Money Manners: ‘How do I split the rent with my friend when I have an inferior room?’

Money Manners is Honey Money’s weekly column that deals with money etiquette matters that can be the cause of many an awkward encounter.

Submit your Money Manners questions to Jo Abi at jabi@nine.com.au

This week’s question comes via a 9honey reader who is about to move into a new home.

Dilemma: ‘How do I split the rent with my friend when I have an inferior room?’

I am moving out of home with my best friend and we have found a cute unit near a train station that we can just afford. She found the property so am happy for her to take the larger bedroom with an ensuite.

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I have a smaller room and an external bathroom only.

She seems to be expecting us to split the rent equally, but as my room is much smaller with no bathroom, I can’t help but feel this isn’t fair. But also I’ve never lived out of home before so I am not sure of the rules.

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Should I pay the same rent even though the room I am getting is clearly inferior?

Advice: Start with a simple question

This is your best friend so I am assuming you have good communication, or have done in the past.

If not, this is a great opportunity to improve it and you want amazing communication if you are going to be living together.

Start with a question the very next time you meet up. Ask her: How are we going to split the rent seeing as my room is a bit smaller?

Then, go from there.

The conversation could go a few ways. She may immediately have an idea in mind, having considered the issue, and that makes it very easy for you. Or, she may not have thought of it at all.

The worst case scenario is that she assumed you would split the rent 50/50, not considering the issue, and this can get tricky, but it is important to set things up fairly so you are both happy with the situation going forward.

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There may be another space in the residence you can use in addition to your smaller bedroom to make up for it being smaller. Problem solved. Or she may be happy for you to pay a little less than her.

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Perhaps you can divvy up the household chores to make up for the bedroom short fall, or she may offer to pick up another small expense on behalf of you both.

Either way, you can land on a solution you are both happy with and going forward, this could be exactly how you tackle issues like this.

Enjoy settling into your new home.

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

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