Last week I signed a 3 month contract to rent a room for $320/mo, which seemed pretty good to me even though I only plan on staying there from Friday to Sunday (substantially cheaper than hotel rooms).

Now the owner of the house wants me to sleep on the couch since someone wants my room and can potentially rent for longer than 3 months. She initially wanted me to pay $250/mo to sleep on the couch, but I "talked her down" to $200.

I paid a $300 deposit already and first month's rent, so $620 total. She said she wants to pay me back $20 and keep $600 for the first 3 months. After those 3 months we can go on a month to month basis (just like what we initially agreed upon in the first contract)

I think I might ask her to pay me back $420 (out of the $620) and start the month to month immediately instead of 3 months just to see whether or not I like it. Even though $200 is a bargain for my circumstances, I'm still not sure if I'm being overcharged or not.

I just care about having a place to sleep and shower, and the wifi there is pretty decent as well. Do you think $200 is good for sleeping on the couch or should I ask for less? I think I have some bargaining power here, not sure how much though.

Are you subleasing? Or did you sign a contract?

lol poors. Hop a freight or something, hobo.

I really don't know, but for the right to a sofa, shower, and wifi, I'd pay no more than $20 a night. Any more than that, and I'd just get a ****ty motel room for $45-50. They're still around. They still suck.

it must suck getting owned by a lady that runs a flophouse.

why wouldn't you start by getting all your money back since she is reneging on the signed contract, then begin negotiations for a ****ty couch after that.
she holds all the cards right now because you let her keep them.

Are you staying overnight all three nights? Or are you just staying over Fri and Sat nights?

$200 a month to sleep on somebody's couch, as in a non-friend non-relative. Ouch. There's too much awkward to charge you any less than that. I wonder if the owner is telling the new renter to expect a random guy drooling on the couch every weekend.

You could have just said no and kept the room. Since you didn't, I guess $200 is about right. I hope it was worth saving $120/month but I can't see how it is. At some point can't you crash in your car and shower at the gym? Make a deal with a friend? Something?

$45-50/nt = ~$1500/mo, OP is talking about a $200/mo arrangement

first things first, the lady is in breach of your agreement if you already signed a contract to rent from her and she gave the room to somebody else. second, it's a scumbag move on her part, so beware of proceeding any further with her. third, if she's as desperate for extra cash as she sounds, i would for sure be demanding that she lower the "couch rent" to $100-150/mo. the initial deal was for $320/mo and you at least had a private area. your sleeping space has easily been reduced by 50% and your personal space has been reduced 100% (to zero), i'd say that warrants at least a 50% discount from the initial figure.

edit: i also feel like this is a pretty rough deal for OP in the first place

Find out if there is an option to sleep in her car for say, $50/month.

Offer to detail the car once a month and you should be able to sleep in it for free.

fyp

jmakins gf is renting out her house?

we need a lot more info:

1) where?
2) why only fri-sunday?
3) where are you mon-thurs?
4) who else is living in the house?

You suck at math. Or reading comprehension.

So you already negotiated down to $200? Next time try to post here before taking your decision. That's a terrible deal and it would be weird to come back on your word, you've lost momentum here. I'd have paid no more than 120 or 130 in your shoes.

I kinda feel like OP owes it to society to spit in this ladies face and tell her and her couch to **** off.

If for some bizarre reason you're ok with the couch, I wouldn't pay more than like $50.

These. Also it depends on the couch. I have seen some couches that would be more comfortable than what I have in my trailer



Easily worth the $200/month

Tens,

Why didn't you just say "nah, that's cool, I'll stick with the room thanks." ?

op, your an idiot. You did everything completly wrong.

Also paying 200 month for a couch is wtf.

Tens, I like the fact that you're willing to sleep on a couch in order to afford finer things in life, like drinking whistlepig. Your priorities are in the right place.

1) An area that's 30 mins from Palm Springs, CA
2) Teh pokerz
3) Los Angeles
4) 2 renters, home owner + boyfriend, 2 dogs and a cat. Not as cramped as it sounds. I'm sharing a bathroom with 3 people I believe, 4 if I get the couch

For the record, I did not sign anything. We just had a discussion over the phone.

I don't care about private space too much since this place is effectively a place to solely sleep and shower in. I keep zero valuables in the house. So that's why I'll take the lower rent any day. This isn't my primary place of living LDO

Crashing in my car and showering at the gym seems waaay too degen for me. I'm not at that point (yet)

Other options included paying $100 to stay there for my Fri-Sun days, but since I highly intend on coming every weekend, I lose money with this offer.

WAT.

If you're saying you signed something for the room, and haven't for the couch, she can super get bent. Suggesting a renter stay on a couch, even if this already weird situation is so damn unreasonable.

Couldn't you find a hostel or something?

If a friend wanted to crash on my couch for a month, I'd charge him a pizza, maybe some beers. For a non-friend, just no. You got hosed.

The cheapest hotels go for are $80/nt in that area (the actual casino I'll be playing at is $220/nt)

The thing I care about the most is safety, and from various reports online, this area is indeed pretty safe.