Should I have to pay half of the utilities?

Question

I am moving out at the end of this month. I left for vacation on the 14th until the 19th. Since being back from vacation, I have been staying with my parent's or at my boyfriend's. Before I left for vacation, I was at the house for a total of 4 or 5 days, at the most. I payed my rent at the beginning of the month, and the utilitites are, as always, paid at the end. My roommate and I usually split the utilities 50/50. His girlfriend has been at the house more than I have, and she is moving in after I leave. I don't think I should have to pay half, but I will gladly pay a third of the utilities. I was never there and hardly used anything in the house. Like I said, his girlfriend was there more than I was.. why should I have to pay??

Please comments and suggestions are encouraged... THANKS!

I wasn't there for the month.. therefore, I didn't use the utilities. Why should I pay for something I didn't use. Ye smy stuff was there, but that is why I pay Rent, to utilitze a room... which my stuff occupied but not my body. I wasn't there to use the t.v., computer, shower, wash, turn on lights, use the stove.

Also, we had a third roomate... and he left early but still payed the rent, but didn't pay utilities cause he wasn't there to use them.. I don't see how my case is any different.

Answer 1

the utilities go along with the rent, I look at it like a package. Yes you should have to pay them. He depends on them just like the rent.

Answer 2

This really goes to "the benefit of the bargain" you agreed to. If at the beginning y'all agreed that you share the rent and utilities fifty - fifty then you do have to pay the utilities even though you were not there. That's b/c everyone else depended on your half of the utilities for the benefit of the whole. If they had to pay 2/3 every now on then on your whim they would not have agreed to go into it with you b/c 2/3 was just too much for them (not what they were willing to spend). If however the rent was split but at the beginning you agreed that the utilites would be shared per quota (by use) then no. I doubt you agreed to the latter. You need to pay your half as that is what you promised the others and that is what they were depending on from you - vacation or not! Good luck though - remember you can always modify your agreement as long as everybody agrees and there is valid consideration (everybody gives up a little something).

Answer 3

Well, maybe your roommate can think of a time in the past when you used more electricity than he did. Did your boyfriend never come over to the house/apartment that you shared with your roommate?

I think you and your roommate should sit down and go over the utility bills month by month and appliance by appliance. Make sure you take in to consideration who turned what lights on and how long those lights stayed on as well as who had visitors, how long the visitors stayed and what electricity the visitors might have used. But wait, THAT WOULD BE STUPID, RIGHT?

Answer 4

Yes you should pay the utilities. Look at it this way things like cable and basic telephone are the same every month whether you use them or not so pay half since they were there for you to use if you had chosen to. For bills such as electric if the bill was higher than normal ask for the roommate's girlfriend to pay 1/3.

Answer 5

I think you should pay. Better that way then to let your soon-to-be former roommate take you to court for payment. Even though you weren't there, you're still on the lease and bound to pay the utilities. If your roommate had left you without notice a month before the lease was expired, he'd have told you the same thing - that he wasn't there and didn't have to pay. But you'd have replied with the fact that he was still on the lease. Think of it like that. On the other hand, I think you are being semi-reasonable - it seems unfair, but you may as well just pay it so you don't end up in court. (Or if the bill is in your name, then you'll avoid having a partially unpaid bill taken to collections.)

Answer 6

It is common courtesy to pay half of the utilities, whether you were there or not. This is something that more than likely should have been discussed before you left on vacation, but of course - hindsight is 20/20!

I actually had a very similar situation. I lived in a house with two other girls for a few months. I left on vacation for 3 weeks back to NJ to see my family. When I came back, there was an itemized list of the separation of bills. I had to straighten out with my one roommate whose name was the main name on the bills that I shouldn't have to pay for the landline phone, since I never used it (I had a cell phone), so she gladly removed the amount from my bill.

But she had me down to pay half of the directv for the month (which i never touched) and half of the utilities as well. Mind you, 3 weeks is almost an entire month. I spoke to both of them beforehand and they knew I was going to be away and so they took over my part of the chores as well.

Long story short, I had to sit and talk to them both diplomatically and not with any kind of attitude and explain to them, "I don't watch television, so I feel like I shouldn't be paying any portion of DirecTV." After explaining this and causing some irritation, they agreed that I didn't have to pay it. But the PG&E was a big, big, big problem. I had to explain and explain that I wasn't there, there was nothing on in my room, not even an clock to use up power or electricity. No heat goes into my room, so therefore there is no extra body using electricity or gas. I should not have to pay for this.

I paid $7, which is what I estimated it cost for the usage of my alarm clock and computer the week before I left. I moved out shortly after because I couldn't deal with the arguments after that.

My point, after my terribly long story, is that if you didn't have anything on in your room that was using electricity or gas or anything like that, then technically - no, you shouldn't have to pay half of the utilities. Offering to pay a third is a very good idea and I would hope that is good enough for your roommate and his girlfriend to accept. If she has been there more than you, I think he should either have her pay or take over the rest of the burden since you were not at the house.

Phew!

And whoever gives my answer a thumb down has clearly not experienced life in the real world and doesn't understand what its like to be in this situation.

Utility Bill does not = Rent. If you're not there using the utilities, you shouldn't have to pay for them.

Nobody can take you to court over a utility bill as nobody can prove who used the utilities unless they have you on video tape. And I highly doubt they do.

EDIT:
A comment on what someone said below me: regarding "if your parents were only home for 4 or 5 days, would they still be responsible for the utility bill?" Yes, they would, however if they were only homef or 4 or 5 days with nothing on in the house, the bill would be SIGNIFICANTLY LESS and therefore, they wouldn't have to pay as much.

Why should this girl have to pay for bills someone else ran up?

Answer 7

Yes, you are right to state that you should not be liable for something that you were not responsible to be incurred.

Since you have not mentioned on what conditions you had shared the room/apartment/house nobody can give you an accurate answer to your question.

If your room-mate was generous enough he would not ask you to share the extra that his girl friend was instrumental for incurring!!!

An amicable settlement is always advisable and by paying a little extra you do not loose the rest of your life and may be that your room mate will realize later that he was too much of a cut-throat in dealing with you and compensate you in other ways which may be even multifold times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

If you were there 5 days out of the month and lets just call it a 30 day month for ease. Pay 1/6 of them. Exactly what you used. Depending on your relationship with this guy (Friend) (EX) you may not want to end the relationship over a utility bill though. If he is your freind then I would just do what you usually do. If you are leaving on bad terms or the guy is a diock then pay your 1/6 and be done with it.

Answer 9

Depending on the agreement you initially had with your roomate, which typically would have no clause for vacations. I would probably just pay it and next time let a potential roomate know that if there is someone else over that is a utility hog you expect them to have to chip in too.

Answer 10

This may not be what you'd like to hear, but I believe you should still pay half. It was the agreement, after all, and going back on your word is never a good thing. If you're leaving soon, it'll be a nice way to go. Also, you won't start any fights. ;] Just pay your half of the bill and give your roommate and his girlfriend your well wishes. It'll work out waaaay smoother than the alternatives.

Answer 11

For the most part yes, you should pay. because you agreed to. however, if you had nice roommates, they would totally understand that you weren't there. I agree with you about the electricity and rent. I used to have a roommate, and my boyfriend moved in the last 3 months of our months of our lease, and she slept at her parents but still used her room once in awhile. kinda like you are doing. we agreed that we still pay half the rent each. but utilities she only payed like 5 bucks (it was usually around 25) because she was never there. and then the rest my boyfriend and i would worry about.