Should I ask my flatmate to subsidise more of the rent?

happyinflorida

Why have you been looking at places that you cannot afford?

You've led your flatmate up the garden path in doing this.

They are now left in a bad position - they have found somewhere they like but now cannot move into unless they pay out more - because you claim you cannot now afford it.

I suggest you look at yourself and your finances a bit more carefully and learn to budget BEFORE doing anything.

Instead of coming on here, you should have had this conversation first with your flatmate as you've left them thinking they've found a new place for longer than necessary.

You would not be my first choice for a flatmate!

aquarius02

I think you have a cheek to even think of this! Why on earth should your flatmate subsidise something you can't afford? You should have worked out what was affordable, and been honest about it, before you even looked. Go and look for something you can afford

duchy

MrJester wrote: »

I think these are a good idea.



I think you are getting the wrong end of the stick, it did say that there is a bigger room in this case. Peoples rooms are what you pay for in a share, and I think quite rightly the more space you get the more benefit you have of that flat/house and should pay more rent because of it.

The post is not asking them to pay more just because they earn more. If it was, then I'd agree it's unfair to pay more just because you earn more. But it isn't the case.

Think if the room had an en-suite and the other did not, etc etc.

No I think you are reading it differently

MSE_Nick wrote: »

I'm looking for a new flat with a friend of mine, but he earns quite a lot more than I do so he has a greater budget. We've found somewhere we both like, but even if he takes the bigger room and pays a bit more I still can't really afford it. Should I ask him to subsidise a larger share of the rent? I'd feel bad asking but he really likes the place and we do want to live together.

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That reads to me if our MSE staff member wants his friend to not only pay more for the larger room but more on top as well

Perhaps MSE should pay their staff more

I think the supposed OP needs to ask themselves what is in it for their friend . Paying more for the pleasure of their company ? Offering to do every bit of household chores for both of them in exchange for a lower rent?

I think if I was the OP's friend I'd be wondering why the OP agreed to look at a flat they knew they couldn't afford and if their plan all along was to get them to pay more. I'd be re-evaluating our friendship I think as I'd feel used.

Errata

Did it? I take all MSE staff's posts about their alleged problems as bog standard trolling. Cynical? Moi?:D

duchy

Errata wrote: »

Did it? I take all MSE staff's posts about their alleged problems as bog standard trolling. Cynical? Moi?:D

I just think they are all very young and very under paid with poor people skills and little relationship experience

Red-Squirrel_2

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Possibly. It's the expectation that is irritating. Just because someone earns more money (do you really know exactly how much your friends make anyway) that doesn't mean they have a lot more disposable income. They could be repaying a higher amount to a student loan or saving up to buy somewhere yet someone expects them to subsidise them too.

Money and friendship don't always mix well and if it were the other way around I wouldn't feel happy about a friend subsidising me. I'd cut my cloth accordingly and explain this to my friend so we could find somewhere affordable to both of us.

But, the friend might prefer to pay a bit extra in order to live somewhere nicer, to them that might be preferable to paying less and then having to live in the kind of place that fits the OP's budget. There's value to them, its not money for nothing.

tallgirld

No you shouldn't ask him to subsidise your rent.

Find a place that you can afford and live within YOUR means!

Errata

Looks like poor little Nick doesn't know whether he's coming or going

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/68296678#Comment_68296678

Pixie5740

MSE Nick is starting to sound so tight that you'd get a diamond back if you shoved a lump of coal up his bum.

I'm glad he's just a hypothetical flatmate.

gaving7095

Just explain that you can't afford it & see where the conversation goes :-)