Roomate Rent/Ethics Question

ElPhoenix · #1 06-04-2007, 02:04 AM

Here's the story,

I live in a 2bed/2bath with 3 other guys, 2 of which I've known since highschool/precollege, and one that I met in the dorms last year. He's a cool guy, but we kind of picked him up last minute. He's definitely not a BAD roommate or BAD person, we just have really really different interests.

So, around January at UCSB (Uni of Cali at Santa Barbara) you basically have to start looking for a new place/renew your place. Me and the two guys from back home decide its really just not that comfortable of a relationship, and one of my other buddies from the dorms wants to live with us. So, we had one of those awkward 'house meetings', and kind of let him know how we felt. He was fine with it, and started to search for a new place.

He found one with a buddy of his, but the rents overlap by a month. He talked to me and asked if we could cover July's rent for him, because he can't afford rent payments. Do we owe this to him? We gave him ample time (>5 months) to find a place that was suitable, and to ensure that the rent date was the same (not hard to find).

TY OOT, this is my first OOT post

PHOENIX

Paul B. · #2 06-04-2007, 02:06 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Do we owe this to him?

[/ QUOTE ]
No.

Golden_Rhino · #3 06-04-2007, 02:07 AM

Couldn't the other guy just move in a month early?

KLJ · #4 06-04-2007, 02:09 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do we owe this to him?

[/ QUOTE ]
No.

[/ QUOTE ]

cbloom · #5 06-04-2007, 02:16 AM

There's a seat open next to willw9 !!! GOGOGOGO

edfurlong · #6 06-04-2007, 02:27 AM

I'd probably pay a quarter of it and try to get another roommate to do the same, you definitely aren't obligated to do so.

NT! · #7 06-04-2007, 02:35 AM

legally it depends on who signed your lease. if all three of you are on the lease then he is legally obligated for his share of the july rent. if for some reason only one of you is, and the others have an agreement of a different sort with that person, it's not so clear.

ethically i would say he is obligated to pay his share. you have no reason to pay his other than out of the kindness of your heart. if you suspect there could be a dispute or he might simply not pay, you could work out some kind of a split.

rutang · #8 06-04-2007, 02:39 AM

it would depend on what the arrangement was up front. was there an accepted "if this doesn't work out" plan? did he lock himself in until that time?

depending on the answers to those, i'd say you don't OWE it to him, but i'd probably suck it up and let him off, since he didn't do anything to deserve the boot.

ajmargarine · #9 06-04-2007, 02:40 AM

You don't owe him anything but if he moves out of your place and into his new place and pays rent there and not with you, it's probably not worth doing anything about it.

ElPhoenix · #10 06-04-2007, 02:52 AM

Legally, he could just not pay and it would be forced upon me. I'm the master tenant and all the bills are paid in my name. However, I also paid the security deposit which is = to one month's rent, so if he refuses to pay, I can legally just withhold the security deposit from him.

I'm really kind of at an ethical crossroads I guess - he's a nice guy and I can see the spot he's in financially is tough for him (hard to see from a poker player's POV, $600/mo? stop crying) but in real life this is a large sum of money to a college kid. On the other hand, I feel like he could have been more responsible in choosing an apartment that wouldn't cross paymentwise. Thanks for all the responses so far.