Roomates and utilities...

[Donald LaFell]

I'm staying in beautiful charleston for a summer internship, I'm subleasing an apartment with two other girls. What I did not know is that they had planned on moving out for the rest of the summer, and I pretty much did not know this until 2 weeks ago. One girl told me she was stayin

 

So now I'm pretty much living in the apartment all by myself and I didn't really plan on having to pay all the utilities 100%. I plan on working something out.

 

I never signed a single piece of paper. It seems a bit selfish to expect them to help pay for my showers but I was never notified of them moving out until very briefly beforehand.

 

I feel like water can be negotiated since it's somewhat of a charge per use utility.

 

I don't feel like I'm on the hook for anymore than 30% of cable/internet. It's a static contract.

 

I feel like electricity can be negotiated a little bit, but I can exactly make the house comfortable at night(I don't use it during the day) just in my room. The AC goes to the entire house. I keep all the doors shut trying to keep costs lower. Vents are open since I assume that would just make the AC less efficient to close them.

 

I'm trying to find a nice balance between being my legal obligation and what's actually fair. I don't think they should have to entirely pay for my showers, but I don't think it's fair for people to leave unexpectedly which is raising my cost of living considerably under my piddly internship salary.

 

any advice from those in similar situations?

[Hawk]

pics or STFU!

[Hawk]

honestly though...they leaving and then coming back after summer?  if that's the case, then yes, I think they should still pay 1/3 each for all the utilities while they are gone for the summer.

[Doyle]

That's life.  It isn't fair.

[Donald LaFell]

The lease is up August 1st so they're all leaving for good I believe. I'm trying to find a proper medium for this situation.

[Hawk]

if they are leaving for good...then I say you are on your own for the bills or you need to find new roomies

[Zod]

Well it took one post for this thread to get creepy.

[Hawk]

creepy?  have you spent any time in smack central lately?

[Herbert The Love Bug]

lolzz

[Doc Holiday]

The lease is up August 1st so they're all leaving for good I believe. I'm trying to find a proper medium for this situation.

Are they leasing from a student housing complex? if so them subleasing to you was illegal, also all utilities are usually included in those leases and depending on the complex you may just have one flat rate and nothing more.  

 

reason for asking is student complexes usually lease August 1st - August 1st

[thefuzz]

I'd say that you are on the hook.

 

Unless they are really generous.

[Mvp2014]

Id say you should pay water and electric. Turn out a ho in one of the bedrooms to make up the difference

[Happy Panther]

 

I never signed a single piece of paper. It seems a bit selfish to expect them to help pay for my showers but I was never notified of them moving out until very briefly beforehand.

 

any advice from those in similar situations?

 

Even if you had a contract it wouldn't make much difference if they didn't want to pay. 

 

When I lived in CA I had to exit a lease early to move back to NC. At the end of it our landlord was like "screw you you have to keep paying rent for the next 6 months." I spoke with my lawyer and he just laughed.

 

Anyway, I would pick a figure you think they will pay and ask for it. But don't be shocked if they don't want to.

[lovelett]

If there is no contract and you know they have no respect I would not count on getting anything. Fair would be you pay 1/3 like was agreed upon and they pay the rest.