If I had roommates that left for a few months I would expect them to pay the rent still and maybe the internet but thats it. Electricity and water usage that are billed by usage should not be their problem because they are not there to use it. Most places do a flat water/garbage fee and its rolled into the rent so thats part of rent that they should split, but I would never ask someone to pay for part of electricity that I am using and they are not.
Interesting. I hope they don't leave anything plugged in while away, because that's eating up electricity and you're kind enough to pick up the tab. Also, of my $70 electric bill, $25 is various fees, charges, taxes, and bullshit. Of my $20 gas bill, less than $6 is actual usage.
Sounds like my roommate's vacation is royally fucking me over. Maybe we should all leave at once. My bills would still be about $50, but hell, no one owes that money since we weren't there using it. I'm sure the utility companies will agree.
I get that their perspective is "I'm not here, I shouldn't have to pay" but a large portion of those utility bills are amassed by common areas. Things like keeping the house cool or warm, running the fridge and hot water heater, etc. Keeping the water hot when everyone wants to shower costs money. It isn't just the cost of the specific hot water I used or you used. Now, because you have roommates you have bigger areas to cool than you would if you lives alone, and you have a larger fridge to cool, and a larger hot water tank to keep hot. You sign up for roommates because you don't want to pay for all of that stuff on your own. That's the expectation. Them choosing to leave is great for them, but suddenly you're saddled with higher utility bills than you'd have living alone in a smaller place, and that's not fair either.
I'm guessing the living agreement said they owe a portion of the utilities. If so, they are obligated. End of discussion. Now, if they want to violate that agreement just go ahead and have new roommates living there when they come back. Bonus for them since they also won't owe any rent while they're away.
And when is a person gone "enough" to start getting to skip out on utilities. If I spend 3 nights a week away on business, should I get to deduct 40% of my portion of the utilities? What if I'm only gone 1 day a week? That's still 15% I should be saving, right? Or does it only count when you go on long vacations? What if I work longer hours than the other roommates? I mean, I put in 80 hours a week at the office and the other guy only 20. That's 45% of EVERY month that I'm not even in the house and he's only at work 11% of the month. He's clearly consuming more of the utilities than I am. Why should we pay the same?
