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.
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.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-05-14 08:29 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-14 08:33 pm (UTC)