MetaChat - So, my cheap rent is about to get cheaper...

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05 October 2007

So, my cheap rent is about to get cheaper... but I have a question for you...→[More:]First, some background. 6 years ago, my friend and I found a large empty space and, out of our own pockets, built walls in it, making up the 4 bedroom place we've been living in since. The other two rooms were fairly priced but the rent was intentionally higher than ours. This was a big reason we went through with this "investment".

Now, my friend is moving out and consequently my rent will be even cheaper soon. Really cheap (but unfortunately only until we find a place to buy and move out, which is in the works). One of my other roommates is asking me what will happen with his rent and whether it will go down now that my friend is moving out. I have no plans on lowering the rent, but I ask you, civilized folks of Metachat, how can I break this to him in a civilized manner?

post by: Hellbient at: 15:24 | 18 comments

Wait, someone's moving out of a four-share and your rent is going down? I don't understand. Wouldn't splitting the total amount three ways instead of four make it a bit more expensive for everyone?

I must be missing something.

posted by Hugh Janus 05 October | 15:33

I'm confused, too, hellbient. How does that work?

posted by BoringPostcards 05 October | 15:35

Damn, sorry. Okay, me and my partner/friend (the guy who I split all the $ for the supplies with, built the walls with, share a lease with) is moving out. His rent was cheap like mine, so whoever fills his room is going to pay a normal/higher rent, which will make my rent cheaper. The rent for the other two roommates will stay the same.

Does that help?

posted by Hellbient 05 October | 15:43

Oh yeah, now I get it. That makes sense.

The other two roommates don't deserve a cut in rent because the walls aren't out-of-pocket for them. You could tell 'em you're still recouping your expenditures on their doors, or just tell 'em that their rent won't be going down or up, no reason supplied. Being civilized is one thing, but when it comes to money (especially rent, a monthly expense that annualizes to quite a chunk) either you're chiseling them, or they're chiseling you. They have no reason to expect a reduction, so you don't need to supply one.

posted by Hugh Janus 05 October | 15:52

Does the friend who asked about the reduction know that you were paying less initially. Then maybe frame it in terms of "I put all this extra money into building these rooms," when you explain his won't go down.

posted by drezdn 05 October | 15:55

Yeah, he knows we've been paying less. I think he's just kind of giving it a shot and hoping maybe I'll throw him a bone. I was just kinda looking to see if there was something else there besides "move out if you don't like it", which was my first thought.

FWIW, we paid off our costs long ago.

posted by Hellbient 05 October | 16:10

Nope, his rent will stay the same. And if he doesn't like it, he can moooooove on out. But I'm guessing he already gets a pretty great deal, and he'll stick with it.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 05 October | 16:42

yeah, he'd be stupid to leave, cuz he'll probably end up getting all 3,600 sq. ft. of the place, including a music studio. Now you tell me he ain't gonna jack up the rent a bit.

posted by Hellbient 05 October | 16:45

Do you own this place, or do you rent it and then sublet it out to the others?

posted by mullacc 05 October | 17:06

I rent it and share it, but I'm on the lease.

posted by Hellbient 05 October | 17:44

And the others guy must not be on your lease, right?

If I were in your shoes and wanted to be super nice, I'd tell them "sorry, but it doesn't make sense for me to lower your rent. If you can find an acceptable replacement, I'll let you out of your sublease." But I don't think you're under any obligation to do that.

posted by mullacc 05 October | 18:00

yeah, I'm totally not going to lower the rent, at all. I was just looking for a decent-ish way to put it, because I wanna just say "suck it".
Paging Miko...

Oh yeah, the other guys aren't on the lease.

posted by Hellbient 05 October | 18:27

The standard "I'm sorry, that won't be possible" would probably be the best way to go.

posted by occhiblu 05 October | 19:13

Ahhh... my rent just got raised $180. So I guess everything evens out in the universe.

First paragraph of my landlord's letter was like a glowing job reference or something going on about how wonderful I am and how much I'm treasured as a tenant and I make the place so wonderful and friendly. Then it basically launched into that they love me so much they're gonna start demanding more of my money. Sigh.

posted by miss lynnster 05 October | 23:39

that's exactly what I didn't want to get into miss lynnster, so I went straight up matter of fact. No sorry, no "you're great, but..."
We'll see how it goes...

posted by Hellbient 06 October | 00:31

So... um... the other roommate expects to get kickback from the new person who will be paying more? I don't even understand this at all. Like if my upstairs neighbor moved out, and my landlady rented it at a higher rate, I would be all like, "hey, since you're making more money off that apartment, you should totally lower my rent, 'kay?"

Just tell him that the price of the other room has no bearing on the price of his room. What a doofus.

posted by taz 06 October | 01:05

Yeah right, just because we live in the same building doesn't make this a freakin' commune.
It's especially annoying as he just moved back in this month after I let him sublet his room out for the summer when I could easily have sent him packing.

posted by Hellbient 06 October | 09:05

First paragraph of my landlord's letter was like a glowing job reference or something going on about how wonderful I am and how much I'm treasured as a tenant and I make the place so wonderful and friendly. Then it basically launched into that they love me so much they're gonna start demanding more of my money. Sigh.

Trust me, we WANT to break it to ya gently. But expenses DO have a way of going up.

posted by dhartung 06 October | 14:28

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