[quote name='Mookyjooky']I dont believe in the not paying utilities BS...
I've had roommates do it to me and I just dont pay until I get their half. Sorry, but thats common roommate curtosy.
It's sucks to have to pay utilites, but unless you unplugged every single thing that is yours including alarm clock, computer, TV, DVD, VCR, cell phone chargers, fish tanks, portable game chargers, hot water in your bathroom, your kitchen appliances that only you use and anything else that would use an LCD or things that would just drain energy I wouldnt not pay the utilities.
You're getting slack on everything else probably because you've decided to be a problem roommate.
Last time someone told me they werent going to pay rent and/or utilities I invited people to use their room since they werent a roommate at the time. I paid utilities that time, but I rented out that room just to be an ass about it.[/QUOTE]
Well, I moved everything electronic out of my room. That includes lamps, computer, printer, all chargers, a tv, all video game consoles. The only thing electronic that I left was our main TV that my roommates regularly use. We share the kitchen and the bathroom. Explain to me why I should pay for electricity and gas that I wasn't using. I wouldn't expect it of my roommates, why should they expect it of me, especially since I gave them all my rent checks ahead of time and said I wouldn't be paying utilities for the 2 months I was gone and they said ok.
If I had been using utilities, I would have paid. As I already stated I paid for the phone bill in its entirety for both months, and the only fixed rate utility I did not pay for was cable. So maybe I owe them like 20 bucks for that, but if I'm 2 states away I don't think I can be charged for their gas and electricity consumption. Maybe I'm foolish in this, but I don't see why. We usually split grocery bills, but they aren't asking me to pay for the food that they ate while I was gone.
edit- Also, as I stated before, I don't really care about the utilities thing. I mean I'm a bit miffed that they are reneging on what we agreed and that the note was so snide, but it's not a big deal at all. I'm infinitely more pissed off about the gas leak. What upsets me about the utilities is that they were so irresponsible as to let a gas leak exist for 5 days and still get off on telling me how to be a responsible roommate.