Housemate's girlfriend has moved in due to CV-19
Discussion
No, it's not like how it's going in your dirty mind right now!
Skip to the bottom for a summary.
Me and my housemate rent a 2-bed, 2-bath apartment. We each have our own bedroom and bathroom, equally use the kitchen/living room as often, so all rent/council tax/bills is split 50/50. Easy. We've been here around 18 months now.
He's been seeing this girl for just over a year, and they are serious, but both have their own respective contracts to see out (both late summer this year) so live separately. He usually stays over at hers 1 night a week, and she usually stays over here 3 or 4 nights a week. In the past few months, he's been telling me how she doesn't like her current living situation - her housemates are messy, and go out together without inviting her with them (probably because she's not home half the time).
So when this whole Coronavirus thing kicked off - can't remember the exact date it did but it was when the whole 'wash your hands often/work from home if you can/if you're showing symptoms, stay home for 7/14 days' was starting. She was over one Friday night (I think exactly a month tomorrow) and she said something along the lines of "I'm self isolating here for a while if that's alright, my housemates aren't washing their hands enough".
Not ideal but I thought it'd be for 7 or 14 days, then she'd go back. But she was still here when the lockdown officially started (and was probably rubbing her hands together at that so she had an excuse to not go home). She's been staying here (23 hours a day) ever since. She's quiet and clean enough, but is either shy or doesn't doesn't like me as she goes days without even talking to me or acknowledging my existence. The living dynamics have definitely changed for me.
I've been working from home since lockdown. Both her and my housemate are freelancers, and both haven't been working for 3 weeks and 2 weeks respectively, not solely due to coronavirus. They're seeing this a holiday whilst waiting for the government to hand them £3k a month on a plate (yeah, that hasn't happened). They don't seem to be making an effort to find more work. Anyway, in the month she's been here, she/they haven't stated what their intentions are and haven't offered to contribute towards any payments. I appreciate she'll still be paying her own rental/bill etc at her place whilst staying here, but that's not my problem I'm afraid.
My offer is to split bills and council tax 3 ways. Water is paid quarterly and we just paid that before she moved in, so I've kindly written that off. We had a lot of credit on our energy account so we only pay £10 a month, so I've kindly written that off also. So that leaves Council Tax (£137) and internet (£38) - Around about £60 between the three of us. A good deal for her in my opinion.
I don't see this lockdown being lifted and I don't see her leaving any time soon. I also don't see them acknowledging any of this. I've learnt that he's very much under her thumb and I'm expecting him to jump to her defence when I propose my offer. Me and my housemate get on well and I don't want any awkwardness for the remainder of our contract. I appreciate she has no income but I didn't sign up to live with 3 people.
Long story short:
Housemate's girlfriend stayed with us (what I assumed was temporary) due to unclean housemates. She's been here for a month and shows no sign of leaving or contributing towards payments.
How much should I charge her?
Skip to the bottom for a summary.
Me and my housemate rent a 2-bed, 2-bath apartment. We each have our own bedroom and bathroom, equally use the kitchen/living room as often, so all rent/council tax/bills is split 50/50. Easy. We've been here around 18 months now.
He's been seeing this girl for just over a year, and they are serious, but both have their own respective contracts to see out (both late summer this year) so live separately. He usually stays over at hers 1 night a week, and she usually stays over here 3 or 4 nights a week. In the past few months, he's been telling me how she doesn't like her current living situation - her housemates are messy, and go out together without inviting her with them (probably because she's not home half the time).
So when this whole Coronavirus thing kicked off - can't remember the exact date it did but it was when the whole 'wash your hands often/work from home if you can/if you're showing symptoms, stay home for 7/14 days' was starting. She was over one Friday night (I think exactly a month tomorrow) and she said something along the lines of "I'm self isolating here for a while if that's alright, my housemates aren't washing their hands enough".
Not ideal but I thought it'd be for 7 or 14 days, then she'd go back. But she was still here when the lockdown officially started (and was probably rubbing her hands together at that so she had an excuse to not go home). She's been staying here (23 hours a day) ever since. She's quiet and clean enough, but is either shy or doesn't doesn't like me as she goes days without even talking to me or acknowledging my existence. The living dynamics have definitely changed for me.
