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Original poster

Housemates bills

77 replies

marnieja · 12/02/2021 20:50

Ok I know this doesn't really matter, ask eachother etc etc I think we have all talked to other people about it but I want opinions here.

I live in a house with 3 other people we knew eachother before so we rented together split everything 4 ways - rooms are equal.

Housemate 1 - worked throughout pandemic as well as working over time as what was needed (healthcare)

Housemate 2 - furloughed as in bar work worked a couple shifts when could and wasn't furloughed so most of the time has been on 80%

Housemate 3 - was made redundant but got an ok package from that

Housemate 4- non essential job for working from home now but was furloughed during lockdown 1 at 100% of pay

Housemates 2 and 3 think we need to look over the bills and share out fairly. Housemate 1 doesn't want too pay the increased elec and gas 2 3 and 4 are producing as they are out the house all the time.

4 is happy to pay a bit more as had 2 screens on etc for computer.

Do you think this is just a case of pay as we were or do we need a rejig of stuff?

OP posts:
Londonmummy66 · 13/02/2021 18:48

I think that housemate 4 ought to pay a bit more due to costs of working from home - especially as they will get a tax break for that. However, I don't think that any further reductions are necessary. If both 1&4 are willing they could think about paying 2&3 for doing all the cleaning and cooking and their ironing etc as they presumably have time to do it. They certainly don't get a cut in bills just because they have had a cut in income.

Londonmummy66 · 13/02/2021 18:53

The problem is if they leave where do they go and we have to find 2 new people which is harder than it seems

^ or 1 &4 could move out and find somewhere together and leave 2&3 to their joint CFery

MusicWithRocksIn1t · 13/02/2021 18:57

I'm sorry but wtaf. Did one of them actually ask for a reduction in their rent and bills while using more electricity then before? That's insane.
1 shouldn't have to pay loads extra because they are in a stable job especially when they are the only one out of the house all the time.

Tbh if I was 1 and 4 I'd be looking at getting a new flat between the 2 of them

Obbydoo · 13/02/2021 19:46

I would find it a bit distasteful if the housemate that has a very secure job in healthcare demanded someone who has been made redundant pays more. If they are friends, that's pretty heartless!

BenoneBeauty · 13/02/2021 19:52

It's also crazy they have the heating on all day - I'm working from home and keep the heating off and simply put on another sweater and a blanket around my knees. Can't justify the additional heating costs so can't believe people who aren't working are using more utilities and expecting their flat mates to pick up the bill!

Daisysflowers · 13/02/2021 20:08

Non ones rent should change that’s a ridiculous suggestion.

If anything bills should be spread out between the housemates that are now staying at home and using more electric/gas and water.

Housemate 1 is being done over by being asked to pay for more while the others stay at home and they are at work. Hope housemate 1 moves out and leaves the other greedy ones to it.

iamyourequal · 13/02/2021 20:23

* marnieja*

It's obviously been so cold recently housemate 1 has come home to a really warm home

‘Really warm’ is the problem. If 2-4 only had the heating on just enough to take the chill off the place I bet housemate 1 wouldn’t be complaining. Heating it like a furnace is taking the piss though!

Unless rules about keeping it on a minimum and wearing fleeces and thermals can be agreed, I think the extra utility costs should be calculated and split between 2-4 only.

Making the assumption you are all young and fit low heating isn’t so bad. I lived in numerous student digs when young where we didn’t put the heating on at all for fear of what it would cost (I’m not recommending that though- bit brutal at this time of year) .

Hont1986 · 13/02/2021 20:55

No change in the bills or rent. Split everything as you did before. Sucks to be housemate 3 and eat through the redundancy payment but that's life, plus they can apply for benefits.

Shantotto · 13/02/2021 21:20

Not quite the same as pre-COVID times but when I lived in a houseshare I was out all day working,out almost every night and weekend. Rarely home. One person worked part time and one person had a chronic illness so was home all day using heating, more electricity etc than the rest of us. Never occurred to us to make that person pay more! We just split it all.

Original poster
marnieja · 14/02/2021 01:31

Thanks all for replies - I'll take them to next flat meeting it's all getting a bit contentious which is stressful!

OP posts:
londonscalling · 14/02/2021 01:54

@MadeOfStarStuff

The extra cost should really be split between the three of you who are at home. Housemate 1 shouldn’t have to fork out extra because the three of you are home all day

2 and 3 don’t get to pay less because their income is less. It’s a house share not a marriage with shared finances, the rest of you shouldn’t have to subsidise them.

This!

FishyMcFishyfingersFace · 14/02/2021 05:50

Extra heating etc during the day should really be split between those needing it, but not all the extra heating will be because of them. I assume some extra heating is needed just because it is colder because of the time of year, so used a bit extra by housemate 1 as well.
Unless someone is willing to monitor how much extra heating is used when housemate 1 is out and how much extra is used when housemate 1 is in then it is hard to work out exactly how much extra is due to which people.

Maybe look at the increase in price and split it into 7 so housemate one pays an extra 1\7th and housemates 2-4 all pay an extra 2\7ths each. That way those in extra pay more of the share but housemate 1 pays an increase because the heating is needed to be on more because the house is generally colder and the bills normally go up in winter anyway. (Unless nos 2-4 take into account no 1 is out more hours than originally expected so uses the heating less than they would have before the pandemic. So many different factors to take into account can make it confusing, so think I'd stick to just dividing it up equally.)

