<p>Hi everyone! This forum seems to have a lot of knowledgeable people so I wanted to get some feedback if I could regarding my DD’s situation.</p>
<p>DD leased a bedroom in a 2-bedroom college town apartment - her roommate is a friend who leased the other bedroom. My DD was able to sublease her bedroom for the summer saving us lots of $$$$ !</p>
<p>DD’s friend/roommate was not able to sublease her bedroom. Both girls have their own individual leases.</p>
<p>DD’s friend/roommate called DD saying her parents feel we should pay half of friend/roommate’s rent for the summer because she could not sublease (my DD submitted paperwork to sublease very early in the rental period whereas her roommate did not).</p>
<p>DD said we don’t owe anything - friend/roommate said that her parents feel if the situation was reversed, they would pay half.</p>
<p>We do not have the extra $$$ to pay nor do I feel we have any obligation to do so. Also, I’m not sure her parents are involved - I texted this friend/roommate asking her mom to call me - nothing. </p>
<p>Soooo…what would you do? Call the parents to discuss this? Leave it alone? Unfortunately they are roommates again for the next year so I don’t want to create any tension but I’m dying to know if the parents really feel this way or if she was just wanting to see if my DD would pay her the $$$. </p>
<p>Sorry it’s so long and thank you for any advice/opinions/feedback!</p>
<p>I can’t see how your d is legally or ethically obligated to pay half her roommate’s rent. If they had submitted their paperwork at the same time and only one person wanted to sublet, it might be a gesture of friendship to offer to share the cost, but your d should not be penalized for being more on the ball. </p>
<p>Is there now no way the roommate can find someone to sublet?</p>
<p>This is such BS. I highly doubt the other parents would pay half if the situation were reversed. They’d have to pay all their D’s costs if BOTH girls hadn’t subletted, so they should have been prepared.</p>
<p>So the rationale is your daughter should pay because her roommate did not find a renter? I’m not following this logic at all, but maybe someone can explain it further.</p>
<p>Perhaps the next step could be that your daughter tell her roommate that you don’t understand and are not prepared to pay, but would be willing to speak with her parents about it.</p>
<p>Is it a situation in which each resident of the building negotiates her own lease and then are placed into apartments, sort of like the way college dorms are run? Perhaps you are able to select your roommate, but you don’t neccessarily go in as a couple (I mean a joint unit, not a romantic couple)? In that case, I’d say each to his own. Your daughter is only responsible for her portion. HOWEVER, if they went into the rental as a couple, it is share and share alike. What benefits one, benefits the other and vice versa.</p>
<p>My daughter has a similar situation where she is renting a room in a house with four other girls. She went into the deal with the understanding that she would pay one quarter of everything. Now it turns out that they may not be able to rent the fourth room. I made it clear to the dad of the girl holding the lease that my daughter was paying 1/4th no matter what; before we signed the sublet. He agreed. It is good to get these things clear from the beginning.</p>
<p>I am assuming that both sets of renters paid 1/2 of the rent. Just because YOUR half is now coming from someone else does not mean that you should pony up another 1/4 of the rent…meaning YOUR portion of the summer would equal 3/4 of the rent…I think I did the math right. </p>
<p>I am an overly generous/fair person and I do not see why you should pay. Nor would I ask you too. Perhaps their daughter should work and reimburse them because she did not do what she was supposed to do. Gotta make kids acountable.</p>
<p>I think Shellz says it perfectly–your D’s obligation was to provide half the rent and she did that through a sublessee. If her roomie did not, she is on the hook. That being said, because of the roommate situation next year, I would be very diplomatic.</p>
<p>But the roommate is not talking about legalities. She’s talking about friendship and what she would do if the shoe was on the other foot. I can see a scenario where together the girls had advertised the sublet together and previously agreed to split any liabilities if no tenants or only one tenant could be found. In a case like this where it was presumably each woman for herself when it came to finding a summer tenant, and especially with separate leases, and no previous understanding between them, it’s a completely different story. </p>
<p>BTW, there is a terrific resource called <a href=“http://www.splitwise.org%5B/url%5D”>www.splitwise.org</a>. It has a calculator that allows roommates to figure out fair splits in all kind of complicated housing situations, taking size of bedroom, common space and many other factors into account. It also features a section that addresses questions like this one.</p>
<p>You don’t know what the roommate told her parents. In my view, your daughter does not owe the roommate anything. I wouldn’t talke to the parents either. This is between those 2 roommates, but I would tell your daughter not to get bullied into paying. Those 2 girls have their own separate lease, one is not responsible for the other.</p>
<p>I have been taken to task for being too much of a pushover here-I think there is still someone out there who is planning to send me the bill for his new roof --and even <em>I</em> see no reason for you to cough up more $$. If both girls were on one lease, and they were only able to find one renter for the summer, then definitely woth should split covering the other half. But if they have separate leases and your D went out and found a renter and the other girl waited until it was too late…well, her parents should be taking it up with HER, not trying to get you to pay for it. But from the sounds of it they probably aren’t even involved. Maybe their D is afraid to tell them that she is, through procrastination, on the hook for half the rent.</p>
<p>What is their logic behind you paying 1/2 of their DD’s rent. I am totally lost on why anyone would even think of asking for something like that. Just tell them your DD IS paying her 1/2 of the rent by being responsible and subletting early…</p>
<p>I would calmly explain that each girl is reponsible for half the rent and how she provides it is up to her. Add on that you’re simply not going to pay 3/4 of the rent. Stick with the logic, even if the otherside gets emotional (ie “if we were in this position, we’d pay half.”)</p>
<p>Agree with all (most of) above. Do not pay. </p>
<p>Have been there done that. D2 lived with friends. She went abroad for a semester, others did as well. Summer rent had to be covered. So did utilities for every month. Each occupant was responsible for his or her own costs. Some were able to sublet, some not. </p>
<p>No matter, each occupant was responsible for his or her share of the lease and bills regardless if they were living there. Landlords made each student sign a lease to avoid this, and numerous other problems that arise with these living conditions</p>
<p>This clearly should have been agreed upon before signing the lease. Did they sign individual leases? Then no question, do not pay. If your child is the only signer, you may have a problem</p>
<p>Rooming together in the fall might be a uncomfortable situation,if this isn’t amicably settled asap…And i am not suggesting you fork over 1 dollar more then your 1/2 of costs</p>
<p>I wouldn’t pay. And I like costblogs idea of suggesting her parents contact you directly if they want to talk about it. That way, you can deal with the situation and things might be better between the girls in the fall. Be prepared with oldfort’s response (if we were in this position we wouldn’t ask you to pay).</p>
<p>Perhaps the girls parents are disappointed that she didn’t get the sublease done, so she’s trying to shift responsibility. I can’t see why you would be responsible for 3/4 of the rent.</p>
--and even <em>I</em> see no reason for you to cough up more $$. If both girls were on one lease, and they were only able to find one renter for the summer, then definitely woth should split covering the other half. But if they have separate leases and your D went out and found a renter and the other girl waited until it was too late…well, her parents should be taking it up with HER, not trying to get you to pay for it. But from the sounds of it they probably aren’t even involved. Maybe their D is afraid to tell them that she is, through procrastination, on the hook for half the rent.</p>