Money Moral Dilemma: Does our flatmate deserve our leftover cash?

Pixie5740

What if the tenant who didn't contribute much to the end of tenancy cleaning had been the one cleaning during the tenancy? The sucker who ended up washing all the dishes and the only one whoever cleaned the toilet?

Even if he was a lazy sod that's no reason to steal money from him now.

fairy_lights

How much money are we talking about? If it's only, say, a tenner each I'd keep his share because realistically that would cover the costs of any cleaning products etc you used to get the place ready for check out, phone calls to the utilities company etc.
If it's hundreds of pounds, then yes of course you have to give it back to him, if your other flatmate wants to confront him and tell him he's a lazy sod then fair enough but you're not entitled to keep his money.

Voyager2002

fairy_lights wrote: »

How much money are we talking about? If it's only, say, a tenner each I'd keep his share because realistically that would cover the costs of any cleaning products etc you used to get the place ready for check out, phone calls to the utilities company etc.
If it's hundreds of pounds, then yes of course you have to give it back to him, if your other flatmate wants to confront him and tell him he's a lazy sod then fair enough but you're not entitled to keep his money.

That sounds fair, but the 'lazy tenant' is entitled to a statement and an explanation.

scrabbly

Its an unfortunate situation. You may be unhappy about the cleaning duties and this should have been addressed at the time. A good nagging often assists !
The money is a different matter and should be shared in proportion to the payments made. Did anyone pay more for a bigger room for example ?
Most of these situations arise because everyone ignores them. WHY NOT SPEAK TO EACH OTHER at the time !!!

happyinflorida

Did you know this housemate was not good at cleaning before you all moved in together?

Why didn't they help as much with the cleaning - were they also working or doing an end or year essay or whatever, is that why?

Did none of you ever sit down together and discuss who did what and who would do what at the end when getting ready to move out? Really, you didn't discuss that at all?

You cannot ask if ok to not give money to someone - we're missing vital information here.

I'd say no it's not alright until I know more.

If that person has paid up for all the bills, then they deserve a share of whatever comes back.

dirtmother

So... some people had to do more than their fair share of work to ensure that the flat was left appropriately (if you were all moving out). Presumably doing more than the fair share is what has meant that everyone's deposits were returned...

And it sounds as though the same people who get on and do what needs doing are the ones who know the score with the utilities etc and would need to put in the effort to organise distributing the surplus money. (There's a picture building up here...)

I can't see that it is any less wrong to 'steal' someone's time and labour for your own personal gain, as these other people have done.

But I doubt you can put it right morally, legally or to any kind of satisfaction by overtly withholding money for something else. But you are not obliged to rush about making a lot of effort to ensure this individual receives his share promptly.

May not even be someone who cares very much about such things - not that bothered about the deposit back, not that bothered about the balance on the accounts - and might think you are welcome to it, so if you do decide to say anything, don't 'confront'... or he could be a complete ligger. Those are quite capable of putting in effort when it suits them which is why trying to get restitution via a tangential avenue is imprudent.

SpinningCircles

Unfortunately deserve is not the correct word to use. As others have stated it is techically already his. The payments returned are not related to cleaning but other bills for services paid. You should morally return the money to him. You could happily state that as he didnt contribute to cleaning you both are charging him for the serivces, time and materials you outlaid, potentially a third of what a professional clearner would have cost to do the same job, he can choose to agree or disagree. It is certainly not yours by right.


I've been in that situation more than once before and its fustrating but look at it this way - would you rather of not cleaned and got your diposits back or cleaned despite the free loader. Next time I suggest getting a cleaner so no one is put out. It has saved me from many a flatmate arguement since we started insisting that rule.


:j

mattk_180

SpinningCircles wrote: »

Unfortunately deserve is not the correct word to use. As others have stated it is techically already his. The payments returned are not related to cleaning but other bills for services paid. You should morally return the money to him. You could happily state that as he didnt contribute to cleaning you both are charging him for the serivces, time and materials you outlaid, potentially a third of what a professional clearner would have cost to do the same job, he can choose to agree or disagree. It is certainly not yours by right.


I've been in that situation more than once before and its fustrating but look at it this way - would you rather of not cleaned and got your diposits back or cleaned despite the free loader. Next time I suggest getting a cleaner so no one is put out. It has saved me from many a flatmate arguement since we started insisting that rule.


:j

Whilst I don't disagree with the most of your post, rather than it being "moral" to give it back, it would be more a legal issue than a moral one!


Also, to suggest hiring a cleaner on a money saving website probably isn't the best suggestion.

Guest101

I wish these 'moral' dilemmas would be kept off.


This is a legal argument and it's crystal clear.

Augustus_the_Strong

Too late now, you should have agreed this before or during the clean-up.