In our fictional four-person house share, each person pays about £702 a month: £600 rent plus £102.15 for shared bills. If the rent is split by room size, the same house costs between £582.15 and £870.15 a month per person, depending on the room.
Your own figures will depend on where you live and what’s included. Below is a full example you can copy, with every bill shown so you can swap in your own numbers.
The example house (fictional)
Four friends who are not students rent a house together for £2,400 a month on one joint tenancy. Bills are not included. They agree to share every household bill equally.
| Bill | Per year | Per month (house) | Per person a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (gas and electricity) | £1,723 | £143.58 | £35.90 |
| Broadband (fictional) | £360 | £30.00 | £7.50 |
| Water (fictional) | £540 | £45.00 | £11.25 |
| Council Tax (fictional) | £2,100 | £175.00 | £43.75 |
| TV Licence | £180 | £15.00 | £3.75 |
| Total | £4,903 | £408.58 | £102.15 |
Two figures are real. Ofgem says the typical household paying by direct debit for gas and electricity will pay £1,723 a year under the price cap from 1 October to 31 December 2026. GOV.UK says a TV Licence costs £180. Broadband, water and Council Tax are made-up amounts for the example.
The price cap limits unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill. A house of four adults may use more energy than Ofgem’s typical household, so treat £1,723 as a starting point.
Splitting the rent equally or by room size
An equal split is simplest: £2,400 ÷ 4 = £600 each. But if one room is much bigger, the others may feel they are paying for space they don’t get. A fairer option is to split by floor area.
In our fictional house, the bedrooms measure 16, 12, 12 and 10 square metres, 50 square metres in total. Each person pays their room’s share of the rent.
| Room | Rent share | Bills share | Total a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room A (16 m²) | £768.00 | £102.15 | £870.15 |
| Room B (12 m²) | £576.00 | £102.15 | £678.15 |
| Room C (12 m²) | £576.00 | £102.15 | £678.15 |
| Room D (10 m²) | £480.00 | £102.15 | £582.15 |
| Equal split (any room) | £600.00 | £102.15 | £702.15 |
Room A’s rent is 16 ÷ 50 × £2,400 = £768. The four shares add up to £2,400. Bills stay equal here, because everyone uses the kitchen, heating and internet. Some houses also add a little extra for an en suite or a private space.
Use the rent split calculator to try equal, room-size and income-based splits with your own rent. If you share with a partner on a different income, see how to split rent with a partner who earns more.
What housemates usually split and what they pay alone
Most shared houses split costs for the home as a whole and keep personal costs separate.
- Usually split: rent (if not on separate room tenancies), energy, water, broadband, Council Tax, and a TV Licence if you share one.
- Usually paid alone: food (unless you agree to share), phone contracts, contents insurance for your own things, transport, and streaming subscriptions only you use.
Shelter says the person whose name is on a bill is usually responsible for it, and if more than one name is on the bill, everyone named is responsible. Agree in writing who pays what, and when, before the first bills arrive. Our guide to bills when renting explains each bill in more detail.
TV Licence in a shared house
GOV.UK says you need your own TV Licence if you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your own room. On one joint tenancy, or if you only watch in a shared living room, one licence can cover the house.
Council Tax
GOV.UK says a full Council Tax bill is based on at least 2 adults living in a home. Full-time students are disregarded when counting adults, which is why our example uses a non-student house. Ask your council how it bills your property.
Joint tenancy: you can be liable for the whole rent
On a joint tenancy in England, Shelter says you are all responsible for the whole rent, even if you pay different amounts. If a housemate stops paying, your landlord can ask the rest of you to cover their share.
In the room-size example, if Room A’s tenant stopped paying, £768 a month would be missing. The landlord could ask the other three to make up the shortfall. A room-size split is a private agreement between housemates. It does not change what the landlord can ask for. See what happens when a housemate moves out.
Tips to keep shared costs fair
- Agree the split before you sign, and write it down.
- Read the meters on move-in day and take dated photos.
- Use one shared account or app for bills so payments are easy to track.
- Check the energy figure each quarter. Winter bills are higher, so some houses pay a fixed monthly amount into a pot.
Related: What is an HMO?
Sources
- Ofgem: Energy price cap will rise by 4% from October 2026, checked 10 October 2026
- Ofgem: Changes to energy price cap between 1 October and 31 December 2026, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.UK: TV Licence, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Council Tax, who has to pay, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter England: Joint tenancies, checked 10 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.