Bills

bush · 05-09-2008, 08:24 AM

Need a little help.

So I have an extra bedroom that I'll be renting out starting in July. The tenant is the son of a friend who will be starting college locally in the fall. The agreement is 1/2 of the rent, 1/2 of all utilities.

I told the kid's mother that all checks for his share of the utilities can be made out to me, since they're all in my name anyway, and have been for over 2 years now. She wants him to write the checks for his share to the utility companies, which poses a problem because I usually pay my bills online.

The way I figure it, the bills are in my name, so ultimately any delinquency on his behalf is going to be reflected on my credit report. It only seems fitting that I be the one responsible for making any payments that are in my name.

I'm not worried about not getting paid for his half, because I can have him evicted if he doesn't, and I have the cash to cover it. That has happened with a previous roommate, and I have no reservations about doing it again. My main concern would be not having control over something in my name.

I also want to add that I offered this room to her son because she needed it, not because I did. I can back out of this at any time, but I like the idea of having an extra $400 a month.

Thoughts?

R1oldguy · 05-09-2008, 08:31 AM

you did see those episodes of Friends that Chandler took on a roomate when Joey moved out right??

Ive had good and bad experiences.
But, if the utilities are in your name, I would stick to your guns on the payment.
Why should it matter to her anyway. Paying the utilities in his name may help him establish credit. That's the only reason I can see them wanting to do that

gtramontelli · 05-09-2008, 08:36 AM

If I'm understanding this, your main concern is that you have the utility checks written out to you rather than to the utility company? Would she be satisfied if you compromised, having the checks written out to you, but with "for electric bill" in the memo and with a receipt indicating that the payment goes toward the utility? That way, the check is in your name, but her ass is also covered in the event you try to pull some sneaky shit?

bush · 05-09-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R1oldguy

you did see those episodes of Friends that Chandler took on a roomate when Joey moved out right??

Ive had good and bad experiences.
But, if the utilities are in your name, I would stick to your guns on the payment.
Why should it matter to her anyway. Paying the utilities in his name may help him establish credit. That's the only reason I can see them wanting to do that

I've had plenty of good and bad experiences as well. Like I said, I had to have a previous roommate evicted for not paying his share of the bills. But he was smoking in the house and being generally disrespectful, so that also played into it. I know the landlord well enough that he trusts me overseeing the property - he only comes around two or three times a year, and that's only if I want to speak to him in person.

She does want to do it to establish credit. But the bills are in my name, so I don't know how that would help him. Writing checks doesn't do much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtramontelli

If I'm understanding this, your main concern is that you have the utility checks written out to you rather than to the utility company? Would she be satisfied if you compromised, having the checks written out to you, but with "for electric bill" in the memo and with a receipt indicating that the payment goes toward the utility? That way, the check is in your name, but her ass is also covered in the event you try to pull some sneaky shit?

Yes, that's what I want to suggest to her. I'd even go as far as to give him copies of the bills so he has a record.

gatorSMASH · 05-09-2008, 09:31 AM

400 a month? holy crap!

lemme get in on that!

EEfz6 · 05-09-2008, 10:04 AM

When I had roommates in college, we were all on the lease, so we all paid 1/3 of the rent to the leasing office. All the other bills were in my name. I paid them, and left a note in my other roommates rooms with the amount they owed me. If they wanted to verify the amounts, I would have showed them the bills. But we all trusted each other, so that was never an issue. One of them keep me paid every month. The other might go a couple of months without paying, but he did always pay (money was a bit tighter for him, so it was ok). I would just keep a running tally of his amount on the note I left in his room.

Moral of the story - MY name on the bills = they get paid MY way, i.e. I pay the bills and you give me money for your part.

Scissors · 05-09-2008, 10:06 AM

If he's late on a payment, shoot that bitch in the face.

That's my advice.

makerm · 05-09-2008, 10:20 AM

I'm going to assume that you have permission from your landlord to sublet the room.
I agree with you, your utility bill, your credit...the check should be made out to you and not the utility company. Utilities play a very small part in someone's overall credit profile anyway, and it's doubtful that any credit (good or bad) will be reported under his ssn if he has not filled out an application and opened an account with the utility company.

bassholic · 05-09-2008, 10:33 AM

There is no problem. The bills are in your name so you should pay the amount and have him reimburse you. If you wanted to be nice you could tell them you would take it out of your name and place it in his name and make it work. That would be a hassle, but possible.

Anyhow this thread is stupid b/c there is only one thing for you to do....if you get shafted somehow i'd like to hear about that

obxFZ6 · 05-09-2008, 01:14 PM

Mommy writes his checks?

bush · 05-09-2008, 01:19 PM

Kid's only 18, pretty sheltered.

But I used to drink with his mom, so meh. We'll loosen him up.

cbrenthus · 05-09-2008, 01:58 PM

Rather than charging him 1/2 the utilities, I would just charge him a monthly rate with everything included. That would make it much easier. However, one drawback to that method is he may not be as aware of his utility usage as he would if it affected his budget.

bush · 05-09-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbrenthus

Rather than charging him 1/2 the utilities, I would just charge him a monthly rate with everything included. That would make it much easier. However, one drawback to that method is he may not be as aware of his utility usage as he would if it affected his budget.

Yes, this becomes an issue during the winter when the price of natural gas means a cold house.

I keep it at 60 and still end up paying $200+ a month. I can only imagine getting stiffed for that extra $100 every month because he wants to keep his nips toasty.

lostsurfer4536 · 05-09-2008, 02:40 PM

i would just keep it under your name. who knows how long he will actually be there. unless hes is signing a lease

PacoPepe · 05-09-2008, 02:42 PM

Utility bills won't really help him establish credit anyways. They (util companies) will ding your credit if you fall behind a couple of months though. If the agreement is he pays 1/2 of all utilities, then he must pay you directly. If mommy wants him to build credit tell him to get a credit card and play the buy something, carry it for two months, pay it off game for a while. There was a pretty good thread about that one a while back.