Ugh. I'm really not liking my roommates right now.
When I first began searching for new roommates, I placed an ad offering the place for $630/month, which would include all utilities. I felt this was fair, as I would be getting a bigger room, and therefore willing to pay a bit more. Each person would receive:
1. Private bedroom
2. Private bathroom
3. Private gated parking space
4. Ideal location in West LA, just 30 seconds from the 10, close to Venice/Santa Monica/UCLA, etc.
Over 30 people answered my ad, and I asked the two roommate I would be interested in if they would be willing to pay $650/month, including all utilities. They said of course, they would be willing to pay $20/more, and I chose them to live with me. They insisted on installing DSL, which I never use (I get enough computer glare from my screen at work 9 hours a day!), but which I agreed to pay for 1/3 of.
This month, they each gave me a check for $600. I wondered about the other $50, but didn't say anything... our montly rent is $1800. It turns out they only gave me $600 because "they thought the rent was lowered." Meaning, they "thought" the $650 they were going to pay in the beginning was for rent and rent alone (assuming rent was $1,950/month), and they ASSUMED I was going to pay for all utilities (I stated that all utilities would be included in my initial ad, but that was what the extra $50 was in there for!).
This month, rent was $1800/month, total. Utilities (gas/electricity) came out to $150. And DSL/phone came out to $150 (including initial installation fee).
This morning, my roommate asked me for a $50 check to cover my third of the DSL bill. I told her that instead of writing each other checks (since she owed me $50 for the utilities), we could just call it even. THEN came the shocker... "But we agreed you would pay for all the utilities!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
All utility bills are in my name, and I am technically "paying" for them. But that doesn't mean each of my roommates have to pay me back for 1/3 of their share.
My roommates honestly believe that their only contributions will be $600 per month + 1/3 DSL, which came out to $50/each this month. So, their grand total = $650
For some reason, they have it confirmed in their minds *I* will be paying for all other utilities... which would make MY share $600 + 50 + 150 = $800
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My room is a little bigger than theirs, and when my former roommates lived with me, the roommate with the biggest room paid $30 extra per month. But I don't believe my bigger room validates the $800/month rent.
Right now, my roommates are refusing to pay for their share of the utilities. We've called a "roommate meeting" tonight, where we'll try to reach a peaceful, fair compromise... *sigh* I'm not looking forward to it. We'll discuss the whole rent/money issue... and I'll also be bringing up the issue of them eating my food. At one point last week, I walked into the kitchen and they were cooking one of MY Digiorno pizzas... I stared at them, opened the freezer to make sure the one they were cooking was mine, and one of them had the audacity to ask me if I wanted a slice... OF MY OWN PIZZA!!!!! UGH!!!!! I didn't say anything because I didn't want to cause any tension, but there's so much tension now you could slice through with knife.
Any advice? What do you think would be a fair arrangement in terms of the $$$ everyone should pay per month?
Disadvantage: The 2 girls living with me were friends before, so it's kinda a 2-vs-1 situation. *sigh*
UPDATE, 10/14: Major miscommunication; the girls were confused. After two hours, we decided upon this: This month, I will pay for all the utilities, and the initial setup/installation fees will be split among the three of us. Next month, I will pay for all the utilities up to $30-35... one of my roommates is going to see if we qualify as a "low income" household (will my ass get audited for that?). Anything over that amount, the girls will split 50/50. No pillowfights, senseless violence, or cancelling of utilities was resorted to.
When I first began searching for new roommates, I placed an ad offering the place for $630/month, which would include all utilities. I felt this was fair, as I would be getting a bigger room, and therefore willing to pay a bit more. Each person would receive:
1. Private bedroom
2. Private bathroom
3. Private gated parking space
4. Ideal location in West LA, just 30 seconds from the 10, close to Venice/Santa Monica/UCLA, etc.
Over 30 people answered my ad, and I asked the two roommate I would be interested in if they would be willing to pay $650/month, including all utilities. They said of course, they would be willing to pay $20/more, and I chose them to live with me. They insisted on installing DSL, which I never use (I get enough computer glare from my screen at work 9 hours a day!), but which I agreed to pay for 1/3 of.
This month, they each gave me a check for $600. I wondered about the other $50, but didn't say anything... our montly rent is $1800. It turns out they only gave me $600 because "they thought the rent was lowered." Meaning, they "thought" the $650 they were going to pay in the beginning was for rent and rent alone (assuming rent was $1,950/month), and they ASSUMED I was going to pay for all utilities (I stated that all utilities would be included in my initial ad, but that was what the extra $50 was in there for!).
This month, rent was $1800/month, total. Utilities (gas/electricity) came out to $150. And DSL/phone came out to $150 (including initial installation fee).
This morning, my roommate asked me for a $50 check to cover my third of the DSL bill. I told her that instead of writing each other checks (since she owed me $50 for the utilities), we could just call it even. THEN came the shocker... "But we agreed you would pay for all the utilities!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
All utility bills are in my name, and I am technically "paying" for them. But that doesn't mean each of my roommates have to pay me back for 1/3 of their share.
My roommates honestly believe that their only contributions will be $600 per month + 1/3 DSL, which came out to $50/each this month. So, their grand total = $650
For some reason, they have it confirmed in their minds *I* will be paying for all other utilities... which would make MY share $600 + 50 + 150 = $800
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My room is a little bigger than theirs, and when my former roommates lived with me, the roommate with the biggest room paid $30 extra per month. But I don't believe my bigger room validates the $800/month rent.
Right now, my roommates are refusing to pay for their share of the utilities. We've called a "roommate meeting" tonight, where we'll try to reach a peaceful, fair compromise... *sigh* I'm not looking forward to it. We'll discuss the whole rent/money issue... and I'll also be bringing up the issue of them eating my food. At one point last week, I walked into the kitchen and they were cooking one of MY Digiorno pizzas... I stared at them, opened the freezer to make sure the one they were cooking was mine, and one of them had the audacity to ask me if I wanted a slice... OF MY OWN PIZZA!!!!! UGH!!!!! I didn't say anything because I didn't want to cause any tension, but there's so much tension now you could slice through with knife.
Any advice? What do you think would be a fair arrangement in terms of the $$$ everyone should pay per month?
Disadvantage: The 2 girls living with me were friends before, so it's kinda a 2-vs-1 situation. *sigh*
UPDATE, 10/14: Major miscommunication; the girls were confused. After two hours, we decided upon this: This month, I will pay for all the utilities, and the initial setup/installation fees will be split among the three of us. Next month, I will pay for all the utilities up to $30-35... one of my roommates is going to see if we qualify as a "low income" household (will my ass get audited for that?). Anything over that amount, the girls will split 50/50. No pillowfights, senseless violence, or cancelling of utilities was resorted to.
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