Sharing a house with flatmates?

Question

I'm wanting to live with 3 other people (random people) in a 4 bedroom house. I will set up the house fully furnished, and I will have the main bedroom and use part of the double garage.

Say it's a $400 house.
I would pay $110 (since it's my furniture etc they will be using) one other pays ($130 - who uses the other side of the garage) and 2 others pay $125. Is this a fair split?

I need some house rules to follow by and some questions that will be okay to ask during the interview process - so the house runs smoothly.
I'd love some advice. Any suggestions to make the house run smooth and fair.

Answer 1

make a contract make them all sign it that way it is legal and they can't get out of it

if someone needs a 6 month or 1 yr do it
make sure you set very strict rules on payments make a day in the month that all rent will be pd.... make it a few days before the real rent and bills are due that way if there is a problem you can come up with the difference.

also make it so that everyone pays the rent and then when the bills come in have a house meeting once a month for bills
go over the phone bill light bill tv bill
get out the paper and pen and make sure everyone agree's on the cost..... ie
phone bill is 200.00
the long distance is 150.00 of that
so 50.00 is basic charge that should divided =
go over the long distance and find out who called what # and start adding it up
light bill is easy all = to the amount

make sure you get refrences on all who apply to live there
work/personal /other places where they rented

this way you can call their work and see if they do really work there and personal refrences so you can ask what type of person this is you don't want some loon who is a dead beat
same with other places they have lived
did they pay the rent on time
did they leave it a pig sty
did they make alot of noise and get kicked out

when you get all the ppl in there make a phone # list
this is a list of ppl who to call
ie police.fire.ins company for renters ins
also a contact # for all who live there

if jan falls down and hurts her self or is too sick to even get out of bed and you need to call her mother or sister what is the #

IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE QUESTIONS PLZ EMAIL ME i will answer them for you
this list should get you started

Answer 2

Dear Lady K, you will be the Lady of the House so you don't have to pay. Let the 3 bedroom mates divide among themselves the amount of the rent.
As far as house rules is concerned, before they arrive, you should have written down the Do's and Dont's, especially the curfew hours, the use of computer per hour because it consumes more electricity and will produce high electric bill. Then include also the time for cooking for one might forget to turn off the stove which will create so much trouble on your part.
Hope you will have a happy home :)

Answer 3

every one should respect each other's space. like no waking people up, cleaning up after themselves, everyone should do 1 chore a day write it down on a small dry erase board and stick it on the fridge. good luck