Uni flat share costs - know everyone likes a money share up debate

[MissAmbrosia]

Dd has signed a lease for next year where rent costs were 400 per month plus some fixed fees and utilities. A flat with 4 girls - one of whom she knows well. The lead girl, who she doesn't know, has now suggested that they split the rent fee according to room size, and she'll have the smallest room as she is working to pay her rent and it's not her parent's paying....

So she suggested 350 for her, 390 for next biggest, then 420 and 440 for biggest room. I do get the fact that you should maybe pay less for a smaller room but the smallest room is 12m2 so not tiny.

Dd asked my opinion and to be honest, my view is that they will share the communal spaces - 2 bathrooms, living room, kitchen etc. and that 100 euros difference between smallest and biggest room is too much. And that dd would be happy to pay 400 euros for that "small" room as agreed.

Her friend is happy with the 390 room in the eaves. The other 2 rooms seem to be up for discussion.

So in the view of her being an adult and all and having to fight her own battles and not fall out with everyone before September I said I would think about what might be a fair split what would you consider a fair split? I suggested 365, 395, 415, 425 might be a compromise but the bloody minded part of me says - no, we agreed 400 and that's that.

My daughter and her friends split the costs according to room size, If one room was much smaller than the others it made a difference when they were all trying to work in their rooms. Therefore trying to find flats to rent where the bedrooms were equal in size was actually quite difficult and some girls wanted the bigger rooms whilst others were happier paying less.

If they all signed up to 400 euro, that's what they pay. Draw lots for the rooms.

Agree about drawing lots or, all pay the same rent, as previously agreed when signing the lease, but everyone takes turns i.e. move rooms every three months!

I think the rates you suggested are fair. It is fair to pay less for a smaller room but this lead girl should have been upfront with the others. Tell your dd to be careful this lead girl does not dictate other things left me cleaning rota etc.

All depends what n how different in size and amenities they are. If one has can ensuite, balcony, double bed etc and others not then the deluxe room(s) should be significantly more

I'd suggest everyone pays the same rent and if some rooms are substantially smaller or otherwise less desirable than others, they switch round every term.

I don't think there's anything wrong with different rates, but this woman is wrong to not have brought it up before the lease was signed. £400 was what was agreed and budgeted for, she can't now insist that your DD (or you, if you're paying) pays more. If you and DD knew it would be £440, maybe she'd have suggested keeping looking and finding somewhere cheaper.

All the girls should bid for the smallest room, going to £400 maximum.

The highest bid wins and gets the smallest room.

Depending on the bid amount you could then do the same thing for the next smallest room.

Your DD needs to say no , she agreed to £400 and that's what she will pay . The lead girl shouldn't of signed for something she couldn't afford.

Also to be fair being the lead girl is a stressful and thankless task that deserves some money to be honest! At the very least she deserves to get first choice over the rooms.

The problem isn't that the rooms can be costed differently it's that the house was rented based on an agreement. The lead now wants to change that agreement and has assumed the right to take the smallest room based on what she thinks she knows of everybody else's finances.

Now the friend has taken the second cheapest room meaning the other two are guaranteed to be paying more than was agreed. Why do the girls think this is fair?

They need to sit down together and go through all the options. Discuss together what they find fair. This means that NO rooms are allocated yet. Starting point - and ending point without consensus - is 4 bedrooms at €400.

But first choice AND to decide she's paying less because her parents aren't financing her is a bit much.

I’d be questioning why this girl has taken it upon herself to take the lead yet signed up for something she now doesn’t want to pay for.

If she didn’t want to pay €400 why even take the lead and look at properties at that price?

None of the rooms are en suite. 2 beds on lower floor, 2 on upper - one under the eaves. Bathroom on each floor. 12m2 14m2 16m2 and 18m2 I think. I had the impression it was 400 euros plus provision for charges = 500 or 520 euros a month each. Under new suggestion - dd's portion would apparently then be 580 a month. Which is quite a jump. And we will have to supply some furniture....

I read the lease and confirmed conditions with dd before she signed it (and I paid the deposit) so I am bit miffed that someone seems to want to change the rules now. She was really excited about the flatshare (she is in a studio on her own at the mo) and I think did not focus too much on the details ahead of time - when I asked questions about things - she was "oh yes, that's sorted" etc. 🤔I've asked her to send me a copy of it as the sums don't make sense now.

My daughter paid less due to her room being smaller, plus the person with the en-suite paid more. But it was made clear up front that was what would happen.

It's a campus based Uni and accommodation is like hen's teeth. You have to move and grab fast. We had a nightmare trying to find somewhere for this year.

Your DD should pay what was originally agreed.

What is the contract saying?
aka is your dd supposed to pay £400 to the agency/owner or are they collectively responsible of paying for the £1600 (4x £400)?

If her contract stipulates her responsibility is the £400, I’ll stick to that.

And is it’s a collective responsibility to pay the total monthly amount, I’d still stick to the £400 on the grounds that

• 1 that’s what she agreed on
• 2 she doesn’t have spare money either

I think if you're DD is going to put her foot down at 400 euro a month then it it should be a case of pulling rooms out of a hat.

If the person who gets the smallest room wants to come to an agreement with another to switch rooms in return for £ then it's just between the two agreeing parties .

But then your daughter needs to be willing to accept the smallest room for 400 euro