I've been working from home since lockdown. Both her and my housemate are freelancers, and both haven't been working for 3 weeks and 2 weeks respectively, not solely due to coronavirus. They're seeing this a holiday whilst waiting for the government to hand them £3k a month on a plate (yeah, that hasn't happened). They don't seem to be making an effort to find more work. Anyway, in the month she's been here, she/they haven't stated what their intentions are and haven't offered to contribute towards any payments. I appreciate she'll still be paying her own rental/bill etc at her place whilst staying here, but that's not my problem I'm afraid.
My offer is to split bills and council tax 3 ways. Water is paid quarterly and we just paid that before she moved in, so I've kindly written that off. We had a lot of credit on our energy account so we only pay £10 a month, so I've kindly written that off also. So that leaves Council Tax (£137) and internet (£38) - Around about £60 between the three of us. A good deal for her in my opinion.
I don't see this lockdown being lifted and I don't see her leaving any time soon. I also don't see them acknowledging any of this. I've learnt that he's very much under her thumb and I'm expecting him to jump to her defence when I propose my offer. Me and my housemate get on well and I don't want any awkwardness for the remainder of our contract. I appreciate she has no income but I didn't sign up to live with 3 people.
Long story short:
Housemate's girlfriend stayed with us (what I assumed was temporary) due to unclean housemates. She's been here for a month and shows no sign of leaving or contributing towards payments.
How much should I charge her?
Dont split it three ways, as her staying there makes no differences to the fixed costs. Council doesn't charge extra, the energy bills will not increase and the broadband usage will be negligible.
Suggest she contributes what they think is fair. However, the reality is if they cook, share a bedroom & over the summer.... The only tangible increase will be water. Nothing else will force you to incur additional costs.
Your annoyed as your space has been taken up by someone else & the status quo has changed....which is annoying & especially when trapped with them will inevitably grate on the you. All fair & understandable. However, you need to think long & hard if the current annoyance is more/less then the annoyance you will endure if things turn sour and they reject your offer & think you are being unreasonable.
Suggest she contributes what they think is fair. However, the reality is if they cook, share a bedroom & over the summer.... The only tangible increase will be water. Nothing else will force you to incur additional costs.
Your annoyed as your space has been taken up by someone else & the status quo has changed....which is annoying & especially when trapped with them will inevitably grate on the you. All fair & understandable. However, you need to think long & hard if the current annoyance is more/less then the annoyance you will endure if things turn sour and they reject your offer & think you are being unreasonable.
Edited by Andeh1 on Thursday 9th April 20:43
If there are additional costs due to her being there, and it's hard to see how they would be significant, then it might change, but fundamentally there are two of you that pay all the bills. That would, and probably should, continue as-is.
Unless there's a fundamental change you haven't told us about, there's been no change. Cut them some slack.
I bet your flat-share/the boyfriend is even less happy about it than you are!
Unless there's a fundamental change you haven't told us about, there's been no change. Cut them some slack.
I bet your flat-share/the boyfriend is even less happy about it than you are!
I think your proposal is reasonable and it should be them coming to you with such suggestions.
But, the fact that they’re not, the fact you’re having to be in the same apartment for such long hours for the foreseeable future, their lack of income (not your issue), all adds for an awkward/unreasonable response from him/them.
As it’s ‘only’ until later this year at the latest, if you can afford to ride it out financially until then, I’d probably do that, if only to maintain the current living environment (even if this her not acknowledging you
)
ETA: I started typing this immediately upon reading your OP. Then got interrupted. And now back to it. I sense things could have moved along during this time, if I know The Lounge as well as I think I do
But, the fact that they’re not, the fact you’re having to be in the same apartment for such long hours for the foreseeable future, their lack of income (not your issue), all adds for an awkward/unreasonable response from him/them.
As it’s ‘only’ until later this year at the latest, if you can afford to ride it out financially until then, I’d probably do that, if only to maintain the current living environment (even if this her not acknowledging you
)ETA: I started typing this immediately upon reading your OP. Then got interrupted. And now back to it. I sense things could have moved along during this time, if I know The Lounge as well as I think I do
the dirtier the better, oh it would be wonderful.. 
Ah, pic requests. Good old PH.
PS I say only until later this year, as I assume they will look to find somewhere together come the end of their respective tenancies. Probably the place you currently are in.
Then you move in with her housemates, irrespective of its squalid conditions.
Women. Are. Dirty.
As Monsieur Brent once quipped.
PS I say only until later this year, as I assume they will look to find somewhere together come the end of their respective tenancies. Probably the place you currently are in.
Then you move in with her housemates, irrespective of its squalid conditions.
Women. Are. Dirty.
As Monsieur Brent once quipped.
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