Definitely don't think those not working should pay less as they are using the house more. If they were living alone they'd still have to pay the bills. If they don't want to contribute more to bills then they need to not use as much electricity and wrap up in duvets etc to keep warm. If they can't afford it then they need to find somewhere cheaper.

combatbarbie · 14/02/2021 10:44

Besides the ridiculous request for rent abatement, how much are we talking? Since being home our electric has gone up 20-30 a month with running multiple IT equipment and just generally being home 24/7. we are on oil heating and have had to top it up as heating is on 18hrs a day, normally a tank would see us through til March as noone is usually in during the day.

I'm still of the view that the extra should be split between 2,3 & 4.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 14/02/2021 10:46

Frankly the working friend isn't a welfare system. If they will push it, he may just end up saying fuck it and move out. I would

SchrodingersImmigrant · 14/02/2021 10:47

The working out of house friend

chillybeans · 14/02/2021 10:51

When I lived in a shared house we had very different schedules. Housemate 1 was out of the house all day everyday working 7-4, I was normally out at uni and in the library 9-3. Our third housemate worked from home most of the time. There is no way in hell she’d take this as an opportunity to crank the heating up! We kept the heating on a timer to come on from about 6-8 for a morning boost and then about 5-8 for an evening boost. If you were cold during the day when you were at home it was your own lookout - get a hot water bottle, pop the heating on for an hour max to warm up a bit but then turn it back off, wear warmer clothes etc.

It has been exceptionally cold this last week and in situations like that things obviously change and you have to bend the rules because it’s been so freezing. But in normal circumstances I’d be saying look we are putting the heating on for these hours and that’s final, if anybody wants to put the heating on more frequently than that then they will have to foot the bill.

Imaginetoday · 14/02/2021 10:56

Just point out...if you are working from home you can claim a tax rebate...that is designed to cover extra expenses of working in your home. Check it out on MSE.
Seems fare that flatmate 1 shouldn’t have to pay extra

WeeDangerousSpike · 14/02/2021 11:03

If 2 & 3 can't afford the cost of having the heating on, they shouldn't have it on, surely? As for thinking they should be paying less than normal, even though they're increasing household costs to greater than normal, that's just bonkers!
I'm wfh at the moment so our heating costs have gone up, I've got the fire lit during the day when I wouldn't normally. I'm offsetting those costs against no commuting costs and no socialising. And I'm still being careful, wearing extra layers and a blanket, so I'm only using what I need to. It sounds like 2&3 are being very cavalier with the heating and not wanting to pay for it, which seems very immature.

Lightwindows · 14/02/2021 11:11

The rent should not go down because they are earning less, you are housemates not family members, you don't need to subsidise each other. That is so cheeky . If housemate 3 can't afford the rent they need to apply for universal credit and that's also what the redundancy payment is there for. Housemate 2 just needs to suck it up - he/she doesn't have travel costs to get to work and won't have socialising costs so should have enough money to cover it.
As for gas /electric - if housemate 1 is unhappy with extra cost the difference should be split between housemates 2 3 & 4, if they don't care continue with the 4 way split.

Brefugee · 14/02/2021 11:16

unless you're in a complicated polyamorous 4-way relationship there is no reason to proportionately split the bills (as many people living together or married do). So 4 way split is fair.

It is unreasonable to crank up the heating and expect the one person who doesn't benefit from that, however, to pay more, so the 3 causing the extra costs should cover those between them.

As for the 3 causing extra costs and then wanting to pay less? You will appear on future CF threads and MN will collectively tell you that you're being VVVVU.

EachandEveryone · 14/02/2021 11:16

Can they claim abit of UC?

thevassal · 14/02/2021 11:28

If I understand you - HM 2 & 3 want to pay LESS because they are earning less even though they are using more fuel and contributing to higher bills. They want HM 1 & 4 to subsidise them and pay more even though HM1 is actually using less much less fuel!

A lot of people on this thread seem to be assuming that HM 2 & 3 want the bills to be rejigged fairly which would mean them paying more, rather than less, which is why I'm checking!

If my understanding is right, HM 2 & 3 are cheeky fuckers! They are right that the bills should be rejigged but wrong in thinking that if it is done "fairly" it will work out better for them!

The least contentious outcome would be for you all to stay contributing equally, as long as HM 1 doesn't mind paying for heating/electric she barely uses, as this is an unfortunate side effect of housesharing. Otherwise 2 & 3 can move out, however good luck finding a place of their own where the landlord/mortgage company/fuel supplier will accept their rationale that they should only pay proportionate to their earnings rather than the amount they owe!

thevassal · 14/02/2021 11:30

Maybe suggest to HM 2&3 that by their rationale, if HM1 who could be incredibly exhausted and stressed from working in healthcare during a pandemic, ffs, just quit her job and had no income, they'd be happy for her to pay nothing at all and for them to subsidise her? If they wouldn't agree to that, why should she agree to what they are proposing!

PrincessBuggerPants · 14/02/2021 12:15

How is housemate 1 calculating the extra cost of others being home?

Merryoldgoat · 14/02/2021 12:23

I think it’s the cost of doing business - in a house share you don’t get complete control over the way people use the amenities. It’s life. The benefit is you pay less overall than if you lived alone.

If the rooms are equal the. Everyone should pay the same.

Of course they don’t get a reduction owing to furlough and redundancy.

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