Bill splitting and moving in girlfriends

projectxz2005

Hello everyone.

I would appreciate your opinion/judgement on the following scenario, which is a quandary currently faced by me.

I moved into a house-share in July with 2 guys, and I have been happy there since although at the moment there is some consternation due to a complex situation that has arisen. Bill splitting.

I will divide it into 3 parts:
First: Roommate no. 1's girlfriend, has over the past number of months been in the house almost all of the time: staying over pretty much every night as far as I can see (although I don't keep a log). She washes her clothes here, showers, dries her hair, cooks etc. etc. She has in all but name become an equal sharer of the accommodation.

Second: Roommate no. 2's girlfriend 'officially' moved in (as in I was informed about a week after she had, that she was an official resident) over the Christmas period. She was there for 7 or 8 weeks, before going back home on holidays.

Third: In mid-November I moved away to another town temporarily for work. My brother has taken my room and he stays there Mon to Fri and I come back at the weekends (and he usually goes to Galway). We have divided the rent between us. Once or twice we have been in the house together at a weekend and I have slept on the couch or whatever. But that is really the only time that we have both been in the house together.

The bills as far as I can see have gone way up, yet the 2 boys feel strongly that they should only be divided 3 ways. I can't see their logic.

There are ESB, Sky, gas and Internet bills.

They are requesting that I pay a substantial portion of the bills even though I am living away most of the time and sometimes I'm back for just one night.

Are they right? How do you think the bills should be divided?

not even wrong

The bills as far as I can see have gone way up, yet the 2 boys feel strongly that they should only be divided 3 ways.

They're wrong here. The universal rule is that unless specifically agreed otherwise bills are divided evenly between everyone living in a house.

They are requesting that I pay a substantial portion of the bills even though I am living away most of the time and sometimes I'm back for just one night.

You're wrong here. If you're going to move out then move otherwise you are responsible for the bills until you do.

projectxz2005

Sorry, just to clarify:
I'm not disputing that I am liable for a portion of the bills...

Essentially they divided the Christmas ESB bill in 3 and my brother was to pay a third of that and I was going to give him some money for it. It was similar to last years...until I realised it was an estimate. The real bill turned out to be €164 more expensive! I got a text from Housemate no. 2 the other day asking me to pay a third of this addition.

I had actually said I would pay it last weekend just so my brother doesn't have to, cos he earns substantially less than I do. But now I realise this is wholly unfair.

projectxz2005

And I meant to say...

How would you suggest the bills be divided then?

Dyr

So you're all treating the place like a dosshouse essentially? Good luck sorting that out.

JuliusCaesar

Divide the bills in 3. Get your brother to make a contribution to your part. He is in effect sub-letting your room.
You are still getting the benefit of the place and using electricity, even if you're actually there only 1-2 days/nights a week.



Unless you want war about the girlfriend, and splitting the bills in 4.

projectxz2005

yes it is a bit of a mess. i don't know what to do really. don't want a fight anyway.

djimi

As far as I can see there are 5 people living in the house at any one time: roommate 1 & girlfriend, roommate 2 & girlfriend, you/your brother. Therefore all bills get split 5 ways as 5 different people are using electricity, Sky, gas and internet.

The two with the girlfriends cannot argue that they should be only paying a third as they are not only using the share of one person. If they want to argue this tell them to move out and see if they use the electricity of one person or two people when they live alone together.

You and your brother on the other hand are sharing the bill as by the sounds of it you are almost never there at the same time.

Ill be honest, if it was me I would be saying to the two roommates that if they dont like splitting the bills equally and fairly that they should be moving out and looking for somewhere else to rent with their girlfriends. This is the same issue as "couples rounds" in the pub; its a cheap mean trick that some couples think that they can pull and it really is a pretty low thing to do if you ask me.

ProudDUB

No way should you have to pay 1/3 of the bills. The 2 girl friends in question should be pitching in too. Although, if the original agreement was for the bills to be split 3 ways, you may have your work cut out for you getting them to agree to changing it, seeing as they are currently getting a better deal out of it.

Why not invite the other 2 lads out for a pint, sit them down and ask them to look at it all calmly and logically from your point of view? Ask them how is it fair that you pay 1/3 of all bills, if they have live in girlfriends that are are using electricity, gas, broadband etc, and you don't? Ask them how they would feel if the shoe was on the other foot? All but the most obtuse of people would have to admit that that the current one is an unfair arrangement.

