Real-life MMD: Water worry - should we split the bill equally?

JeremyCH

Yes, I feel you should pay the bill - presumably your housemates will also be taking breaks, holidays etc., so do you really want arguments about them paying their share of the bills whilst they're away? Secondly, if it is that high then you need to check for leaks and excessive usage ASAP. I got stiffed with a £3,000 bill a couple of yaers ago in my pub because the timer on the urinals was faulty and I hadn't picked it up so check, check and check again

Fujiko

dannahaz wrote: »

Just pay up.

You probably did a bit of extra washing before you went, you've probably done a bit of extra washing now you're back.

If you start down this road you'll have everyon arguing about getting a reduction because they went away for the weekend, or having to monitor the number of times you use the shing machine, or how long you're in the shower.

If you're not metered, there's no difference anyway.

If you're metered then the bill we be lower anyway because you weren't there.

I agree completely with what you say, and I can't think why anyone thought this was worth making it a big issue, and stand the chance of creating very bad feeling among the others. Presumably you all get on well together? Surely the important words are "house share" which to my way of thinking means exactly that - the costs of council tax,, heating, light and water are shared between all of you. Don't open the can of worms others have mentioned!

idlebloo

no, you agreed at the start of your term of housesharing to split the bills equally. If at that time you didn't make arrangements for absences then it's unfair now to ask your housemates to pay a bigger share. At any rate, I'm sure they also go on holiday or are not there from time to time, do you really want to start having to do a daily tariff for everyone? what about a minute-by-minute tariff for how long people spend in the shower? or how many times you go to the toilet?

dw1

I had a similar situation a few years ago in a shared house - except instead of being the only one away, I was the only one there for a month. Harmony in a shared place is worth many times more than the money!

Five of us had a shared house on a 12-month contract - a big old victorian terrace in Newcastle, so the rent was dirt cheap but the bills expensive. 11 months in, the others all said they were letting their contracts roll over to a monthly one but were variously going on holiday/visiting family for a month, and between them decided that because I would be the only one living there, I should pay the bills for the whole house.

Their argument was that with only one person living there the bills would be proportionately lower - patently untrue when you realise that the fridge, freezer etc still cost the same regardless of having 1/5th of the food in them, and even with their bedroom doors shut and the radiators off inside I was still heating far more than 1/5th of the house.

Individually it wouldn't have cost them much to each put up one month's bills, but on my own I got hit for £200. :mad: Needless to say instead of letting my contract roll over with the rest of them I moved out as soon as I could and didn't speak to any of them again... as far as I know because they were all away there wasn't anyone lined up to replace me, so their shares of both the rent and bills were higher the following month :rotfl:

EvelynBaker

By agreeing to live with your housemates you have agreed to split everything. It is not fair on them that because you went on holiday they have to pay for it.

pollypenny

Silly, nit-picking dilemma.

Unless your house share mates had been filling a swimming pool, pay up. It's still your share.

Augustus_the_Strong

Just pay it - can of worms otherwise, as others have said.

gloriouslyhappy

dw1 wrote: »

I had a similar situation a few years ago in a shared house - except instead of being the only one away, I was the only one there for a month. Harmony in a shared place is worth many times more than the money!

Five of us had a shared house on a 12-month contract - a big old victorian terrace in Newcastle, so the rent was dirt cheap but the bills expensive. 11 months in, the others all said they were letting their contracts roll over to a monthly one but were variously going on holiday/visiting family for a month, and between them decided that because I would be the only one living there, I should pay the bills for the whole house.

Their argument was that with only one person living there the bills would be proportionately lower - patently untrue when you realise that the fridge, freezer etc still cost the same regardless of having 1/5th of the food in them, and even with their bedroom doors shut and the radiators off inside I was still heating far more than 1/5th of the house.

Individually it wouldn't have cost them much to each put up one month's bills, but on my own I got hit for £200. :mad: Needless to say instead of letting my contract roll over with the rest of them I moved out as soon as I could and didn't speak to any of them again... as far as I know because they were all away there wasn't anyone lined up to replace me, so their shares of both the rent and bills were higher the following month :rotfl:

This is where you could end up if you try to insist on a reduction for when you were away - take note of the last sentence about causing a vacancy thus making your bills rise unnecessarily. If it were a telephone bill, it would be different, you share the standing charge but pay for your own calls, but for something like a water bill, just pay it and avoid the aggro!

dimbo61

If the property has a water meter then the month you were away you did not use any water ( or the bill would have been more)
If the property has water rates you will pay the same no matter how much water you have ALL used
Pay UP or MOVE OUT

mervyn67

I'm sorry but I cannot understand your problem.
If any others are away do you consider that they should pay less?
For some reason I don't think so
You are being very tight on this but have you considered the same action about Gas and Electricity (which you haven't mentioned)
I bet you are a load of laghs to live with.
By the way I am almost 68 and I am not (obviously) talking from a property sharing standpoint.
Pay up you tight so-and-so's