How to divide rent with 3 roomates and 2 rooms?

Question

just moved into my GF's apt and her current rent for the smaller room and public bathroom is $810. The person in the master bedroom is paying $875. I honestly think this isn't fair at all but i can live with it. The only thing that i can't agree on is that the person in the Master bedroom (which has a walk in closet and private bathroom) wants a discount on the rent bc i'm there now. Her offer was $840 for her rent and $855 for our rent. I've gone as far as measuring our the sq ft of each bedroom and divided the % of the total sq ft. I don't want to be fickle about things like that but since she raised the issue and wanted a discount I had to look into it. I came up with some figures and it shocked me when i found out that the master bedroom should cost $973 to be exact and $722 for the small room with public bathroom. I offered to take the master with my GF for $1000( i would even go up to $1050 just to be fair) and $695 for the small room and she doesn't want it. Am i being unfair?

Oh yea just to mention....the master is clearly bigger than the regular room.... the master has 278 square feet including bathroom and the regular room is 205 square feet including bathroom... also the master bedroom is guaranteed a parking spot while the 2 occupants in the regular room have only 1 parking spot... we do live in LA so parking is an issue..... Also total rent is $1695.... and her BF always comes over... hes been basically living with her for 6 months... My GF never said anything about rent with them bu as soon as i moved in they wanted a 3 way split.. Is that fair to split 3 ways but we get the smaller room and the other roommate get the master with the private bathroom and walk in closet?

Lets see where can I start... The Masterbedroom person's boyfriend lives at home but he basically lives at the apt. Not to mention my GFcould've asked to split rent in a 3 way fashion for the other roomates BF, but didnt. Also while i wasnt there utilities were basically split in half between my GF and the master bedroom occupant. But we need to take into account that the roommates BF was over all the time. The funny thing about all this is how the masterbedroom roommate always had 2 people (1 on the lease and the other is just the BF) and my GF (Prior to me going over) didnt have a 3 way split (the roommate wants that now since I'm in). I really dont understand the logic the masterbedroom roomate is saying. One more thing her argument is about communal area. And what she wrote to me confused me."Understood, Communal area is not about how much stuff you have in it, its the usage of the area itself, agreed?"..... i didnt know what she meant so i just said No i dont get it....

Answer 1

I think the person in the master bedroom is being ridiculous. But if you guys can't even agree on rent, then maybe you shouldn't be living together.

Answer 2

I think the most fair thing to do is to share the rent with your friend since you are sharing the bedroom with her and the bathroom too. You are not touching the master bedroom neither its bathroom. So the other girl stays with whatever she had before, but instead your friend's space is getting smaller because of you. I think it is the best thing to do and I am sure the other girl will not just move out from the master br. for you 2 to go in there. Good luck!

NOW that you mentioned the parking too... it is a real problem in LA, I live pretty close. So do not let her fool you and your GF especially if her BF was practically living with her for 6 months.

Answer 3

The thing hee is ..with the additional rent you are only paying $45.00 a month more for another person..this seems awful fair to me....The thing is..the original lease was between the landlord, your gf, and her roomate....Does the lease say they are able to sub-let? This may be in violation of the lease totally..In which we seem to do alot..but @$45.00 a month extra cost..why bicker? Your gf's roomate may have a bf over alot..but does he keep rental on another apartment at the same time? If so he is already paying...Now , do you plan on renting here and renting another apartment at the same time? It don't seem like this is the case and that you plan to make this your sole place of residency..IS the lease in just your gf's friends name or both of them?In all actuality, if the lease is in her friends name and she has the right to sublet...and the WRITTEN lease between your gf and her..states that she is allowed to sublet to other people, it doesn't matter what she charges the other person at all..a lease is a bonding contract..Personally I wouldn't push the issue for sub-letting may not be in the original lease..and you could all get thrown out to the curb..Here is what I would do...Your girlfriend is Presently paying $810.00 rent there is an increase of $45.00 now rtaising it to $855.00..so why don't you split the rent with your girlfriend totalling$427.50 apiece now...and your both still paying under 400.00 a month for rent..geezz seems like your girlfriend would be getting a deal, such as you would,,where are you going to find a place in LA for $427.00 a month? When a 3rd person moves into a place it usually cuts the cost down of EACH person presently living there..which it did if figured this way..Your girlfriend is getyting almost a 400.00 break this way, while the original leasor is only getting a $35.00 dollar break..Now how easy is this? Or did you expect to move in simply by just paying for the additional $45.00 dollars? If you figure this properly then the original leassor..is the one taking the biggest bite! $400.00 plus more than either of you will be paying...I SAY ..SHE IS BEING TOTALLY FAIR...

Answer 4

On one level, No, you are not being unfair. That said, why go to all the hassle of measuring square feet and getting an ulcer, etc etc. Dorm rules - - - example the rent for the entire unit is $1,500, factor in Utilities $300 and toss in $200 for emergencies a fund which can be broken into now and then.// thus $2,000 a Month - - - and whoever moves in, divide equally - - - seniority rules, first in takes the master bedroom it is theirs until they go or if they choose to relenguish it to a couple so be it, and what if you are the tenth person tro split the rent, well with everyone paying a tenth of $2,000 make your own aragements or sleep where availible. Yes that last scenario is an extreme but what I am saying is that life can be so much easier if you live by simple rules. In my universe a Couple is a Two Shares of the Rent, and it is up to them, between them what they pay, as long as Two Parts are Paid, out of Three parts of the aforementioned $2,000. Round numbers, cover utilities, set an emergency fund.

Peace-------------

Answer 5

It seems to me that you're being fair.

The rent should remain the same for the roommate regardless if you're living there or not. Your girlfriend, not the roommate, has to share bedroom with you.

I think your offer to switch rooms AND pay the majority of the rent seemed like a good deal to me. Stand firm on the original rent. If Ms. Master Suite complaints, show her your calculations and say that she's BEEN GETTING a really good deal for a long time.

This roomie sounds kind of domineering and manipulative (being that she has the master and pays almost equal rent). Be prepared for more nit-picky complaints.

Answer 6

Have the other bf move in "officially" and split the rent equally, 4 ways - about $424 per person.

If it works well, when the lease is up, try to find an apt for the 4 of you with two master suites of equal size. Otherwise, part company.

Answer 7

you are not being unfair at all 855 for a small room is too much. You might want to consider renting your own place if your willing to pay $1000.00 there are apartments that are really nice for that price. I pay 1050.00 for a nice two bedroom in a great city. then you can have privacy with your Gf. and avoid any other concerns. But you would be getting ripped off if you agree to the options given to you.

Answer 8

Divide the total rent three ways and each pay his proportionate third. Or deduct the $65 extra, divide the remainder and pay the third each, with the extra $65 paid by the master-bedroom user.

After all, you get the bonus of the bedroom buddy.

Answer 9

i admire the perspective you have for the lease. because of the fact the couple is utilising purely one room then giving them a discount is a honest attitude. i'd recommend splitting the utilities via 4 by way of. each and all and sundry extra to a house incredibly plenty provides an equivalent volume of value to the standard value of utilities. As for the storage, 2 suggestions. the 1st is that each and every person gets it for one week at a time and you rotate. the 2nd is desperate a value each and every person is keen to evaluate honest and then if somebody needs to pay the better value they might use the storage. this would even replace month-to-month. i'd say that the somewhat worth of a storage in someplace with undesirable climate would be as extreme as 10% of the lease for the time of the wintry climate. good success with the whole element.