How Much Should Someone Pay for a Bigger Room in a Shared House?

ngengerous on 09/03/2020 - 14:40
Last edited 09/03/2020 - 16:16

Hey guys, I've got a housing-related question to throw at you all.

My two housemates and I are going to re-negotiate our living situation, and I'd appreciate some unbiased external input on the situation. Just to make things even easier for you, here's a house floorplan I've painstakingly notated (deepest apologies for not using MSPaint):

https://i.imgur.com/Oc1XhNb.jpg

Housemates 1 and 2 are currently in the red and blue rooms, while Housemate 3 is in the green room. Obviously the green room is much bigger than the other two, and includes a walk-in robe as well as a large ensuite.

Let's say the current rent for one of the two smaller rooms is at $100 per week… if so, how much would you expect to pay for the larger room per week - and why?

Poll Options

  • 0
    $90 or less
  • 2
    $100
  • 1
    $110
  • 3
    $120
  • 17
    $130
  • 4
    $140
  • 51
    $150
  • 1
    $160
  • 6
    $170
  • 1
    $180
  • 1
    $190
  • 5
    $200 or higher
Home & Garden

Comments

  • Slippery Fish on 09/03/2020 - 14:57
    +3

    To have the private bathroom I'd be happy at 150. Done shared and f that lol

  • Glenningvalley on 09/03/2020 - 15:03

    Very proportionate to the total rent price of the house.
    I'd say $150 (extra half of what the others pay)

  • garetz on 09/03/2020 - 15:03
    +1

    Take the total square footage of each room, multiply and find the % difference, then take the entire rent and each room occupant multiplies their % by the rent.

    Obviously this does not include the common areas that everyone shares.

  • djones145 on 09/03/2020 - 15:18
    +4

    10 rolls of toilet paper sounds about right

    • Hithere on 09/03/2020 - 15:20
      +1

      2 ply or 3 ply?

      • djones145 on 09/03/2020 - 21:01

        it better be 4 ply

        cant go.back after 4 ply

    • Bargain80 on 09/03/2020 - 16:45

      is that with or without shea butter?

  • Tovers93 on 09/03/2020 - 15:20

    Had a similar situation in my university house with a box room, but in reverse whereby someone with the smaller room paid less than the others. Realistically, they're not going to want to pay much more than the others. I'd probably suggest something along the lines of 40/30/30

  • Seraphin7 on 09/03/2020 - 15:26
    +5

    Base it on square meterage.

    Divide up the total rent firstly into "common areas" and "private areas".

    Let's say the total rent is $1,000 and 50% of the space is common and 50% is private.

    Therefore, everyone pays one-third of $500 (i.e. $167) for the common areas.

    Then, divide up the private areas. If two people each have 30% of the private areas and the third person has 40%, then the first two pay $167 for the common areas plus 30% of $500 for their private area (so $317 in total), while the third person pays $167 plus 40% of $500 (so $367).

    Obviously you'll need to work out the maths for your arrangement, but the above example will illustrate.

    • ihbh on 09/03/2020 - 15:41
      +3

      A refinement to this proposal would be the person with the ensuite doesn't share in the bathroom/wc common area calc if they agree not to ever use it (split 50:50 between red and blue), but only their own.

  • trilby on 09/03/2020 - 15:29
    +1

    This is something that should be worked out before rooms are assigned, as some people are more concerned with having more space, others don't really care.
    I think Seraphin7's plan is quite fair.

  • mcturtl3 on 09/03/2020 - 15:34
    +10

    I handled the same situation with a simple bidding system. Who ever offers the most money gets the big room. If no one really wants the big room then it might go for cheap. If everyone wants it then it will be expensive. Other methods of calculating value for a room always leaves someone feeling like they are getting screwed. An example would be HM1 bids +15$ a week, HM2 bids +17, HM1 +20, HM3 +30 etc etc. Then the final bid gets divided between the other two room mates. If total rent is 300, split 3 ways and HM3 +30 wins then this means HM3 pays $130, HM2 $85, HM1 $85.

    • HighAndDry on 09/03/2020 - 16:55
      +1

      Yup. While I'd say that $150 is fair, that assumes someone wants it. Bidding takes that into account and gives everyone a chance to pay what they actually think the room is worth.

  • spackbace on 09/03/2020 - 15:36

    I think 1.5x is fair

    It's not just the space difference, but convenience difference as well with them having their own shower/toilet. They're not having to wait for the other person to get out, can share it better with a partner etc. Housemates 1 & 2 have a small vanity to hold both their things.

    • Whisper Quiet on 10/03/2020 - 09:29
      +1

      Main bathroom is usually the big or double vanity, not the ensuite… What a weird setup for the bathroom in that place!

