How To Work Out Who Pays What In A Share House Sitcho

PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with CommBank to help first time renters with the money realities involved with moving out of home (yes, there’s more to it than free boxes and getting furniture from ya’ Nan). Head HERE for more info, tips, hints and how to’s.

Moving out of home is right up there as one of the best things you can do, y’know, ever. Sure, there can be a bunch of challenges, but the benefits – like claiming your independence, cleaning your room when you feel like it and making your own lil’ nest for yourself – far outweigh them.
One thing that will inevitably pop up, however, is assessing who should be paying what for each room in a share house. Hopefully you’ve been afforded the opportunity to move out with mates, so naturally you’ll want to avoid this scenario turning prickly. 
To arm y’all with the proper education to navigate this scenario, we asked our own folks here at P.TV for their collective pearls of wisdom. Each housing situation is different, but we reckon we’ve done a bang-up job of covering most situations that arise during this process. 
HAVE “THE CONVERSATION” ASAP
  • Have the conversation of who’s paying what before unpacking your boxes.
  • Roommates won’t likely negotiate increases to rent down the line.
Well done. You’ve signed a lease. You and your new roomies are stoked. Come moving day, however, no one should be moving into a room without the price of it locked in.
“I’ve always tackled that conversation from the get-go rather than asking somewhere down the line,” says Native Content Producer Chantelle Schmidt
In most instances, the price you all land on for your rooms will remain the same for the duration of the lease (depending on your contract). It’s unlikely that a roommate will be willing to increase their room’s pricing down the line because of this, which is why you shouldn’t be reluctant to agree on costs upfront.
“It’s near impossible to ask someone to cough up extra for something they benefit from – like an ensuite or balcony – after the fact.”
HOW TO DECIDE WHO GETS WHAT ROOM

  • Figure out you and your roommates individual situation and decide what’s best.
  • Acknowledge this won’t always be a matter of money.
Sometimes the logistics of working out cost-per-room isn’t as simple as charging more for the bigger one, especially when everything’s more evenly stacked. 

“When we moved into our new place we all agreed to just split evenly and draw straws for the front room – the biggest one,” says Multimedia and News Writer Courtney Fry“It also helped that the other two rooms are still massive by Inner West standards, so I didn’t feel too robbed. When the girl in the front room left, I claimed the front room and that’s how I now have my glorious bay window.”
When assessing who’s paying what, consider your circumstances and collectively make a decision that works for you all. 
START THE BIDDING
  • If several people want the same room, make them bid for it.
  • People in the lesser-valued rooms will pay less, resulting in house-wide happiness.
Just like a lot of things in life, if you want the better option, you’ll have to pay for it. 
“At my new house there’s a small room, two normal rooms and one huge bedroom with an ensuite and balcony,” says Advertising & Partnership Executive Caitlin Hibbert“We didn’t know what to do. We were going to draw out of a hat and keep rent the same, but then my roomie volunteered to pay $35 more a week for the big room instead. That meant the little room – which I decided on – cost less!” 
Having people bid for the room they want is one of the simplest ways to resolve the issue if folks are feeling hard done by. 
PARK YOUR ATTITUDE 
  • Facilities like carparks, balconies and an ensuite need to be factored into room price.
  • Be honest and open in negotiations for these things as things can turn messy fast.
In any urban context, carparks are always going to be worth their weight in gold. Given their value, deciding who’s able to use it can be quite contentious – and I know this first-hand. 
We’d almost locked-in a new roommate when they raised they’d need the carpark in order to move in, but unfortunately my partner needed it too. Given that they were about to put pen to paper and sign the lease, they were extremely upset that the deal was falling through. Interactions quickly became less than pleasant. 
Moral of the story: understand that things might seem perfect on the surface, but sometimes things just aren’t able to work out. If that’s the case, know that there’s not a whole lot you can do about it and move along – there’s no point forsaking your morals.
COME ARMED WITH A SOLUTION
  • Enter conversations with a solution in mind.
  • The solution will usually be monetary (e.g. “We’ll pay $50 a week extra”).
Money can be a tricky thing to raise delicately. For instance, if your partner wants to move in and your roommates are expecting a raise in the cost of your room, then it’s best to be direct with them. Make an offer which places the onus on them to make a decision.
“In my previous place, the guy in the master bedroom wanted his girlfriend to move in,” says Senior Advertising & Partnerships Manager Chloe Patterson. “He was actually really smart and came to us with a proposal of upping the price of his room by $80 a week. The other two roommates got $40 off each, and so we agreed immediately.”
“Because he named a price, we were more likely to agree – it’s awkward talking about money like that when people already live in the house.”
SIZE ISN’T EVERYTHING
  • Working out room price isn’t just a matter of assessing their size by square metre. 
  • Factors like not having a door need to be taken into account too.
It might not be best to use just the floor size of a room to determine the price of it. There’s so many other things that come into play, both in terms of upping the cost or bringing it right down.
“The cheapest room is either the smallest or the one with the most problems,” says Senior Style Editor Melissa Mason. “In my old place, the cheapest room was the attic space. It was actually the largest in terms of square metres, but you couldn’t stand upright completely and, just like most attic-style rooms, it didn’t have a door.”
Melissa’s situation works in the reverse too. If a room has great amenities like air conditioning, then expect to pay more or communicate that the price should be upped to whoever has their eye on it.
As you can see, there’s a lot of different things you have to be mindful of when assessing cost-per-room. A positive / open attitude, as well as rent-splitting resources are going to serve you well, fam.
While we’re on the topic of solid advice, check out CommBank‘s resources on their Tumblr HERE. They’ve got info, tips, hints and how to’s that can help with moving out.
Photo: Bridesmaids.

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