I (22M) live with a roommate (23M) and we split rent and utilities 50/50 The problem is he’s constantly leaving lights on in every room runs the AC at full blast even when he’s not home and takes 30+ minute showers
Our electricity bill has been insane the past few months and when I brought it up he just shrgged and said that’s what utilities cost I started keeping track and he’s definitely the one driving up the costs
Last month the bill was almost double what it normally is I told him I’m only paying my fair share based on my usage and he needs to cover the extra he’s wasting He got pissed and said we agreed to split everything 50/50 and I can’t just change that now
I told him the agreement was fair when we were both being reasonable but I’m not subsidizing his wastefulness He called me cheap and said if I can’t afford utilities I shouldn’t have moved in
Now it’s awkward as hell and some mutual friends are saying I’m being petty over a utility bill. But I don’t think it’s fair that I’m paying for his carelessness
AITA?
Go get your utility bill. Look at how much of the cost is usage and how much is fees and taxes.
You can argue about the usage cost if you’re a huge asshole 🤷♂️
YTA
Dad? Is that you?
YTA here. How do you even track your usage? There is no way this is going to be a situation you’ll be able to reconcile with any certainty. You can talk about economical use of utilities, but there’s no way to track individual usage.
INFO…how exactly do you plan on calculating what your fair share is?
And OP how do you know that your usage hasn’t increased?
Or that utility rates have not increased?
Are you in the US? It was really really cold for a good portion of last month. Everyone’s utility bills are going to be higher. Ours are at their highest mid winter and mid summer. The only thing you listed that will affect it to any major degree is running AC/heat even when you aren’t home. Leaving lights on is making literally pennies of a difference. You’re going to have to work out some kind of agreement, but blaming it all on your roommate is nuts when it’s 90% the weather making your system work harder.
YTA
If they’re running the AC do you really think they live in the northern US right now?
NTA for being frustrated but YTA to yourself if you think this is enforceable. You can’t actually track individual usage without getting weird and obsessive.
Time to have a ‘change your habits or I’m out’ conversation, not a ‘let me calculate your shower costs’ one.
Hey so AC units should be left on when you’re not home to prevent more costly repairs.
YTA you don’t get to go back on an agreement when you can’t even reliably calculate how much he’s using. A conversation needs to be had about him changing his habits and if you’re even compatible as roommates at this point.
YTA only because you ‘think’ you know how much extra his habits are costing, but you don’t know. Unless and until you can find a way to calculate that, then there’s nothing you can do really…
You could see if he’d be game to try for one month, shortening showers, watching the AC, etc (lights are bullshit and don’t really contribute espeially in an apartment and everything is likely LED) and seeing if it makes a difference. Then you’ll both have a little more knowledge about how much or how little effort it takes to affect your utility bills.
YTA
How the hell would you even calculate that??
How are you going to prove that the electric usage was him and not you?
Does your AC not have a thermostat where it turns off at a specific temperature? Doesn’t the AC still stay on typically even when not home, just at a designated degree?
I’m gonna go on a limb here, but a 30 min shower isn’t out of the question. Maybe he likes to get clean. Maybe he’s yanking it because he doesn’t want to do it in the room if you could hear him. Maybe he has a skincare routine. I take long showers.
You’re not wrong for being upset, but YTA to “only pay your share!!” When you can’t prove that and bills fluctuate depending on the weather and time of year.
If you don’t like it, don’t renew the lease and live with him again.
If the utilities are suddenly insane its more likely you have a leak or someone is siphoning electricity.