Our room mate is going overseas for a month and I'm curious what people think should happen in terms of bills?
Obviously, monthly rent and internet will have to be paid, so it pretty much leaves gas, water and electricity.
Do we take away the month he's away and split from there or does he just cop it sweet as it's his choice to leave.
If I were to go away for a week I wouldn't expect anything, but a month is a bit more.
Thanks in advance
Room Mate Going Overseas, What Do We Do With Bills?
timthetoolman on 09/12/2015 - 19:12
Last edited 10/12/2015 - 18:58 by 1 other user
Last edited 10/12/2015 - 18:58 by 1 other user
Poll Options
- 26Split it evenly, it's their choice to go
- 13They shouldn't have to pay it
- 22Maybe a little bit less than splitting it but not free
Comments
When this happened to us we just calculated a weekly rate of the electricity bill when it arrived then the traveling dude paid his fair share for the weeks of the quarter he was here. Remaining weeks were divided by 3 (3 people left in house)
Yep that's pretty much the idea.
From a theoretical point of view:
There are two types of expenses: fixed and variable. Fixed should be split evenly regardless of whether he is overseas or not. Variable should not be paid by him for the period when he is out. So there will be some calculation involved.Note that almost every bill has a substantial fixed part (supply charge).
Good points also people have to realise that the hot waterr and Fridge will consume energy even if no one uses them.
Yeah for sure, the fixed bills will be split as per normal, I didn't consider the supply charges though, thanks for that
Obviously monthly rent and internet will have to be paid
Why internet?
Because it's a fixed price, if 3/4 room mates go away for a month it's hardy fair the last person forks out $80 just because they were the only ones that used it.
It's ample downloads for everyone so we won't be gaining anything from him not using itIt's ample downloads for everyone so we won't be gaining anything from him not using it
Gotchya
Has he said anything about the bill split? Is any of it going to cause issues or anything?
He hasn't yet but he is horrible when it comes to this. He has to have the last price so I can imagine it will be a " I wasn't here for that morning so I shouldn't have to pay that whole day" kind of thing
He has to have the last price so I can imagine it will be a " I wasn't here for that morning so I shouldn't have to pay that whole day" kind of thing
What the F are you on about?
He should pay his normal share of rent….
Have you actually spoken to him or do you just think he's gonna have a problem?
We had a similar issue, housemates mum "temp" stayed for 2months and used a portable heater (feel the heat blasting out from under the door before I left for work), I was pretty pissed off she didn't pay a cut and one of the reasons I moved out.
Do whats fair honestly.That's far from ideal, should definitely have been chipping in.
Agree with everyone. IF he has objection, offer him a temporary tenant (of his friends or stranger) to replace him for the time being, definitely at his own risk.
Technically, the 'fair' thing to do is that your housemate pays their part of fixed costs but not their part of variable costs. In practice it's hard to tell with utilities, how much is a fixed cost and how much is variable. The electricity you use for having the lights on in your room = variable. Electricity from keeping the fridge on = fixed.
If this is an established sharehouse, the way I'd suggest you do it is look at previous bills, and while your housemate is away… pass on any decrease in bills as a deduction to the amount they pay (basically you assume that if previous bills are $Y, and the bill with one less housemate is $X, then $Y-$X = housemate's variable cost).
e.g. Four of you live here, previous electricity bills average $200. So you pay $50 each.
Now one person is away, new bill is $170. Existing housemates still pay $50 each, why should they get a discount since they haven't been using any less electricity? The housemate who is away IS using less electricity, so they get the discount and pay $20. Essentially you're assuming that roughly ~$30 is your housemate's contribution to variable electricity costs, and hence they only pay fixed electricity costs.
With internet i'd treat it like rent - it's not a billed amount, it's a fixed cost.
Of course, the easiest way… if you guys aren't really poor and bills aren't massive, is just to give your housemate a free pass on bills while they're away.
Where do you draw the line - especially in the long run. You're in it together. Someone goes on holidays for a week, 2 weeks, a month, maybe longer - if they expect their place and stuff to be there when they get back they need to take some ownership - be responsible for their portion of the rent.
It's not a casual affair - if you're housemates expect it to be a casual arrangement then you need to find new housemates.
Same when it comes to resources - when you have a guest come to stay, where do you draw the line, 1 night, 2 nights, a week, 2 weeks, a month ?
Over a period of time it will all probably even out (depending on the number of sharers…)- even if it doesn't the difference would be negligible.
If it affects you that much, i.e., penny pinching over an extended period of time, is it time for you to move out or confront your house-mates (who may be in similar situations in the future with visiting relatives) or even yourself….sorry i've accidently read it as OD.
If you let them off with it what happens the next time if you all decide to go on holidays at the same time except for him, does he have to pay all the bills while you guys are away?
I own my own home, I was away last Christmas for 6 weeks, I still had to pay the bills. How dare the council charge me rates for rubbish, water, sewerage etc, I wasn't even there.
Just divide the bills up as normal, you win some you lose some, it balances out in the end
Agree. I've been away for 8 weeks of this year on holidays and most weekends I'm not at home, but then another of my housemates has been away for 3 weeks and often away a night a week for work. The third housemate is always there - but it's just not worth the hassle to try and split it up. Next year I won't have any holidays and they'll still pay their share if they go away. For the sake of damaging the living situation/relationship it's just not worth it.
Kick him out and get a new tenant if he objects to keeping up the supply of utilities.
Gas and Electricity bills are quarterly or every 4 months, so how will you derive your friend's portion when he'll be on vacation. I think it just makes sense to divide equally. If he/she is going for longer period then it good for him not to pay bills.