To ask if this is reasonable (money related)

[skylerwhite]

My DH is commuting for work from October, about 2.5 hours away. He has arranged to share a flat with a good friend of ours. Rent for the flat is 600 per month. DH will be there three nights a week, probably for 26/27 weeks of the year. We have been discussing the financial side, and I thought it might be a good idea to ask the denizens of MN if you thought a 400:200 split in terms of rent was fair? DH will pay this for 10 months of the year, but will split the payments over 12 months, so friend will have money coming in every month.

Is this reasonable?

No if I was sharing the flat with DH i would expect him to pay half (its not like he will be able to rent it out to someone else when your DH isn't there is it)

400/200 split would only be reasonable if friend could rent out the room for the days/weeks when your h isn't there.

So no. It's not.

50/50 split is the only fair way

No, of course not. He won't be bringing his room hone with him, will he.

What is the friend expecting?

No, I think you'll have to go 50/50.

And split council tax, too, because I don't think the single person discount could be claimed in this case?

The room can't be let out while your DH isn't there, it's just not practical, so it's only fair to cover half the rent.

Is the friend currently living there alone?

Not reasonable. 50/50 because he can't rent the room out the rest of the time your DH is not there.

Erk. Lots of nos!

Friend was going to be living alone, and paying 550 for a 1 bedroom. He changed his plans when he heard DH would be commuting, as he could have a bit of company during the week and still have the enjoyment of space to himself the rest of the time.

Friend does not expect 50:50, and DH would also contribute proportionately towards bills.

I reckon 50/50 because your DH will be there enough that the friend can't rent the room to anyone else.

50/50 on the rent and council tax, your split on the utilities, perhaps?

Agree with the others. 50\50 as although dh will only be there some of the time, his room will be 'kept open' for him, so flatmate couldn't rent it to anyone else to make up the rent.

50/50, unless one from is significantly better than the other. Maybe an agreement in paying reduced amounts for gas etc

I think its a bit different if you're both going out to look at a flat that suits you both, than one person getting a flat that has enough room to rent out.

Room, not from.

Depends whether the friend would rent the room otherwise. If not it's fair; if so it isn't.

If the friend was going to rent out the room anyway, then he is actually losing money by letting your dh use it part time and only pay a small percentage of the rent. He won't be able to get someone else in, when your dh isn't there.

Otoh, if he wasn't planning on renting out a room and dh has suggested this arrangement and the friend is happy to have someone he knows in the flat, then it's a bit of extra money for the friend and he doesn't have to have a stranger in the house.

So it really depends on the circumstances and how the suggestion came about.

Friend wouldn't rent room otherwise. Essentially DH is takin room on Mon-Fri basis (except it's Mon eve to Thurs lunchtime). I thought Mon-Fri lets were generally cheaper than a 'full rent' would be.

Ooohh, okay, that changes things.

So is the room £550 or £600?

I think I'd go either 70/30 or 60/40 with regards to the rent. I'd probably suggest 70/30 to the friend, and then expect them to counter with 60/40. Then split bills as necessary.

I'm going against the grain to say yes this is a reasonable offer. Essentially, the friend is saving £150 per month in rent and sharing bills but only having to put up with sharing for less than half the time, and not at all at weekends. As long as your husband is house trained then I think it's quite a good deal for the friend.

I would say 50/50 on the rent. He is renting the room, he could stay there all week and you could go visit for a change.

I wouldn't say 50/50 on the council tax. I would say the difference between the single person allowance and for the both of them or if it is more than the tax on the one bedroom place the difference what he would have paid as a single occupier there and what it is for the 2 bedroomed place.

Then a proportion of bills.

I think it's different if the friend will have a spare room anyway and having a part time lodger is a bit of a bonus.

I'm singing Part time Lodger in my head now, to the tune of part time lover.

The whole flat is 600.

I suspect friend won't haggle or bargain because he's too nice, but I really don't want him to be uncomfortable or unhappy with the arrangement. Last thing I want is for anyone to fall out.

DH definitely house trained! Friend not so much, even though I love him. Hoping DH doesn't pick up any bad habits...

I think it depends on whether DH and friend are going to get this flat together or whether friend is already at the flat and wanting to offer your DH a bed. If they are starting out together I think 50/50 split is fair.

I have a friend that lets another friend stay 3 nights a week for work but she doesn't charge her anything as it was her flat before. Other friend just pays for shopping/bills when she is there.

350 for full timer
250 for m-f renter.