What should I do about my troubles with my roommate?

I'm a young woman (21) currently renting a 4 br/2 ba/2 livingroom house with my boyfriend and our 4yr old son. We also have 3 cats.

Rent is $1050, Electric is about $250-300, water is $60-75 and cable & high speed internet is $100.. Bills were getting to be too much... so 6 months ago we rented a room out to my boyfriends bestfriend from grade school. This is our first roommate experience. We asked for $200 a month. I thought it was temporary, when she got a job... it could be raised.

The first month she moved in, her boyfriend (ex now) lived here also (No extra cost). Since he moved out, she has not paid rent once. Nor has she had a job since she moved in. Her current boyfriend lives at our house on and off (probably 15 days out of every 30 days).

Her room is very nice... 1920s hardwood floors, big closet + private bathroom + she uses the 3rd bedroom (we use it as a office) a lot because she got a broken laptop about 3 months ago, all it need was a monitor... so course we allowed her to use one of ours & there is high speed internet. We have a washer and dryer... big backyard. She has all household necessities at her fingertips (minus TP & laundry wash). Also its a BIG house... we all get a lot of privacy. The CONS of living with us is the cats & child, I know. Her mother was a Vet Tech, so she has grown up with 3-8 cats.

I think she should pay 1/3 ($450 to 500) of the rent & bills... but neither my boyfriend or roommate think its fair. At this point, I'm rather over living with someone who takes help for granted, doesn't work... and won't tried to understand me. Am I wrong or being unfair?

Can you make that shorter...it's to much to read...

It sounds like youtr being pretty fair to me.

No, I agree with you. Hoever, your mistake was not signing a lease with this roommate. Therefore, you cannot hold her to paying rent since it was a verbal agreement. Maybe you can get your child to make it so miserable for her she'll move out!

She doesn't pay rent, she doesn't help with the bills, she uses your stuff, her boyfriend comes and goes as he pleases...and you think you're being unfair?

No. I think she should pay a third. You and your boyfriend shouldn't have to pay for everything when she's apparently just to lazy to work. Also, I would hope she would understand that you have a child to support.

I would start demanding that she pay her share. Or find someplace else to live.

She's mooching plain and simple. If she is an adult and not your kid she should be working and paying rent. I wonder why your boyfriend is so easy going on her? Does not sound good to me.

Rent needs to be split by how many live there. That includes any children or regular stay overs.
Houseing laws say rent has to be hired if a tenant has company for more than 7 days a month. Same should go for this roommate.
Tell hubby you refuse to work until this free for all chick starts paying her way, or until a decent roomamte can be found.

I agree with you. For her to go get her own place it would cost her much more than $450. Right now she is mooching off you and needs to pay up or get out. Unfair? You? No way. I would say you are being generous especially for letting her boyfriend stay there part time for nothing. Good luck!!

No you are not wrong with your thinking ...... but.....
If she is not paying rent as agreed then raising the rent on her will not get you the money. I hope you got a rental agreement before she moved in.
I would ask her to leave and get another roommate and put all the terms in writing.

Sounds fair to me. Make her pay or ask her to leave and don't feel bad about it.

tell her to pay more or get out of your house. $ 200 is not enough to pay for all she has and extra

You should have gotten a promissory note drawn up in the beginning on a set amount she would pay, 1/3 before her before moved in then he should have been paying you to live there also. They totally took advantage of you and your boyfriend should have been the man of the house and spoke up in your defense. Just because they're friends of his that doesn't pay the bills. You should let them know they have a certain time to pay your money. Unfortunately, you don't have a paper trail to take them to small claims court so, you and your boyfriend will have to be Judge and Jury. Sad situation!

1/3 of the rent is completely fair. there are three people in the house, she is one of them, so she should pay one third. if your boyfriend also thinks that is unfair, i'd be a little suspicious of the two of them... come home early from work or something when the both of them are there alone...

GET THIS WOMAN OUT OF YOUR HOUSE YESTERDAY! Pretty soon she will be screwing your man! If your boyfriend is NONE of the things that you describe her as, why on earth would they have sustained a friendship. (tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who YOU are)
ANy chance you can kick them both out and move.
Or better yet why dont you move and see how long her $200.00 a rent gravy train lasts

The $200.00 you were charging her was probably paid by her mother to get her mothers house.
(the hassle alone is not worth $200.00 especially when your other bills went up - if she is home all day the electricity is on, extra water for showers for her and her boyfriend etc.)

QUICK SOLUTION!
Tell her that your landlord found out and that he wants her to move as it is a violation for her to be on the lease!
Tell her that if she wants to stay then she will be responsible for one third of the lease and you will go with her to the landlord and add her name to the lease. (only if you want her to stay and pay more)
This keeps you from seeming like the 'bad guy' and it puts the issue on to her.

You are NOT wrong nor are you being unfair ,,,, Firendship and being willing to help some one out is one thing but when it becomes charity and comming out of your pocket then it's time to make some changes ,,,, If this girl isn't going to carry her own load and makes no attempt to do so then it's time for her to find some where else to live ,,,, This may cause friction but what is it doing to your pocket book not to mention your state of mind? No one can live together when one of them has a problem or is not satisfied with the situation ,,,, She's taking advantage of you and she will continue doing so if you and your B/F don't put your foot down ,,,, You aren't going to get anything out of her as long as you allow this situation to exist ,,,, It's always easy to take a ride so to speak when some one else is footing the bills ,,,, With her gone you won't be getting any money but you aren't getting any money with her being there either so it's like the room isn't being rented at all ,,,, I'll just bet she doesn't offer to help out with the food either ,,,, Renting the room to some one else will at least bring something in ,,,, You need to make a positive move ,,,, You have four options here ,,,, Let her stay and continue supporting her ,,,, Make her catch up on what she owes you and start paying her own way ,,,, Move her out ,,,, Or move out yourself ,,,, The old saying that two can live just as cheaply as one is wrong ,,,, Two can't leave as cheaply as one so you are better off alone ,,,, Your boyfriend should be behind you on this too ,,,, It's effecting him and his pocket book as well ,,,,