  • Ryanek on 09/03/2020 - 15:37

    It depends on how good looking they are.

    • Whisper Quiet on 10/03/2020 - 09:28

      Finally the correct question!

  • ihbh on 09/03/2020 - 15:39

    Out of curiosity, how do you share the study common area?

    • ngengerous on 09/03/2020 - 15:48

      Currently set up as a communal desk space, used for gaming/working/etc equally.

      • ihbh on 09/03/2020 - 16:09

        equally

        All three sit next to each other, or take turns to take their laptop, etc., there.

        • ngengerous on 09/03/2020 - 16:16

          Generally 1 or 2 people use it at once, with enough room for all 3 if needed.

      • jjjaar on 09/03/2020 - 17:41

        Any garages or car parking that’s only available for 1 or 2 of you?

        A friend of mine once got the en-suite and her roommate got the garage and they paid equal rent.

        • ngengerous on 10/03/2020 - 07:17

          No garage at the moment - there is one car space on the driveway, but at the moment Housemate 2 uses this as his car is much more expensive than everyone else's. The other 2 housemates are more than happy with this, street parking is maybe 5 steps further away from the door and that's it.

          • jjjaar on 10/03/2020 - 07:23
            +1

            @ngengerous: As long as you’re all happy with that agreement.

  • trex on 09/03/2020 - 16:07

    This is confusing. Is the polled amount supposed to be:-

    How Much Extra Should Someone Pay for a Bigger Room in a Shared House?

    OR

    how much would you expect to pay for the larger room per week …?

    • ngengerous on 09/03/2020 - 16:16

      Cheers for the pickup - title now updated.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/03/2020 - 16:16
    -2

    $101

  • bobbified on 09/03/2020 - 16:53
    +1

    Let's say the current rent for one of the two smaller rooms is at $100 per week… if so, how much would you expect to pay for the larger room per week - and why?

    We can't really give an estimate amount without knowing what the total weekly rent is. All three rooms obviously have to add up to the total figure.

  • trustnoone on 09/03/2020 - 17:50
    +2

    Theres actually an app that helps calculate that, you may find useful:

    https://www.splitwise.com/calculators/rent

    Could give a good idea on willingness of paying more.

    • beaniebertie on 10/03/2020 - 08:31

      +1 for this calculator - we've used it in our house every time things have changed - takes the emotion out of it as well I have found since then no one can be biased or accuse anyone of fudging numbers

  • Donaldhump on 09/03/2020 - 19:07

    depends $150 if the en suite is for yourself.

    $10 if your flatmates will walk butt naked into your room to have a shower

    • Ridiculous Panda on 13/03/2020 - 01:26

      $190 if your flatmates will walk butt naked into your room to have a shower and are girls.

  • Whisper Quiet on 10/03/2020 - 09:25

    When I was renting I paid $165 for the master bedroom with walk in robe. Total rent was $460 per week. When there was a third person in the house they paid $130. Second person had the garage and paid the same as me (shared the garage when only two of us were living there). $50 extra a week seems steep for a little walk in robe. Even though you get your own bathroom, you still got to clean it all by yourself. Think people are just saying that amount as it's an easy number to add on. Used the 4th spare bedroom as study but the other two used the robe in there to even things out for closet space.
    P.S just looked at the setup and thats tiny! all bets are off now for ensuite and walk in. Could even turn that into an extra study nook instead for yourself so maybe you should pay $50 extra compared to the space it has to every other part of the house

  • OzHunterNSW on 10/03/2020 - 14:38
    -2

    GET OUT… get out of such arrangements. Nothing but trouble. Fight over stolen milk, who's turn to wash up, and forget about who called whom on the phone.

    GET OUT

  • pebee47 on 11/03/2020 - 14:50

    Points system. 1point each per sq mtr for shared spaces, 3 points for individual use areas (including parking, garden etc. (means 2 ppl sharing 1 bathroom get 1 point per sq mtr each, but en-suite “costs” 3 points for sole use, since most water is used in bathrooms.
    This way amortises the costs across all users.
    Does not take into account the partners staying over 1 To 7 nights per week! Could work out a casual rate debited against the host., then apportion that against gas, water, power, bills as they arise. (internet is a fixed cost, so lumped in with rent)
    ,

  • chaliban on 13/03/2020 - 13:00

    Bit out there but I got the idea from fantasy sports. An auction of the more desirable rooms. Obviously, it's dependent on each housemate actually wanting the better rooms. So, divide the total rent (say $300) by 3. So the bidding on the Green Room starts at $100. Then auction off the next most desirable room at a starting price of half the remaining rent (so 300 minus winning green room bid). The last room pays the remainder.

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