5 college guys renting a house--need suggestions on resolving conflict

[mrspaha]

I wonder if anyone can offer some suggestions on what to do here. My son is renting a 5-bedroom house with 4 other guys at college, so obviously, each one gets their own room. Well, there's 3 bedrooms on the second floor, and 2 bedrooms on the first floor. Everyone wants a room on the second floor.

Any ideas on how to decide who get first pick of bedrooms?

I suggested that the guy who did most of the legwork (contacting a realtor, setting appointments to see places, etc) should get first pick. Then, based on who was approached first to room together get next pick, etc.

The thing that really bothers me, is that four of them were together on this finding a house. A fifth guy who was an acquaintance of my son was looking for a place to live, so they let him be the fifth person. They all signed a lease back in February for this upcoming school year. The lease starts Aug 1. Well, anyhow, this fifth kid called the realtor and asked if he could move his stuff in on July 31st -- the realtor said it was okay, and the kid picked out the room he wanted on the 2nd floor, and moved his stuff in.

Granted, the guys should have discussed these details before they signed the lease, but at this point in time, does anyone have any suggestions on what they can do? (By the way, my son isn't the one who did the legwork that I think should get first pick.)

 

[Mickey's Minion]

I wonder if anyone can offer some suggestions on what to do here. My son is renting a 5-bedroom house with 4 other guys at college, so obviously, each one gets their own room. Well, there's 3 bedrooms on the second floor, and 2 bedrooms on the first floor. Everyone wants a room on the second floor.

Any ideas on how to decide who get first pick of bedrooms?

I suggested that the guy who did most of the legwork (contacting a realtor, setting appointments to see places, etc) should get first pick. Then, based on who was approached first to room together get next pick, etc.

The thing that really bothers me, is that four of them were together on this finding a house. A fifth guy who was an acquaintance of my son was looking for a place to live, so they let him be the fifth person. They all signed a lease back in February for this upcoming school year. The lease starts Aug 1. Well, anyhow, this fifth kid called the realtor and asked if he could move his stuff in on July 31st -- the realtor said it was okay, and the kid picked out the room he wanted on the 2nd floor, and moved his stuff in.

Granted, the guys should have discussed these details before they signed the lease, but at this point in time, does anyone have any suggestions on what they can do? (By the way, my son isn't the one who did the legwork that I think should get first pick.)

Since I am assuming they are all paying an equal share of the rent and utilities, I don't think any of them should be entitled to first pick.

I would put the numbers 1 - 5 in a hat, have each draw a number and that is their place in line to picking a bedroom. Or label the bedrooms A, B, C, D, E and F and have each guy draw a bedroom.

The guy that went ahead and moved his stuff in before consulting with the others sounds like he is going to create problems.

But most of all, as a mom, I would stay out of it and let the guys figure it out. They are adults now and this is a great first lesson on learning to work together and resolve conflicts.

 

[Guy Incognito]

- Rock, Scissors, Paper tourney

- Get a deck of cards, take one King out, then shuffle. Each one takes a single card at a time. Whoever draws one of the three Kings gets to choose from the 3 rooms on the second floor.

-MMA style battle royale. First two to go down and stay down end up on the first floor

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I agree no one should have first pick. I would draw names.

 

[MM27]

But most of all, as a mom, I would stay out of it and let the guys figure it out. They are adults now and this is a great first lesson on learning to work together and resolve conflicts.

They'll come up with something themselves.

 

[freckles and boo]

Rotate rooms at the quarter or the semester. That way everyone will get the opportunity to have an upstairs room at least once. Or they could just suck it up and act like grown-ups.

 

[OhMari]

My son lives with 5 guys, and they pick numbers.
The guy with the largest room, pays more in rent
and the smallest bedroom pays the least amount of rent.
If you pull 1, you get your pick of rooms.

My dd is going through something similar.
She is paying the same amount of rent with the other 4,
but everyone has moved in and she has the smallest room.
My son told her to tell them, she should have reduced rent.
I'm sure they are going to tell her, they have their things moved in,
so to bad, but the I agree with Matt, these rules should be implemented when they all agree on renting together.

 

[java]

Yes I agree- Number system. Assign numbers to the rooms- everyone picks a number alphabetically based on last name.
He can live up there until everyone else gets there. Then he's got to play by the rules.

 

[kaytieeldr]

everyone picks a number alphabetically based on last name.

Coming at the end of the alphabet as I do I strongly disagree with this. How about first names?

 

[NMAmy]

Since I am assuming they are all paying an equal share of the rent and utilities, I don't think any of them should be entitled to first pick.

I would put the numbers 1 - 5 in a hat, have each draw a number and that is their place in line to picking a bedroom. Or label the bedrooms A, B, C, D, E and F and have each guy draw a bedroom.

The guy that went ahead and moved his stuff in before consulting with the others sounds like he is going to create problems.

But most of all, as a mom, I would stay out of it and let the guys figure it out. They are adults now and this is a great first lesson on learning to work together and resolve conflicts.

I agree with your whole post--particularly the last paragraph.

 

[JessicaR]

I would let the boys figure it out.

 

[AKL_Megs]

When I was in college, most of the apartments seemed to have a "master bedroom"... no bathroom attatched or anything, just "bigger".

The person who got the bigger room paid $50 more in rent a month, leaving those with the smaller rooms paying $25 less a month.

$25 x 9 months = $225. For those who hated their jobs at Target or McDonalds already, that $225 to have a slightly bigger room was less valuable than all of the beer $225 bought!

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Come on, this is college. How about an old fashioned bladder buster. Pass out the beer and the first guy who had to pee chooses last. Guy who can hold it the longest get the first pick.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

in college, we drew numbers to see who picked first....

 

[BelleMcNally]

Oh, for the love of Pete! Adult men should not need their moms' help with this.

No wonder most of the women I know under 25 are just throwing up their hands in frustration...

 

[My sister's princess]

Oh, for the love of Pete! Adult men should not need their moms' help with this.

No wonder most of the women I know under 25 are just throwing up their hands in frustration...

I totally agree with this. Let them fight this out mum, you don't want to be in the middle of the who ate my food / who drank my beer fights in the future!!!!! You also don't want to risk having your son be "that guy" who brings his mum into his fights, his roommates might decide to have one less on the lease next year

 

[Sammy]

Do college-age guys really care about who has the biggest room and where? As long as there's a place to crash and enough room to hide the dirty laundry when mom comes to visit , I don't think so.

 

[lulugirl]

Oh, for the love of Pete! Adult men should not need their moms' help with this.

No wonder most of the women I know under 25 are just throwing up their hands in frustration...

No kidding

 

[browneyes106]

Rotate rooms at the quarter or the semester. That way everyone will get the opportunity to have an upstairs room at least once. Or they could just suck it up and act like grown-ups.

I think the rotating idea is good. My other suggestions would be drawing names or straws.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

My DD went through this 2 years ago in college with her being one of 5 girls in a house. They decided, on their own, to give a financial incentive to the smaller/least desirable room. When I suggested rotating rooms, she emphatically said "no way!"