

This way we took into account that a married couple would have more expenditures a month because they lived there yet not an entire other person since air (etc.) wouldn’t change. This prevented any issues regarding temperature.Ģ) Split Utilities by Number of People – When we were renting during our first year of marriage, we split the utilities 60% to 40% since we were married and the other guy was single. When we had roommates, I wrote down that the landlord controlled the thermostat and the current settings. It was also how we were going to address the utility cost when we had roommates. This is how we did it when we were renting an in-law suite from the owner. The biggest negative is that there is no incentive for tenants to be conservative with the utilities. This is a great method because it is one price and no worries. 3 Ways to Split Utilitiesġ) Incorporate Utilities into the Rent – A lot of people simply charge roommates a flat fee and incorporate this into the rent. Over the years I have seen ways to address the costs of utilities. The division of utilities needs to be discussed ahead of time, and more importantly, to have in writing.

One of the biggest ways to prevent roommate problems is by discussing it ahead of time.Ī large financial burden that I have noticed over the years is the increased costs of utilities. The great thing about having a written agreement is it can reduce a lot of the ulcer-inducing moments.

The only difference is if your tenant is mad at you - now they literally know where you sleep. In many states you are still held to the same guidelines as renting a room as you would be for the whole house. If anything, when you have someone in your own house having a great lease is even more important. It was one of the things that allowed me, not only to graduate grad school debt free, but also allowed us to have a significant savings account when we bought our first house.Īs we have discussed in the past, renting out rooms and not just your whole house, is no excuse for not having a lease. The simple act of putting up with others in your space is a form of sweat equity - one that we took part of during our first years of marriage. Renting your rooms out or having roommates are two great ways to live rent free.
