Roomate Finder's Fee paid, Roommates can't agree on rent division

[xenga09]

My 2 roommates and I used an apartment finder's service to find a nice apartment. We had to pay the first month's rent (to the finder's service, as a finder's fee) and $59 each for background/credit checks to secure the apartment (before signing the lease).

Now that we are ready to sign the lease, my roommates cannot come to an agreement on who gets what room for what price. We have two larger bedrooms (one with a private bathroom) and one significantly smaller bedroom. Our third roommate insists that we agreed he could have the master bedroom with bath and that we were going to split the rent evenly- both of these statements are simply not true. We've tried to reason with him, but he refuses to settle for anything less than paying $8 a month extra. Meanwhile my other roommate and I agree that whoever gets the smallest room deserves at least a $100, if not $150 a month discount.

Our lease isn't signed, but all of our names were printed at the top by our landlord-to-be. Can we simply remove him from the lease if he refuses to make accommodations? If we do, do we have to refund his share of the finder's fee (which is nonrefundable if we don't take the apartment).

 

[Michael Wechsler]

1) You'll have to discuss replacing the troubled roomate with the landlord. You can't simply remove him.

2) If he is removed, I would think he still owes his share. All of you expended the money but apparently couldn't come to agreement after you all agreed to rent the apartment.

This are just my thoughts based upon what you told us.

 

[rtcochrane]

You should pro-rate the rooms by square foot.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

You should pro-rate the rooms by square foot.

I don't understand why the lone roomate thinks this suggestion and your compromise isn't fair and why he/she should get the better end of the deal with out paying.