Cost to Rent a Room in Kensington?
We own a house in Kensington. One of our friends needed a short-term place to stay and it seemed to work out so we told him that he could stay. We didn't plan on having a housemate and had no idea how much to charge in rent so we asked for a fairly minimal amount and for help around the house. Now we're starting to feel a little taken advantage of. He's a really great housemate. He's quiet, clean, and really nonobtrusive. He helps around the house some but not as much as we had in mind when we made the original arrangment. He pays a small flat amount each month and doesn't contribute to utilities, cable, cleaning, etc.
While we're fine having him live with us, we would also be fine if he didn't. We'd be happy to have that room back for our own use. We'd miss him but it would be okay. I'm starting to resent his presence as he's paying less than 1/10 of the monthly cost of the mortgage and monthly expenses. When we asked him to pitch in for utilities he didn't want to pay the percentage that we wanted and started arguing about how much more electricity that we use than he does (he's correct). But after paying below-market rent and no utilities for more than a year, I'm really upset that he wouldn't just do the right thing and pay what we asked. I'm annoyed about the pushback when we've been overly generous and accommodating for a long time.
How much would do you think is fair to pay to rent a room in a nice house in Kensington with a shared bathroom and offstreet parking? I'd like a reality check before I decide what to do next. The current arrangement isn't working for me and I'm starting to be resentful towards him. He has a good job and definitely has the ability to pay more than he currently is.
Thanks for your feedback.
Parent Replies
I feel your pain, Mama_Bear. I'd check going rates on a site like Airbnb or apartments.com to figure out what a fair market price is, e.g., furnished/unfurnished, etc.
But it does sound like it's time to tell your friend to move on. It sounds like you may not have a formal rental agreement with him that states terms. So I'd suggest presenting him with an agreement, "getting things down on paper," which is a grown-up thing to do. Include the price that you think is fair, including a fair portion of utilities and household items that he may not be contributing to regularly, like toilet paper, butter, etc. If he doesn't like the terms, let him know it's time for him to find a new place, because you're taking the space back for your family to use.
You should let him know formally, i.e., in writing that he needs to move out within a certain time frame, as recommended by local landlord-tenant laws, because that's what the situation is when he's stayed in your home past one month.
You have a wonderful spirit towards the situation, but it's hard to live with that kind of mild-but-growing resentment in your life, let alone your home and family den. He's sapping positive energy away from your family by not being a full contributor. It's time for him to grow up or launch/kick rocks.