If you handle it carefully, and don't let the 2 lads think that you are being a whiny, stingy moaning Millie, but just looking for a system that is fair to everyone living there, you may get somewhere. The two gals in question won't be overly thrilled to be asked to contribute a wee bit towards their own income, but again if it is handled logically and tactfully you may get somewhere.

Always a good deal in house share situations to set out ahead of time what happens with household bills if one of the parties acquire a live in girl friend after wards. Had to learn that the hard way myself. Best of luck to you.

projectxz2005

Thankfully I'm gay and don't have to deal with women.

An addendum: I have known roommate no. 2 for nearly 10 years, and only got to know no. 1 when I moved in. And we're all good friends. And I like the girls...

djimi

If youve known one of them for ten years then your best bet is definately to sit down and talk to them (away from the girlfriends). It doesnt have to be confrontational or anything; just explain to them the way it is, that there are five people in the house and as such bills should be split 5 ways. If they are reasonable people then they will understand.

If they are not reasonable people then my advise would be to move out now and find somewhere else to live with people who live in the real world.

fionnmar

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2054867603

I found the attachment in this thread, "the equitable houseshare" very useful.

Lantus

Agreed with others.

Bills should be split 5 ways for each permanent person resident each night in the apartment.

5 people use significantly more power and heat than 3. If they dont want to pay for the power heat or sky then they can stand outside...permanently where the bills are much lower.

My only issue would be whose name is the bills in? If it's yours then you may find it tricky to get cash from people.

but dont get bullied into thinking a couple is classed as 'one' person just because they occupy one room. it's not. they each take showers, charge their phones, watch tv, cook. etc etc...

ShaShaBear

I'll speak from experience here - since last year I shared house with two blokes, and my own boyfriend at the time stayed with me a few nights a week (usually 4 since he was doing his thesis at the time and commuting was awkward). We agreed (well, three of us agreed, the other lad didn't seem to think he should pay anything) that ESB and heating should be split between all four of us, since all four of us had a direct impact on the price of these bills. However, internet was split between the three tenants of the house (since internet was switched on 24/7, Craig using my computer to check Facebook when I would have been checking my own anyway seemed like a silly reason to split the bill four ways). We didn't have Sky, but I would say the same thing about that. It is a fixed monthly bill that will not be affected or increased because of extra people in the house, so the original tenants should hold responsibility. Obviously if the girlfriends were renting movies from Sky, or capping the download limit on the internet, that would be a different story. Just my two cents.

djimi

ShaShaBear wrote: »

However, internet was split between the three tenants of the house (since internet was switched on 24/7, Craig using my computer to check Facebook when I would have been checking my own anyway seemed like a silly reason to split the bill four ways). We didn't have Sky, but I would say the same thing about that. It is a fixed monthly bill that will not be affected or increased because of extra people in the house, so the original tenants should hold responsibility. Obviously if the girlfriends were renting movies from Sky, or capping the download limit on the internet, that would be a different story. Just my two cents.

I dont agree with this Im afraid. If he is living there any using the internet/Sky then he should be paying for it. Might be a bit different in your case as he was not there every night, but in the case of the OP is sounds like the girlfriends are full time residents of the house, and as such they should be treated like a normal tenant and all bills split to cover everyone.

maryk123

it should be split 5 ways - its not fair on you

the_syco

projectxz2005 wrote: »

don't want a fight anyway.

Hello doormat. You're been taking for a ride here.

ShaShaBear

Yeah I get that my way might not suit but its a compromise that could involve minimal arguments since the only thing affected by more people using Sky and internet is actually the electricity bill. But that was just how we handled it. At the end of the day, if the girls dont feel they should pay bills, then the boyfriends are unlikely to make them. You could try splitting the bills 5 ways and insisting you will only pay one fifth and tell them to sort the remainder out among themselves, but if the girls are not offering to chip.in while knowing theres an issue, I cant see any option.ending well

Victor

OP, the opinion could be taken that there are 6 people living there, so between you and your brother, you should pay one third. An alternative would be that rent is split 6 ways and bills 5 ways.

ShaShaBear wrote: »

However, internet was split between the three tenants of the house (since internet was switched on 24/7, Craig using my computer to check Facebook when I would have been checking my own anyway seemed like a silly reason to split the bill four ways).

But two people using the computer will use more electricity ... I would split that four ways as well.