Fair rule for overnight guests at new apartment?

Question

Ok, I'm going to try to explain this with as little confusion as possible.

My 3 roommates and I just rented an off-campus apartment next to school, which we will be moving to in about 2 weeks. Our parents will be the ones paying rent and utilities for us in this new apartment. Two of my roommates are long-time friends. The fourth roommate, who barely moved in with us a few months ago, has a boyfriend who stays just about every single night at our current, on-campus apartment (we don't get charged for utilities in our current apartment). Lately, the boyfriend has been bringing some family over at our place to stay over for the weekend. My other two roommates and I have been ok with it since our monthly rent would stay the same; so in other words, we wouldn't have to worry about extra charges on utilities.
This fourth roommate and her boyfriend are both really nice people and we all get along. They don't cause any major problems. The boyfriend does have an apartment of his own, but for the past month or two, he's been staying at our current apartment about every night (they technically spend every minute together. hah.)

Also, one of my former roommates (who was replaced by the roommate with a boyfriend), who is a really good friend of mine from high school, stays at least once a week at our current apartment because she has one night class that ends late. She sleeps on the living room couch. During midterms and finals, she stays more nights. Ever since she moved out of our current apartment, she's been commuting to school. She's told us before that she plans on still staying with us weekly at our new apartment.

With our new apartment, we get separate bills now for our utilities. My other two roommates and I are concerned with how to lay down a fair ground rule about overnight guests, without sounding harsh. Considering the fact that it's our parents paying, I'm already sure that my parents won't be willing to pay for people they don't know (in the case of the boyfriend's family staying over the weekend). The four of us--or rather, our parents-- will already be paying for rent. Don't you think we would have to at least have our guests help pay for utilities when they use the showers, toilet, etc?
We all get along really well here at our current apartment and we're trying to figure out how to be as fair as possible and not let anything be taken too personally.

Any suggestions on what to do?

Answer 1

Sounds like you have a motel there, doesn't it? You're right, something needs to be done!

So it's not taken personally, there needs to be a house rule for ANYONE who is a regular guest i.e. more than once a week.

Perhaps any guest not on the lease should pay a set fee for each night - why should some pay and stay for free?

I'm moving in tomorrow so move over!

.

Answer 2

Service Dogs are allowed in any apartment so long as the resident invites you in. A landlord would be breaking the ADA law and could be arrested and/or fined depending on the state if s/he tried to stop them. Swanifer

Answer 3

Easy solution is to just make the overnight guests , buy food for the whole house.......





Loaf of bread,, milk, groceries......Its the least they can do .



In regards to that other family staying over, them bringing home cooked food would always be welcome lol.