The lease starts on the 1st. Ana and Cam move in. Ben's room is ready, but he can't move in until the 16th. The landlord wants rent for the whole month. Who covers the first fifteen days of Ben's room?
Settle it once, before the first rent day.
This is a practical guide, not legal advice. If you share one lease, each tenant may owe the landlord the full rent whatever your private deal says. Read your lease first.
Rent: three ways to handle the gap
Option A: the newcomer pays from move-in. Ben pays only for the days he lives there. Ana and Cam cover the empty days. Fair when Ben's lease really starts on the 16th.
Option B: everyone shares the gap. The empty days are split three ways, Ben included. Fair when Ben signed from the 1st and asked for a later key.
Option C: the middle. Ben pays a fixed amount to hold the room, and the rest is shared. Put the amount in writing.
None is the right answer. Pick one and treat the key handover as the real start date.
Worked example (illustrative numbers)
Rent is $2,400 for a 30-day month, in three equal rooms of $800. Ben's room is empty for 15 days, which costs $400.
Option A. Ben pays $400. Ana and Cam pay $800 + $200 = $1,000 each.
Option B. The $400 gap is about $133.33 each. Ben pays $533.34. Ana and Cam pay $933.33 each.
| Option A | Option B | |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | $1,000.00 | $933.33 |
| Cam | $1,000.00 | $933.33 |
| Ben | $400.00 | $533.34 |
| Total | $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
Both add up to the full rent. These numbers are made up; use your own.
Utilities: start from the key date
Nobody used power or water in an empty room, so Ben joins from the day he arrives. Use person-days, as in the roommate-away method.
Electricity is $90. Ana 30 days, Cam 30, Ben 15: 75 person-days. $90 / 75 = $1.20 a day. Ana $36, Cam $36, Ben $18. Fixed bills such as internet can be split equally, or Ben starts next month. Pick one rule.
Do the math faster
The rent splitter prorates rent by days. The utility bill splitter takes each person's days at home. Both free, no signup.
FAQ
Can we ask the newcomer to pay for the empty days? You can ask. If the later start was Ben's choice, Option B or C is reasonable.
Does our private split change what we owe the landlord? Possibly not. It may not change what each tenant owes. Check your lease; this is not legal advice.
What if Ben never moves in? Talk to the landlord before it happens, and get it in writing.
Keep it friendly, keep it written
Billmates is a web app, still on the waitlist, that tracks who owes what in a shared home. It never holds or moves your money. You pay each other the way you already do. Roommates join from a browser link. No ads. Leave your email to hear when it's ready.