I'm looking for some advice (based on experience, please). I'm living in a house this year with 4 friends that I've known for the last 3 years of college. This is the first time any of us has dealt with living in a house off-campus and we're having problems with the room situation, ie, who gets what room. Here's the facts:
It's a 3 story house with kitchen, dining, and living room on 1st, three bedrooms and bathroom on 2nd, and two 'bedrooms' on 3rd floor, which has slanted walls since it's basically an attic (but there is an attic). The first 'bedroom' on the third floor is at the top of the stairs (no door except at bottom of stairs) and you have to walk through that 'bedroom' to get to the second one, which is tiny and has a paper-thin door.
That is where the problems arise. While me and 2 of my other roommates were studying abroad this past semester, we entrusted the other 2 to find a house. This house was discussed before we left since our friend lives in a single apartment in the basement and was in contact with the landlord. When the previous inhabitants moved out, we started renting it in June. Naturally, the 2 housemates that didn't study abroad and organized the house agreement took 2 of the bedrooms on the 2nd floor. Then, when my housemate came home from England, he took the third bedroom on the 2nd floor. Then, when my friend came home Scotland, he took the tiny bedroom on the 3rd floor. Leaving me, who came home last, with the walk-through bedroom on the 3rd floor.
I had no idea what any of the bedrooms looked like until after I came home and saw them. I just assumed that all 5 were classic bedrooms like in a hallway with doors, and that it wouldn't matter what room I got. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy with the living arrangement and how it came to be. I made it clear when we were talking about houses that privacy was one of my main priorities--and the current room situation doesn't live up to my standards. Problem is, everybody else has moved into their respective rooms but me.
We're having a house meeting in a week to talk about the situation and I want to be prepared since none of us have dealt with anything like this before. We should have figured this out at the start but, oh well, better late than never.
QUESTIONS:
-How should we re-arrange the rooms? Draw straws? Numbers?
-Should the 2 guys that arranged the house get 1st choice, even though they didn't do much at all to arrange it?
-Should the people who live on the 3rd floor pay less rent because the rooms aren't as quality of spacious as the 2nd floor bedrooms? (I've heard of arrangements like this before but don't know how they've worked out)
If you've made it this far through my post, thanks, and thanks in advance for any advice. I just don't have anybody to talk to that has been through a situation like this before.
It's a 3 story house with kitchen, dining, and living room on 1st, three bedrooms and bathroom on 2nd, and two 'bedrooms' on 3rd floor, which has slanted walls since it's basically an attic (but there is an attic). The first 'bedroom' on the third floor is at the top of the stairs (no door except at bottom of stairs) and you have to walk through that 'bedroom' to get to the second one, which is tiny and has a paper-thin door.
That is where the problems arise. While me and 2 of my other roommates were studying abroad this past semester, we entrusted the other 2 to find a house. This house was discussed before we left since our friend lives in a single apartment in the basement and was in contact with the landlord. When the previous inhabitants moved out, we started renting it in June. Naturally, the 2 housemates that didn't study abroad and organized the house agreement took 2 of the bedrooms on the 2nd floor. Then, when my housemate came home from England, he took the third bedroom on the 2nd floor. Then, when my friend came home Scotland, he took the tiny bedroom on the 3rd floor. Leaving me, who came home last, with the walk-through bedroom on the 3rd floor.
I had no idea what any of the bedrooms looked like until after I came home and saw them. I just assumed that all 5 were classic bedrooms like in a hallway with doors, and that it wouldn't matter what room I got. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy with the living arrangement and how it came to be. I made it clear when we were talking about houses that privacy was one of my main priorities--and the current room situation doesn't live up to my standards. Problem is, everybody else has moved into their respective rooms but me.
We're having a house meeting in a week to talk about the situation and I want to be prepared since none of us have dealt with anything like this before. We should have figured this out at the start but, oh well, better late than never.
QUESTIONS:
-How should we re-arrange the rooms? Draw straws? Numbers?
-Should the 2 guys that arranged the house get 1st choice, even though they didn't do much at all to arrange it?
-Should the people who live on the 3rd floor pay less rent because the rooms aren't as quality of spacious as the 2nd floor bedrooms? (I've heard of arrangements like this before but don't know how they've worked out)
If you've made it this far through my post, thanks, and thanks in advance for any advice. I just don't have anybody to talk to that has been through a situation like this before.
But same difference. Sorry for ot.
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