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House temperature disagreement between room mates?
Okay so I live with 2 other girls (Mandy and Sam). We live in Kansas so it's starting to get pretty cold. Well Sam and I have turned the heat up a little (70) because the house gets cold so quickly. However, Mandy keeps turning it down to 65 and it is freeeeeezing. She doesn't turn it down because it feels more comfortable to her that way, she turns it down because she "can't afford a higher gas bill."
I understand not being able to pay for things. I can't afford to eat out every night. I can't afford a new car or a $600 handbag. However I DO work a lot of hours so that I CAN afford things I need, like rent, utilities, school, and HEAT. I would consider that I priority. I mean if I'm paying for a house, I'd at least like to be comfortable in it.
Mandy has a job as well, but she doesn't put in very many hours and the money she does have goes toward clothes and other things that she is definitely not needing right now. How do I explain to her how ridiculous is to freeze our butts off instead of spending a few extra dollars??
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I don't normally recommend this, but I think you need to stop focusing on making her understand your point of view, and simply explain to her that she must respect it, or move out.
In Kansas, if your landlord had control of your thermostat, they would be legally required to maintain the temperature AT LEAST 68 degrees throughout the winter. Most employers are required to maintain 70 degrees in indoor offices.
It's just not reasonable to leave the heat at 65. You'll get overtired and make yourselves sick as your bodies spent extra energy trying to stay warm. If she can't understand those basic facts - thats fine. She simply needs to respect it. Or she needs to be asked to leave.
This is deal breaker.
Sure, you could suggest splitting the utility bills differently through the winter, but I wouldn't do that. Doing that suggests she has a reasonable disagreement with you two, and she doesn't have a reasonable disagreement.
You might also point out to her that if you and Sam go out and buy space heaters to maintain a basic level of comfort in your own rooms, that will actually cost far, far more on the bill than the running the central heat at a reasonable (ie, legal minimum) temperature.
Honestly, I'd get together with Sam and just present a united front. Rarely is there a case where one person is simply wrong, but this is one of those cases. She's going to have to learn that this is not acceptable behaviour when living with others.
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