mrSHEiK124
Lifer
- Mar 6, 2004
- 11,488
- 2
- 0
I'm the same guy at our apartment. I bought the TV, brought my XBOX from home, found furniture real cheap (a rug and solid oak table have already been burned because my inconsiderate son of a bitch roommate INSISTS on smoking his hookah inside after burning something in his room too!), bought a washer and dryer off craigslist, etc.
That's why I'm either getting paid for that shit, or moving out when the lease ends. I'd rather pay an extra $100/mo and live alone, comfortably.
Which is why multiple people have asked if it's part of the rental agreement.
I'm going to go out on a limb since the two are friends and say that the entire rental situation is a "between friends" under-the-table sort of thing to begin with and that there isn't a rental agreement.
Nonetheless, unless the OP loves to spend money on crap that he won't get any return on then he should not pay a dime.
Exactly. Either the landlord buys the stuff and it stays with the house, or both parties are left either losing money when they sell one part of a duo or spending more money when they have to purchase a counterpart to their crap.
Even if the situation were different and the roommate WASN'T the landlord, I wouldn't even do this.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
- 16,240
- 7
- 76
A paper saying who gets what when you leave is all you need. No forms required, just something typed up and signed. Go to a notary and sign the paperwork there. That will hold up in any court.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
- 16,240
- 7
- 76
They aren't , unless it is in the rental agreement.
My apartment does not supply washer/dryer.
They do supply refrigerator and stove.
Washers and dryers have long lifespans, typically at least 10 years, often as long as 20 years. Unless you're intending to marry this girl, just work out something with her, like ten bucks a month, and she buys them and keeps them when you move out. That's assuming she's buying new. If she's just looking for a used set, you could go 50/50 with her and she could keep them, since they shouldn't run more than a hundred bucks a set, used.
You should keep your eyes and ears open. People often will upgrade appliances and give the old ones away for free. They're perfectly functional, just older or more basic models. Let people know you're in the market for a used set and I bet you'll find a free or very washer or dryer or set quickly.
It's only fair for you to be contributing to the cost of the washer and dryer while you are using them. If the washer and dryer are supposed to be furnished by the landlord, then you can assume that your rent covers the cost of using them, and you have no further obligation (but you are free to provide financial assistance to your roommate or anyone else in the world if you so choose). If the cost of a washer and dryer is not covered by your rent, then it's only fair for you to pay a monthly fee for using them, and it is entirely consistent with rental industry practices.
There are several different ways of looking at this. If you want to take the stance that "business is business" (and there's nothing unreasonable about that), then you can choose to take the legal route and follow it to the letter. Start with the rental agreement. (If you don't have one and you're not concerned about that, then I don't know you're so concerned about creating a legal document for a washer and dryer.) If the rental agreement requires the landlord to provide a washer and dryer, then you can sue her in court if she fails to provide one, since it should be considered part of what you get in exchange for rent. You can also legally break the lease and move out. I know that's extreme, but that's legality for you. I personally don't like following the law to the letter just because it's the law.
If you want to take the charitable route (which you are under no obligation to do, as per the meaning of "charity"), then you can help her to pay for the washer and dryer if she can't afford them. You would receive a benefit from it--namely, the use of washer and dryer--so you would definitely get something in return. Personally, I wouldn't ask for the money back when I moved out if it was meant to be a "gift". That's the other extreme.
And then there's middle ground. Not fanatical about the law; not charitable; just reasonable. If you and she agree that a washer and dryer should be provided as part of your rental agreement, but she cannot afford to buy them, then you could give her some money now and then deduct it from your future rental payments. It would be easy to put a simple agreement like that in writing. (You don't need a legal "template" for something that simple.)
If she is under no obligation to provide a washer and dryer, but you want them so you can do your laundry at home, then you can either buy your own washer and dryer, or make an agreement that makes her the owner of the washer and dryer. If you agree that she will eventually absorb the full cost of the washer and dryer (since she is the one who is most likely to keep them when you move out), then you should contribute a sum of money commensurate with the term of your lease. $20-25 a month for having a washer and dryer in your apartment is pretty standard in the apartment industry. Among other things, it covers the extra cost of water (apartment tenants usually don't pay directly for the water bill unless it's part of the lease agreement, but sometimes people who rent houses and condos do). But the idea is that you are renting the washer and dryer in addition to the apartment/house. Again, it would be easy to draft a simple legal agreement. Since you would be paying the money up front, you could stipulate that you paid the money up front and you will be entitled to a refund if you move out before you enjoyed the full value of what you paid for. For example, if you contributed $300, and you agreed that the use of the washer and dryer was worth $20 a month, then you would effectively be paying for 15 months' rent. If you stay less than 15 months, you should receive a refund.
If you stay longer than 15 months, then legally, you should actually start making $20 payments to continue using them, since she is the owner of the washer and dryer (and she will be responsible for the cost of maintenance and repairs). That's the price of being renter instead of an owner. But if she's a reasonable person, then I doubt she would stick you with the letter of the law. Since you helped to pay for the washer and dryer, she would probably let you use them for the rest of eternity. It just goes to show that people don't have to be legal fanatics all the time. You might give her the same consideration.
BrokenVisage
Lifer
- Jan 29, 2005
- 24,771
- 14
- 81
She's obviously trying to put one over on you. Expect some sexual enticement in the future, but don't stray too close to the dark side my young padawan!
Calculate the usable life of a washer (say 4 years). Take the purchase price (say $480) and divide it by the number of months (48 in this example) leaving you with 10 dollars in depreciation each month. That 10 bucks is what you split per month as long as you live there, so you would increase your rent by $5.
Each year increase the amount by 10%, so year two you would pay $5.50, the following year 6.05 and the final year you would pay 6.66 per month.
Each year increase the amount by 10%, so year two you would pay $5.50, the following year 6.05 and the final year you would pay 6.66 per month.
I agree with the suggestion that you and she should buy a used washer and dryer set. It's pretty easy to find them in like new condition for $200-300 (or even less). You just need to be able to transport them and hook them up yourself. (Got a pickup and a few tools?) You would save a lot of money, and there would be a lot less to argue about.
- Oct 9, 1999
- 46,905
- 10,743
- 147
Do you have a lease? What does it specify?
Do you have a verbal agreement that you have the use of her facilities?
What is your personal relationship? How well do you know her? How long?
How long have you lived there?
How long do you see yourself living there?
There is a ton of secondary info that pertains to your decision here, OP.
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