Money Moral Dilemma: Should I share cashback on a shared bill with my housemates?

Pollycat

Rollyb wrote: »

When I was at uni 15 years ago, I managed all the bills for our uni house for 2 years. There were 4 of us. I was on a whole student loan due to my parents income. They had mummy and daddy. I set up a DD to save money and searched for best deals etc as had been taught proper financial management by my dad. They constantly failed to pay and on one occasion I had to borrow money from the university to get me through the month as had paid the whole bill for the end of year when a bill came through as dd wasn’t enough. Fed up, I split the bills in 3 rather than 4. They did eventually pay up, or their parents did, all monies owed and I had free amenities. Not an honest decision granted but if you are doing the work, they do nothing and don’t pay, stuff them

But we don't know if the other students constantly fail to pay.
Of course, it would be really helpful if the author of the dilemma had included that bit of information - if it's true.
The author almost certainly did include more information but MSE include bare bones.
It's intended to promote discussion. :cool:

Zero_Sum

Bottom line is that if you're putting bills in your name you are taking all the risks.
If there are any perks in terms of cashback then you get to keep them. What if say it was Santander 123 cashback? Its from your bank account. What if you pay all the bills on a 0% credit card, should the interest earned from stoozing be shared out after you've done all the work? I dont think theyre that much different.

Narch

Why stop at £120? Find out how much the most expensive broadband you could have got is and charge your housemates that price. Keep the surplus as a reward for your fantastic initiative.

george4064

Tell your flatmates and go on a big night out, should be fun!

Stephenemmet

To say the cashback is "thanks to your own initiative" is rather overselling your contribution... if another housemate had "sorted the bills" he or she would have compared deals in the same way and most likely ended up with the same deal.

The cashback is part of the overall net price of the service. I assume you calculated the best deal after accounting for cashback and I assume that is exactly what your housemates would expect you to do. Unless you have made a prior agreement with your housemates that you will keep the cashback as your admin fee, surely they will expect the net cost to be split among them.

Zero_Sum

Stephenemmet wrote: »

To say the cashback is "thanks to your own initiative" is rather overselling your contribution... if another housemate had "sorted the bills" he or she would have compared deals in the same way and most likely ended up with the same deal.

The cashback is part of the overall net price of the service. I assume you calculated the best deal after accounting for cashback and I assume that is exactly what your housemates would expect you to do. Unless you have made a prior agreement with your housemates that you will keep the cashback as your admin fee, surely they will expect the net cost to be split among them.

Its not. You should never assume the cashback is a given, as its not uncommon that its not paid. You search for the best deal ignoring cashback.

SallyB21

If one of your flatmates gets a refund of £400 on your joint utility bill because they took responsibility for it, how will you feel if they keep it to themselves? I know cashback is not quite the same but share the goodwill.

Zero_Sum

SallyB21 wrote: »

If one of your flatmates gets a refund of £400 on your joint utility bill because they took responsibility for it, how will you feel if they keep it to themselves? I know cashback is not quite the same but share the goodwill.

A refund you would share because thats part of the actual bill.

bettyboon

Yes of course the cashback should be shared. If you are even asking this question then in your heart you know the correct answer.

Pollycat

Narch wrote: »

Why stop at £120? Find out how much the most expensive broadband you could have got is and charge your housemates that price. Keep the surplus as a reward for your fantastic initiative.

This person ^^^^ would be - imho - the flatmate from Hell. :cool: