Apartment Rent Percentage Problem (Houston: apartment complex, student loans, house) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

AerialWakeboarding · 12-14-2012, 02:24 PM

Hey Everybody,

I've run into an interesting issue and wanted to kind of ask arround and see what kind of opinions people have on the issue. So a little background before I get to the question. I'm a mid 20's male moving to Houston for graduate school. I have two friends from my undergraduate univerity that live there, (I will be moving in from out of state) and we decided to live together to cut housing costs. One works full time, the other works full time and is also a student. I will be the only one with no income living solely off savings and student loans my first year of school. I have made a few trips out there to help look for places to live from apartments to myself purchasing a home. We were unable to find a place we could all agree on as one of the two adamently argued against every place that we found. On the day I left from my last trip the same one sent me an apartment complex that they said they had found and really liked. It was a very nice complex that with the specials would fit within all of our budget ranges. I did some research on the complex, which seemed to be nice, talked to staff, looked on the website etc. So trusting their judgement I sent in my application on 3 bedroom 3 bath apartment. And here comes the issue I am having. I had asked for them to send me a copy of the floor plan of the apartment but the one they sent me was too small and too blurry to read. Both of my future roommates assured me the rooms were big, with an open floorplan. Well after I sent in my deposit and my application, the one informed me that the room I would be getting, (they move in before me and are the ones in town so I get the left over room) is really more of a study than a room. As such it is a significant size smaller, with one window that opens to the hallway of the complex instead of outside. It has its own room and can use the unattached bathroom for its own bath however so the complex considers it a 3rd bedroom as well. The other rooms are proportionately larger, as i said before, and have balconys, etc. So my question is do you think it is ok for me to ask to pay a smaller percentage of the rent because I am getting a smaller room? The full ammount wouldn't be too much for me to pay, but as the only one without income I would like to save as much money as I can. I also feel a little tricked into this deal as I didnt get to see the apartment or be there to pick a room. As a student I dont think I will spend much time there anyway, but just wondering what you would do in my situation. Thanks for the help. Sorry for the long post.

AW

crbcrbrgv · 12-14-2012, 03:49 PM

Never negotiage for a lower rent.

Always negotiate for paying less in utilities.

It's not their fault if you aren't there often, however you can argue "I don't use as much electric or water".

A place to stay itself should be divided equally.

houstonfan · 12-14-2012, 04:55 PM

IT won't be fun negotiating for less utilites...bc you'll end up nickel and diming each other to death. What if you take really long and hot showers or like the temperature warmer? What if all 3 of use significantly differen amounts.
WHat's the 'significant' difference in sqft you are talking about? If it's large, then maybe bring it up and see what they say. Or suggest you guys draw straws and see who gets the little room. Anyway, at the end of the day, its not worth losing friends over, and you're better off sharing an apt with 2 roomies you already know than to be on your own.

ToyYot · 12-14-2012, 05:00 PM

I lived in a house with 3 other guys, we paid a proportion based on size/amenities but agreed it before signing on. I'd float the idea and see what the reaction is, at the very least it might give you an indiction of how the rest of the tenancy will go.

I bet the varying degrees of what passes for cleanliness will be a bigger issue!

crbcrbrgv · 12-14-2012, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houstonfan

IT won't be fun negotiating for less utilites...bc you'll end up nickel and diming each other to death. What if you take really long and hot showers or like the temperature warmer? What if all 3 of use significantly differen amounts.
WHat's the 'significant' difference in sqft you are talking about? If it's large, then maybe bring it up and see what they say. Or suggest you guys draw straws and see who gets the little room. Anyway, at the end of the day, its not worth losing friends over, and you're better off sharing an apt with 2 roomies you already know than to be on your own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDFP

I lived in a house with 3 other guys, we paid a proportion based on size/amenities but agreed it before signing on. I'd float the idea and see what the reaction is, at the very least it might give you an indiction of how the rest of the tenancy will go.

I bet the varying degrees of what passes for cleanliness will be a bigger issue!

That's the main issue.

Do it before you sign anything.

Some will have my opinion, some will have Houstonfan's, and I bet it's pretty split, so.....

Willsson · 12-15-2012, 08:15 AM

Quote:

...but just wondering what you would do in my situation.

Sounds to me like they really don't care whether or not you're a part of their living arrangements. If it were me, I'd just find my own place where I could control my own expenses.

Beto · 12-18-2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tofurkey

Sounds to me like they really don't care whether or not you're a part of their living arrangements. If it were me, I'd just find my own place where I could control my own expenses.

I would look into getting your own place.

chompy · 12-18-2012, 10:19 AM

From experience, I have seen that it's fairly common to allocate rent based on room/bathroom/closet sqft, whether or not you have a private bathroom/balcony/whatever, and other various amenities. I absolutely believe if the room is truly that much smaller then you should have to pay less rent. I have really always seen it done this way between roommates throughout school and such.

testmo · 12-18-2012, 08:54 PM

never went that technical with it myself and never had any roommates try to negotiate on utilities or rent due to sqft issues. is having the smaller of the 3 bedrooms or no balcony to you that big of an issue? would the $10 difference make or break you? i cannot imagine them giving you a significant cut because you have the small bedroom.

as you won't be working full-time maybe negotiate a cut from utilities if you contribute to the household by doing X chores (where X is specific and you explain how often you do it per week). if they hem and haw about it bring up the bedroom issue and moving in after all of them do. i would understand that as a roomie and wouldn't have a problem with it. let them know your financial situation and trying to make/save money as much as you can

i had 2 - 3 roommates through most of my time in college and some had tiny back bedrooms with shared bath on the other side of the house. only time we re-negotiated cost was when one had a leach gf spend 75% of her time there and mooch our wireless

oceangaia · 12-19-2012, 01:33 AM

Are these really good friends you don't want to lose or just some guys you used to know from school? Sounds like they duped you and took advantage. If this is an indication of things to come, might be best to lose the deposit and back out of the deal if they aren't keen on modifying the rent split. Why does them moving in first automatically entitle them to the bigger rooms?