What is prorated rent
Prorated rent is the partial-month rent you pay when you only occupy the unit for part of a calendar month — usually your first month after moving in, or your last month before moving out. It's computed by finding a daily rate and multiplying it by the number of days you actually occupy.
Worked example
Rent is $1,800/month. You move in on March 10 and stay through the end of March — that's 22 days (March 10 through March 31, inclusive). March has 31 days.
- Actual days: $1,800 ÷ 31 × 22 ≈ $1,277.42
- 30-day (banker's) month: $1,800 ÷ 30 × 22 = $1,320.00
Same rent, same move-in date, roughly $43 apart. The lease usually specifies which method applies — if it's silent, ask in writing before your first payment.
Which method do landlords use
Both are widely used. The actual-days method is the more precise of the two because it uses the real number of days in the month, so the daily rate matches the calendar exactly. The 30-day (banker's) month is a common convention because it's easy to compute and gives the same daily rate every month. In 31-day months, actual-days is slightly cheaper for the tenant; in February, actual-days is slightly more expensive. Check your lease for the definitive answer, and if it doesn't say, confirm with the landlord in writing.
After the partial month
Once you're settled and paying full months, split the rent with the rent split calculator. If bedrooms differ noticeably in size, use split rent by room size; if incomes are very different, use split rent by income. For shared groceries and one-off bills someone fronted, the roommate expense calculator works out who owes whom.
FAQ
Is a landlord required to prorate rent?
Often not, unless the lease says so — proration is usually negotiable rather than mandatory. Most landlords will prorate the first (or last) partial month when asked, but it's worth confirming in writing before you sign or move.
Is the move-in day itself charged?
Typically yes. Occupancy is considered to start the day you get the keys, so that day counts in the number of days billed. Same idea in reverse on move-out — the day you hand back keys is usually included.
How does proration work in February?
With the actual-days method, February's daily rate is higher because there are only 28 (or 29) days to spread the rent across. With the 30-day method, February is charged as if it had 30 days, so the daily rate is the same as any other month.