Splitting the rent when you earn different amounts
Rent is usually the biggest cost you share. When you earn different amounts, the question isn't what it costs, but what feels fair.
· 4 min read
What are the ways to split the rent?
- Equally. You each pay half. Simple, and fair when you earn about the same.
- By income. You each pay the same share of your pay. Whoever earns more pays more pounds.
- Same left. You add up your incomes, take off the rent and bills, and split what's left equally. In practice, your money becomes joint.
How big is the difference?
Alex takes home £2,800 a month and Sam £2,100. The rent is £1,500.
| Alex pays | Sam pays | Alex has left | Sam has left | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equally | 750 | 750 | 2,050 | 1,350 |
| By income (57/43) | 857 | 643 | 1,943 | 1,457 |
| Same left | 1,100 | 400 | 1,700 | 1,700 |
- Equally
- Alex pays: 750
- Sam pays: 750
- Alex has left: 2,050
- Sam has left: 1,350
- By income (57/43)
- Alex pays: 857
- Sam pays: 643
- Alex has left: 1,943
- Sam has left: 1,457
- Same left
- Alex pays: 1,100
- Sam pays: 400
- Alex has left: 1,700
- Sam has left: 1,700
Work it out
Enter your incomes after tax and the costs you share each month.
- Equally
- You: pays £750 · left £2,050
- Your partner: pays £750 · left £1,350
- By income
- You: pays £857 · left £1,943
- Your partner: pays £643 · left £1,457
- Same left over
- You: pays £1,100 · left £1,700
- Your partner: pays £400 · left £1,700
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Split by income, they each pay 31 per cent of their pay. If they choose the same left, they both have £1,700 after the rent – but Alex then covers almost three-quarters of it.
Which way is fairest?
There is no answer that suits everyone. A few things tend to matter:
- How big the gap is. With a small gap, splitting equally often feels natural. With a big one, equal can mean one of you can't afford the same everyday life.
- Why you earn different amounts. If one of you is on parental leave, studying or working part-time for the family's sake, it's worth talking about how that evens out.
- What's included. The same model can cover just the rent, or all the regular bills: energy, broadband, Council Tax, insurance and food.
- Whose name is on the tenancy. If only one of you is the tenant, it's wise to write down what you've agreed.
What does the law say?
Nothing about how you split. Cohabiting partners have no legal duty to support each other, so it's up to you. Two things are worth knowing, though. If you are joint tenants, you both have the same rights and responsibilities towards the landlord – Citizens Advice recommends a joint tenancy for couples who live together. And partners who live together are jointly responsible for the Council Tax bill, whoever pays it.
If only one of you is named on the tenancy, the other usually has no right to stay if the tenant asks them to leave. A sole tenancy can be changed to a joint one if the tenant and the landlord agree. Read more in When unmarried couples separate.
How do you agree?
- Work out all three ways with your own figures before you decide.
- Decide which costs are shared, and which are your own.
- Talk again when something changes: a new job, parental leave, a new home.
- Make it visible. It's easier to feel it evens out when you both see the same numbers.
Common questions
- Should couples split the rent 50/50?
- It's common when you earn about the same. When incomes differ, many couples split by income, so you both pay the same share of your pay.
- How do you split rent by income?
- Work out each person's share of your combined income, and pay the same share of the rent. If one of you takes home £2,800 and the other £2,100, that's 57 and 43 per cent.
- Are we both responsible for Council Tax?
- Yes. GOV.UK says partners who live together are jointly responsible for paying the Council Tax bill.
Sources
- Living together and marriage – legal differences (England) – Citizens Advice
- How Council Tax works: Who has to pay – GOV.UK