Current Events > Need roommate advice, CE.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Living with 3 other dudes in a 3 bedroom apartment on a month to month thing, no contract. With rent and utilities split 4 ways I'm paying a $100 premium to have a larger bedroom. Another guy is renting his own room, smaller than mine, and pays less. The other 2 guys are sharing the master bedroom and have their own bathroom, they pay the most.

The two guys sharing the bedroom are trying to shake me down for more money, they want my rent to only cover just that, rent, not utilities too. I'd basically be out another $75-$100 every month in utility costs, cause they're splitting the cost by bedroom, not tenant. I'm saying nuts to that, I moved in on an all included offer and offered to sign paperwork at the time. They declined. Now I wish I had forced the issue.

However they're hard up for money, they run their own business and times are getting lean for them recently. Since I'm month to month and not on a contract, I can walk whenever I want, then they're boned. I don't want to bone them, but I also am not going to pay a cent more without a complete renegotiation and paperwork.

What should I do, CE? Walk or stay?
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I'd say **** em

They are trying to cheat you instead of humbly asking you to help them out in a difficult time. Just know if the tables were turned they would walk out on you...99% of people would
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You give in now, they see that and use it in the future.
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They did try asking politely if I would give them more money and I basically stonewalled them. I am willing to renegotiate, but only if everyone is sitting down discussing it together and at least something is being signed. They hate work, which is why their company is not making money anymore. They just sit around getting blazed every day.

This is another thing, there are other issues. They are not off hitting the pavement trying to expand their business in their down time. They leave the common areas an absolute mess, between the kitchen being in a near unusable state due to their lack of cleanliness to the constant clothing all over the living room. The kitchen is the worst though, open packages of food, dishes all over the stove, the counters encrusted with their cooking ingredients, it's gross and unsanitary. They clean it maybe twice a month before it goes back to looking like a hellhole.
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I personally couldn't live like that. Cause you end up with 2 choices. Being everyones bitch or being forced to match/pick up their bad habits.
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JustMyOpinion posted...

Fuck that. Nevermind, don't give them anything. They sound like crappy roomies if they can't even clean up after themselves. And I wouldn't give them more money to subsidize their 420 lifestyle.

Also this. I got nothing against smoking but being around smokers I know that well a big chunk of that extra money is gonna go towards weed
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Then tell them you'll renegotiate with conditions or you walk.
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Heres what I would do TC, some non-neckbeard advice.

They have a right to complain because they are sharing some electrical appliances so why should they each pay for it separately.

But realistically, what do they really share? Bedroom light? Thats pretty much it, right? A bedroom light will accumulate to a few bucks per month, max. You can literally check out the type of bulb and watts and look it up, how much it costs. It will be like $5-10 tops and thats if its a high end bulb. They obviously hvae their own laptops, phone chargers, table-lamps, whatever other else. If you consider that then their 'bedroom' is using alot more power than the other 2 bedrooms.

If you consider that, if you're on the super generous side rounding up, and including a standard 'other electrical appliances that they share' one of em is paying like $15-20 more per month that they don't need to be. What you can do is redistribute that amount among the 3 rooms, which would increase each of your guys' bill by about $5-7.

Approach them like, hey guys I just want to be fair and 2 people using a bedroom uses alot more electricity than 1 person, and light fixtures are cheap af as it is in terms of monthly cost. And you're all using AC/Heating equally.

Theres no way your cost should increase by anything more than $10. But you can't completely ignore them because they have a legitimate point.
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They're vegan, so they shop a lot at Whole Foods and Trader Joes and other expensive stores. Their food isn't cheap, even when they're cooking instead of eating out, and yes they get blazed *constantly*. I can't really talk because I enjoy drinking frequently myself but I also never asked anyone for more money while doing so.
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Their spending choices have nothing to do with your decision. Its all about being fair.
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DanHarenChamp posted...

Their spending choices have nothing to do with your decision. Its all about being fair.

This is true, but it goes against their reasoning for needing more money in the first place. If times were hard, they'd be acting like times are hard.

Also by paying more for a larger room I am taking into account the space and electricity I am using by occupying it.
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Just be like yo I'm not a charity, I have my own expenses. I will do whats fair.
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DanHarenChamp posted...

Just be like yo I'm not a charity, I have my own expenses. I will do whats fair.

This is exactly the kind of thing I would say.
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And THIS is why you don't get roommates
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REMercsChamp posted...

And THIS is why you don't get roommates

I've always had wonderful luck with renting. My last landlord owned a townhouse and lived in the master, while I rented a room and another fellow took the 3rd bedroom. Everything was clean, improvements and new appliances were added to the house, and the landlord took care of everything. We paid a bit more but it was so nice. Before that I had good experiences too. This is the first time it's ever been a problem.
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I have lived with all sorts of people in all sorts of living arrangements. I know how to deal with people. Just read my above posts. I would sit down with that other housemate of yours too and actually discuss it at a table, like why do you feel like you are overpaying, what exactly are you sharing anyways? If all they have is light fixtures and stupid shit like that then they are full of shit and you can maybe budge a couple bucks a month to make it fair.

Theres no need to be an asshole, but be straight forward and be 'fair'. And when you eventually decide on something just put it in writing.
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stonewall as long as you can while you try to find a new place, and then walk once you find something good

tough shit for them that the original agreement isn't good for them anymore. that isn't your problem.
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and yea, lastly, if you can afford it, live on your own. Studio or 1 bedroom or whatever. I dont get how any working person above the age of 25 can live with anyone else.
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tigerslashII posted...

REMercsChamp posted...

And THIS is why you don't get roommates

I've always had wonderful luck with renting. My last landlord owned a townhouse and lived in the master, while I rented a room and another fellow took the 3rd bedroom. Everything was clean, improvements and new appliances were added to the house, and the landlord took care of everything. We paid a bit more but it was so nice. Before that I had good experiences too. This is the first time it's ever been a problem.

I'm not saying don't rent I'm saying don't get roommates
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I live in a place where rent is absurd. Studios go for about $900 while 1br and 2br are virtually the same price around $1100
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tigerslashII posted...

I live in a place where rent is absurd. Studios go for about $900 while 1br and 2br are virtually the same price around $1100

A 1br here is like $1800
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REMercsChamp posted...

tigerslashII posted...

I live in a place where rent is absurd. Studios go for about $900 while 1br and 2br are virtually the same price around $1100

A 1br here is like $1800

I also do not make a lot of money.
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Tell them to go fuck themselves.

There's 4 people who turn lights on, use electronics and shower every month.

If all of the sudden one of them stops showering, lives in the dark and doesn't use any electricity or even charge his phone at home then you guys can talk about splitting the utilities by bedroom.
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Find a new place. It's not your fault they rather get high than run a business.
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Thanks CE you guys helped me get my head straight on this.
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