inspired by an overheard conversation

[snugglekitty]

[Poll #984633]

Comments

[catya.livejournal.com]

A big "it depends". Rent can be thought of by private space / public space / presence / income / and probably other things.

In general? Two people probably pay more than one. In specific? who knows.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

My first instinct is to say that all three should pay the same amount. But, yeah, it depends.

Combination:

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

There could be one figure per room, so that a larger room costs more to rent/a larger percentage of the total rent than the smaller room, and then utilities divided evenly per person in the residence, since those are used equally (hypothetically). This would also allow for the two in one room to determine between the two of them how they're splitting the room rent.

Re: Combination:

[coraline]

that's the way i've most often seen it done.

Re: Combination:

[artemis44.livejournal.com]

Agreed - rent is by room size, utilities by person...

[zzbottom.livejournal.com]

I was on the fence between "it depends" and "the pair". I cannot see where the solo person should be penalized for being partnerless, though. Above it was suggested rent by room, utilities by person, which does have a lot of merit, although it really kind of negates the fact that common space would be most largely utilized by two people more than one. I mean, if four people are willing to stack like logs in order to sleep, or sleep in shifts, but take over all the common space of an apartment/house, they shouldn't be rewarded for coming up with a creative system for their unconscious time and graciously taking the broom closet as their rented space.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I would say it depends on how much common space there is. If the apartment in question has the two bedrooms and not much else, so that the people will be spending their at-home time in the bedrooms, then the pair should get a discount on the rent. If it's a roomy apartment with lots of hanging-out space, I think it matters less and each person should pay an equal share of rent.

In the poll, one of the options is "The pair - they use more utilities...." I don't think that's applicable here, as you asked about *rent*. Everyone in the apartment can reasonably be assumed to be using heat and water and gas for cooking and electricity and internet, so all roommates should pay an equal share of utilities. The rent, however, is about how the space in the apartment is divided up per person. If everyone has plenty of individual space, then it should be equal, whereas if two people are sharing most of their space, it's possible they should pay less. If some utilities are included in the rent, then a complicated formula might be in order to determine how how much everyone should pay.

I think these arrangements really need to take into account each person's needs and finances and the actual space being used. It's hard to make a blanket rule.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

To be more specific: I meant to say, that if the pair are sharing most of their space and there's not much common space, then it's possible they should pay less *per person than the other roommate*. I did not mean to suggest that their combined total would be less than the other roommate's contribution.