Yes, according to IRS Publication 527, If you hold property for rental purposes, you may be able to deduct your ordinary and necessary expenses (including depreciation) for managing, conserving, or maintaining the property while the property is vacant. This includes a room. All advertising and credit checks may be deducted as well as simple repairs such as painting the room to make it habitable are also deductible.
No you cannot split the expenses 50/50 but only expenses that relate to the room. I know this is a dicey subject but the best method of allocating costs is to take the square footage of the bedroom and divide it by the total square footage of the house. From this calculation, you have a ratio in allocating expenses between you and your renter such as utilities, property tax, water, mortgage, etc.
@sweetkiva
**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
