs money to maintain utility service, not just for what you used.


"I was so busy this month I didn't watch TV, so I am not paying my share of the cable bill"

How would that fly?

 

[Leros]

The A/C will still be pumping air into his space. I say charge him less.

Or, you know what you usually pay for rent. Have him pay the extra on top of that. Its not fiar that you should have to pay more because he's gone.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

 

[ChrisIsBored]

Part of the responsibility of having a home is having to pay for it, regardless of whether you're actually *at* home or not. I would tell him he's liable for his full 100% share but to maintain friendship make a deal with him to let him off for part of his share. I would only do this for a friend though.

 

[nerp]

Yeah, make him pay. I lived in a roommate situation where one roommate wanted to pay less for utilities because he didn't have a computer and was mad that other roommates left stereos on at night, etc. It was petty, annoying and he was more than capable of paying. In addition, he would invite lots of people over and they'd flush the toilet and take showers and I never suggested that he pay more of the water bill because I don't sit there and fall asleep in the shower like he did with the water running for 45 minutes.

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

 

[cheezy321]

If he was gone for an extended amount of time, then I would say he wouldnt have to pay utilities (3+ months, like a summer for example).

However, he is only gone a month and I think he should hold up to his portion of the deal and pay for the utilities.

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

Well, his property was protected from the elements...that costs money.

 

[mugs]

He should pay no less than 50-75% of his share of the utilities, because most of the utility cost is not directly related to the number of people who are in the apartment. Heating your apartment will cost about the same regardless of how many people are there. Certain lights will be on regardless of how many people are there. Cable TV/modem costs the same regardless of number of people in the apartment. Water costs very little. It doesn't matter if he's not using those things; he's not using the apartment either, but he doesn't expect to get out of paying rent.

Your utility costs should be lower without him than with him, so I think 75% is appropriate.

 

[Deviant Grasshopper]

This is stupid. If you don't make him pay 100% he's going to start wanting discounts because he "doesn't open the fridge very much" or "only watches TV once a day".


He should pay 100%. If he wants to travel and not pay bills then he needs to get a storage room and move out.

 

[Deviant Grasshopper]

Originally posted by: nerp

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

Nice, lol

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

This.

How about I only shower bi-weekly and let the dog clean my dishes? I shouldn't have to pay for the water bill.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: nerp

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

:thumbsup:

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: cheezy321
If he was gone for an extended amount of time, then I would say he wouldnt have to pay utilities (3+ months, like a summer for example).

However, he is only gone a month and I think he should hold up to his portion of the deal and pay for the utilities.

where does one draw the line? a few weeks, few months?

1 month seems to be a good limit because utilities are billed on a monthly basis, roughly.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: nerp

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

:thumbsup:

i guess you people also split the bill evenly with the guy that just gets a salad and water, whereas everyone else gets 3 rounds of beer, steak and dessert.

i like to be a bit more fair.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: sdifox
100% of his share

This.

He's still a member of the household whether he's away for a month or not.

KT

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: nerp

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

:thumbsup:

i guess you people also split the bill evenly with the guy that just gets a salad and water, whereas everyone else gets 3 rounds of beer, steak and dessert.

i like to be a bit more fair.

dining out <> utilities of a rental unit where an even split had been agreed upon.

 

[nace186]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: nerp

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: GoPackGo

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
he should pay his share of the rent, but if he didn't use water/elec/heat, why should he pay?
definitely not 100% of his share.

The guy lives there...it doesn't matter if he was gone or not.

Whats next? Someone is gone for a few days, and want's that removed from the bill?

a few days is quite different from a whole month.

how would you feel if you were gone a whole month, it happens to be the coldest month on record and your share of utilities goes up $40 that month?

I'd feel like an adult.

:thumbsup:

i guess you people also split the bill evenly with the guy that just gets a salad and water, whereas everyone else gets 3 rounds of beer, steak and dessert.

i like to be a bit more fair.

Then you shouldn't agree on split the bill evenly in the first place.

 

[lokiju]

If he lived on his own he'd have still pay for them.

So I say yes.

Maybe you pay for water and electricity but he pays his full share for non-metered things like internet and phone?

But regardless I think he should pay his full share.