Need advice - housemates owe me money.

SideWinder · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:03

Well, they do but not yet.

It is a 6 bedroom property (4 really but the landlord wanted more money obviously) and currently there are 4 guys and 2 girls. The girls spend around 3 days a week at the house so its basically a 4 bedroom place, just the guys. Anyways, i am in charge of the Sky TV/internet and also the BT line rental. Every month, everyone pays me £6.50 and all is good. However, now the year is basically over, i get the feeling the girls won't be hanging around much. One girl has openly said she hates it in the house and hates living with us, fair enough. The other travels to her boyfriends all the time.

So, i am still going to insist they pay the £6.50 a month even if they barely come to the house right up until the end of the contract in August. It seems only fair as they can always pop round when they want, its still in my name and it is after all, their house until August. They will both be paying rent, whether they turn up or not.

Obviously they are going to argue saying they won't be here but that isn't fair on some of us, like myself who intend to be around during the summer.

Opinions? Should i just cut it in half so they pay £3.25 per month instead? Or should they pay the full amount? It is my money after all, my bank account and they can always use the house as a 'second base'. The one who hates us all lives 30mins away and the other lives just over an hour away.

I haven't spoken to the guys about it yet but i'm pretty sure they're fine with it and have no issues.

MikeHunt79 · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:05

Hmm, I'd ask for £6.50, looking at it from their point of view they're not getting much for their money but then again £6.50 won't break the bank.

gumbald · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:07

So it's about £40 in total? 3 months? How likely are they not to care for £20 each?

sniffy · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:07

Tough one mate. I guess if they aren't going to using them then it's a little unreasonable to ask them to pay up. If they pop round and want to use sky/the net then you're within your right to ask them to pay IMO.

SideWinder · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:08

Thing is though, its £6.50 x the number of months...so at the moment, they MAY pay April (At a guess) but it could be 5 months in total, the maximum. No idea when they are returning. They only have exams now...as i said before, one is cool and may come round a bit but the other certainly won't. She got her Dad to try and get her out of the contract.

gumbald: The principle at a guess. "I won't be here so why should i pay for you to sit on your backside watching TV and playing games?" <- A guess at what one might say.

AtlanticP · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:09

OR

Make them pay the full amount. After all if they had half speed BB or half the sky channels they would soon kick up. As long as they have agreed to this then I don't see how they can get out of paying buddy.

Gilly · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:09

Was the agreement that they'd all pay you the money until the expiry of the contract?

Hatter The Mad · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:09

This is why when I handle bills, I say I will only do it if you give me a cheque for a year's worth of your share.

CaptainComedy · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:10

Dude if they dont want the service they dont pay and dont use it. if they do want the service - they pay. its as simple as that. You cant force someone to pay tv/broadband if they dont want/use it. they signed a contract with a landlord which is why they pay the rent regardless of being there or not. they didnt sign one with you so you cant try and mug them off just because you dont want to pay an extra 6.50

Glaucus · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:10

Ask for the full amount and ask it from everyone and soon. Don't leave it untill people start disappearing. you'll never see the money.

It's a 12month contract and as you can't cancel early, they should be paying till the end regardless.

however if they don't pay and there's no agreement, your a bit stuffed.

Morba · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:10

they agreed to pay for it for the length of the contract, so they pay for it till the end of the contract.

thought tbh, you arent going to get anywhere should they not pay you!

likwid · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:11

If they're not going to use the services then it's really not fair to charge them. If they are likely to use them the odd time then negotiate a reduced rate.

In court you wouldn't have a leg to stand on, not that it will come to that. They could as easily ask to disconnect the services if you insist they pay.

SideWinder · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:11

Gilly said:
Was the agreement that they'd all pay you the money until the expiry of the contract?

No agreement, it was very casual and i regret not following Hatter's advice. I will be in the same house next year so i think i'll tell everyone to pay me in one big go.

Hatter The Mad said:
This is why when I handle bills, I say I will only do it if you give me a cheque for a year's worth of your share.

Will do this for next year so it won't get so messy.

codec said:
Dude if they dont want the service they dont pay and dont use it. if they do want the service - they pay. its as simple as that. You cant force someone to pay tv/broadband if they dont want/use it. they signed a contract with a landlord which is why they pay the rent regardless of being there or not. they didnt sign one with you so you cant try and mug them off just because you dont want to pay an extra 6.50

Mmm, point taken.

Glaucus · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:12

likwid said:
If they're not going to use the services then it's really not fair to charge them. If they are likely to use them the odd time then negotiate a reduced rate.

In court you wouldn't have a leg to stand on, not that it will come to that. They could as easily ask to disconnect the services if you insist they pay.

12 month contract therefore what you saying doesn't apply, other than you wont get far in court.

Glaucus · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:13

SideWinder said:
No agreement, it was very casual and i regret not following Hatter's advice. I will be in the same house next year so i think i'll tell everyone to pay me in one big go.

At teh minimum get a signed contract of everyone saying full 12months payment regardless of everything. At least then you can do small claims court and win easily.

dowie · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:14

If they aren't living there then why should they pay for bills - obviously if they were coming back after the summer then fixed cost stuff would need to be taken care of but if they've basically left then I don't think they should.

Imagine all six of you left, you carried on paying the rent till the end of the contract but lived at home for the summer or whatever period - you'd cancel the sky contract presumably?

Morba · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:14

likwid said:
If they're not going to use the services then it's really not fair to charge them.
.

Eh?

I am in the place i rent while away maybe 2 or 3 nights a week, i still pay the full monthly rent though. why shouldnt i?

Glaucus · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:15

dowie said:
you'd cancel the sky contract presumably?

You can't it's a 12month contract.

likwid · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:15

AcidHell2 said:
12 month contract therefore what you saying doesn't apply, other than you wont get far in court.

I don't see mention of the contract.

Morba · 16 Apr 2009 at 19:15

dowie said:
If they aren't living there then why should they pay for bills - obviously if they were coming back after the summer then fixed cost stuff would need to be taken care of but if they've basically left then I don't think they should.

Imagine all six of you left, you carried on paying the rent till the end of the contract but lived at home for the summer or whatever period - you'd cancel the sky contract presumably?

its a year contract, you cant cancel it without paying your way out.
you sign a contract to pay the bills for a set period of time for £xxx a month, so, you pay that money every month regardless of usage!