Maybe your looking at your utility bill and wondering why its so high. Then you remember that your roommate is constantly running the air conditioning at an extremely high rate, or he leaves his lights on all day. And of course there are the energy sucking devices like laptops and other electronic equipment.
But at the end of the day, the utility company is not going to send you an itemized bill regarding your usage and that of your roommate. Many renters don’t feel as they should pay as much, especially if they are not home for a large portion of the day. So how can you approach your roommate about splitting the bills more evenly? Read on for some smart tips about sharing bills.
Its Important That You Do This
Before you do anything, make sure your utility bills are paid on time each month. This also includes your cable bills and phone. If you forget, you risk late fees and a possible interruption of your service. If you live with 2 roommates, you might want to designate someone who is responsible for paying all the bills each month. Or you might switch who will pay them on a monthly basis. Just make sure that everyone know their responsibilities each mont.
Splitting Utility Bills
If your splitting bills, the easiest method is simply divide the costs of all the bills by the number of roommates. This strategy is also the fastest. But if you have a roommate you wants the extra movie channels, or works from home and consumes far more power than you, more negotiation may be necessary.
Your best bet is to do this beforehand, as once the services are up and running, your roommate might not be welcome to paying more. You might say that if he wants the movie channels, he can pay for them.
Setting Up The Utilities
Usually you will set these up in one person’s name. One person may want to set up all the utilities. But remember, non-payment will affect that person’s credit too. But this is the most efficient method. You could even have that roommate search for the best provider and the best savings
But just remember, that making all the agreements before you set up anything is best. And its even better if you can put it in writing, just in case someone forgets their roles and responsibilities.
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