best way to tell roommate to be more conservative with electricity?

Question

I live with a girl who is generally a very good roommate. She is clean and does her fair share around the apartment. I allowed her to sign her lease as all-bills-paid, which means she basically feels no need to be conservative with electricity at all.

She leaves the tv on mute when she's studying or sleeping, leaves lights on all night despite me putting in tons of night lights, leaves the tv and lights on in rooms she's not even in, and I know it's silly - but she also dries her clothes on the air dry setting on the dryer and it takes several hours longer than if she just used a heated dry!

I've started going around and turning on lights and tvs she's left on, but she's taken to doing this behavior even more now! I thought she'd catch on after a few days, but she hasn't. She even went around and unplugged the nightlights I put in! She's sensitive and I don't want a fight.

What's the best way to approach this? Should I just keep doing what I'm doing? Should I ignore it?

Answer 1

Hehe. I used to be the roommate you are talking about. Except I paid more than my share of the electric bill.

Hm..would your bill go down all that much if she were to start conserving the electricity? I would sit down, figure out how many hours of energy she is wasting, and then call the electric company and see how much of a difference your bill would be sans roommate. It may be less than you expected, or it may be just as much as you thought.

Personally, I would ignore it unless it was more than a $50 difference. If she is a good roommate otherwise, this is a small thing. You could have much worse, believe me(because I've had the horrible roommates and I've been a horrible roommate when times called for it)!

Another option is to talk to her about it and ask her if she even notices what she does. Some things like the TV may make her feel better, and others like leaving the lights on may be pure habit. But its risky, you could end up upsetting her and turning an otherwise good roommate into a bad one. Good luck!

Answer 2

Get a couple of your electricity bills from before she moved in and a couple after she moved in, then talk to her and show her how much electricity she is using. Since she has a lease stating that her rent includes everything, there is really nothing you can do at this point; however, when the lease is up if she signs another lease have it in there that she will pay for all overage a certain usuage. FOR EXAMPLE; 1000 kiowatts will be included in her rent, if she use 1500 kiowatts, she will pay for the extra 500. Maybe, she will become more conservate if she see how much she is using.

Answer 3

Are you paying the bills and simply let her sign all bills paid, or is your landlord paying them? If it's you, tell her that the bills have gone way up and you think that the two of you need to work harder to turn off electrical devices. If it's the landlord, fib and tell her the landlord is threatening to make you guys start paying electricity due to a "recent large increase in usage."

You shouldn't ignore it. She is going to have to pay her own bills someday and needs to learn how to conserve.

Answer 4

Sit down and write an clause to the lease and have her sign it. State that the all utilities will be shared equally. Don't go into the "you this and that" stuff. Just say that the utilities are too much not to share. Make sure you date it and have her sign it w/two copies, one for each.

Answer 5

Just ask her to be sensitive to the unnesicary consumption of electricity as it racks up the bill rather quickly. Or ask her to start contributing toward the electric bill.
You can do this in an unthreatening manner, not threats or anger, just outline the situation.

Answer 6

Tell her that your light bills have been going up and that if she still wants to continue to be your roommate then she will have to start paying her share because you cant do it anymore...Don't be shy about this. Its not your place to pay for her or worry about her feelings. She is in the wrong.

Answer 7

it seems as if it is a game between u guys she can see its bothering u and the fact that u don't want to fight about it she's winning. Stupid as is sounds just be straight forward about the cost of her wasting elect. I once turned my power off (the main circuit breaker) 2 prove a point that it was a lot cheaper,easier to turn the lights off.
It worked for me

Answer 8

Talk to her, if this doesn't work, take all the light bulbs out of the lamps. If you own the television, bring it into your room. She might take a hint.

Answer 9

make her pay the difference in the energy bill, she will catch on quick