Method
A friend arrives two days later: how to adjust their share
Their accommodation share is pro-rated over their nights, not over the number of people. That said, a rental booked for full capacity does not shrink because one bed sits empty for two nights: if the house was taken for eight, eight places are owed, and the group decides whether it absorbs the difference or passes it to the latecomer.
Pro-rate by nights, not by people
The accommodation share is worked out on nights actually spent. On a six-hundred-euro rental for three nights, someone staying only one night pays a sixth of the total if the others stay three each, not a quarter because there are four of them. It is the one basis nobody disputes, because it can be checked against a calendar.
Booked capacity is still owed
This is the nuance most calculations miss. If the house was taken for eight and one bed sits empty for two nights, the rental does not get cheaper: the price was paid on capacity, not on occupancy. The group then has three options, and one should be chosen before departure rather than on the way back: absorb the difference collectively, pass it to the latecomer, or book a smaller place.
What does not get pro-rated
Travel, if the person makes their own way, concerns only them. A car hired for the whole period does not shrink. Nor does an activity booked for a fixed number of participants. Groceries, electricity and heating, on the other hand, follow time on site, like accommodation.
The day visitor
They count as zero nights: they do not pay for accommodation, but they share that day's groceries and any activity they join. Many groups charge them a full share out of awkwardness, which amounts to billing them for a bed they never used. Zero nights is a defensible figure, not a favour.
Key points
- A participant's accommodation share on a group trip is pro-rated over their nights on site.
- A holiday rental booked for a given capacity is owed in full, whether a bed is occupied or not.
- A day visitor counts as zero nights and therefore does not contribute to the accommodation cost.
- Groceries, electricity and heating follow time on site, unlike a car hired for the whole period.
- In France, tourist tax is charged per person per night, which makes it proportional to each person's time on site.
Frequently asked questions
How do you work out the share of someone staying one night out of three?
Add up all the group's nights, divide the accommodation cost by that total, multiply by their own nights.
What if the rental was booked for eight and we are seven?
The eighth place is owed. Decide before departure whether the group absorbs it or it falls to whoever pulled out.
Should a latecomer pay for the groceries?
Yes, pro-rated over the meals they have on site. If they arrive after the main shop, add a second line for what they actually consume.