question:- I'm mortgage free. should my girlfriend pay me rent ?

annie123

Congratulations on paying off your mortgage early, it's not easy to do, but don't let the hard work you put into doing that, turn you into scrooge.;)

If she now lives with you in a home that you already own outright, she has moved on from being your girlfriend to being your partner, not your lodger or another sauce of income....I assume you will declare this extra income to the tax man if you treat her as such!

Split the bills, all couples have to share their living expenses, one way or another but you want to financially profit from her love for you, that's not right...what's next? a charge for conjugal rights! :eek:

Why should she pay to you for the privilege of living with you?

If you are going to charge her rent, then she has tenants rights, this includes a written tenancy agreement.

If you are thinking of renting out your own place, and getting something closer to her for both of you to live in...then rent somewhere, don't buy. Can't see your relationship lasting long with your attitude towards her and money.

If she owns her place, then she can rent it out too and you both rent somewhere together.
Under these circumstance you split everything, rent included, but do adjust for different level of incomes.
You would both then have time to see if you agree on how to live your lives together without it getting too difficult to get out of for either of you.

IMHO...couples have to be on the same financial wavelength and the same ideas/outlook on bringing up children too, if they are to have happy relationship.
Using my idea above would give you both time to find out if you two gel together.

PS. don't charge your friends/family B&B rates if they stay over night

anniestar

Astounding. Sadly I do believe you are for real:eek:.
I had the misfortune to know someone exactly like you.

He was my mums "partner" he lived rent free in my mums mortgage free house.
They split bills(sort of) he would let her come home from the hospital she worked at after a late on the bus because"petrol isn't cheap Maggie."
He would "very helpfuly" leave her reminders if she owed him any money "Maggie 47p-papers" and " I AM OWED 97P-EGG MONEY" all in shouty writing are favourites of mine even after all these years.

Anyway Maggie very selfishly went and got cancer, and even more selfishly went and died on him. The day before she died he bought her the only flowers he had ever bought for her.

He then spent days ringing me up telling me all the furniture in the house was his(as if I wanted any- I just wanted my mum) and the Bank holiday following the funeral I had 37 (NOT a typo) calls telling me that I should give him the money she left to me as "it would be only right" (incidently he spent mums last few days frantically trying to get her to marry him-love eh? well love of something)

OP you have not mentioned the cats surely they must be charged as well??(am off to invoice our 6).

I really pity you. My "step father" has his ledgers of figures and his FT on a Saturday and no doubt his large bank accounts (and still lives rent free) but sod all else. I wouldn't swop for a second.

I hope your girlfriend reads all the posts in this thread then runs as fast as she can.

Like I say, I truly pity you. Money is not the most important thing in the world.

Honestly.

boliston

annie123 wrote: »

.......
If she now lives with you in a home that you already own outright, she has moved on from being your girlfriend to being your partner, not your lodger or another sauce of income....I assume you will declare this extra income to the tax man if you treat her as such!....

Not required as you can earn up to about £80 per week from a lodger before having to declare the income.

annie123

boliston wrote: »

Not required as you can earn up to about £80 per week from a lodger before having to declare the income.

You are referring to the rent a room scheme, which you have to opt in or out of. I assume that the lady in question is not being asked to sleep in a spare bedroom. If she is, then it's getting close to having a live in hooker.

If she does have to sleep in her own room and the op gets a tax return to fill in, then yes, he does have to inform them of any rent charged and declare if opting in or out of the scheme.
info here if anyone needs it:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/TaxOnPropertyAndRentalIncome/DG_4017804

boliston

annie123 wrote: »

You are referring to the rent a room scheme, which you have to opt in or out of. ....

"if you don't normally receive a tax return and your receipts are below the tax-free thresholds for the scheme, the tax exemption is automatic so you don't need to do anything"

annie123 wrote: »

.....I assume that the lady in question is not being asked to sleep in a spare bedroom. If she is, then it's getting close to having a live in hooker.....

If there are 2 bedrooms in the property then I can't see what's wrong with them having a room each. Even married couples often do just this.

zarazara

couldnt you sell your house and bank the money then get your girlfriend to buy a place and you move in with her.

Girlyshopper

Hi

I can see where you are coming from, but if you charge her rent and you split up, she could make a claim for your home. If I were you I would never risk this considering you are the one thing we all want to be - mortgage free. Under the law of property act, if you do split and she's got proof she gave you 'rent', she could make a claim and it would be valid and no doubt she could get what is yours. I know this, as I work for lawyers.

Your situation is not entirely different to that of myself and my OH. The house is his, although not mortgage free, but when he suggested to put my name on the mortgage, I refused, as I don't want to be stuck with going through the mess of any split. I do, however pay my share of the bills and I buy all the food and that works out well for us.

All I can suggest is that if you do want to start charging her, you get a Deed of Trust drawn up to say that in the event of a split she is not entitled to your house or anything that you may own. This way you can be sure that you and your assets are completely safe. Although doing this may raise some truths and if she refuses to sign one, maybe this is not a good relationship for either of you to be in. I am not saying that you don't love each other, but you have to protect what is yours and she has to pay her way. I agree with some of the other posts that maybe any money should go into a savings account and that way if the worst was to happen, at least you could give her the 'rent' money back.

Whatever happens, make sure it is legal and documented. Please read the attached link. Under the heading of Property and the third paragraph of this section:

http://www.hartnellchanot.co.uk/news/news/divorce-rights-for-unmarried-couples.html

After reading this myself, I think that maybe you need to seek some independant legal advice. Most family law firms will give an hour initial interview for free.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

GS

boliston

Girlyshopper wrote: »

Hi

I can see where you are coming from, but if you charge her rent and you split up, she could make a claim for your home. If I were you I would never risk this considering you are the one thing we all want to be - mortgage free. Under the law of property act, if you do split and she's got proof she gave you 'rent', she could make a claim....

If this were the case then nobody would ever risk taking in a lodger, especially one of the opposite sex as this would effectively be a law which allows a lodger to build a property portfolio for free.

Girlyshopper

boliston wrote: »

If this were the case then nobody would ever risk taking in a lodger, especially one of the opposite sex as this would effectively be a law which allows a lodger to build a property portfolio for free.

Yes I do see what you are saying, but not every one sees a relationship as a free house/money making deal, I certainly don't see my relationship that way and the majority of the population wouldn't either. Anyhow the law in respect of unmarried couples as changed and, for example, if I were to split up with my OH, I would be entitled to try and make a claim as we have been together for nearly 6 years. If I was bitter, then maybe I would but I never could, as this house is not mine. Not everyone would see it like that. My OH has already said that when we eventually buy a property together, would I sign a trust deed to say that the £100K profit on his current house is his and I have no entitlement to it in the event of a split, of course I said yes - I love my OH not his house or money. All I can say is if the OP is wanting rent, he needs to protect his assets. I have worked for many years in residential conveyancing and property and have seen this so many times, the only way to avoid it is to have some sort of deed drawn up. Everyone must protect their financial investments, whether it's an house or savings.

GS

Fridge3

keza wrote: »

hmm i havent read the whole thread but just wanted to voice my opinion.

I personally think that if she pays u rent, she will have a claim on your hard earned property! which in the long run, if you split, she could argue that she has paid her way.
secondly, it makes her sound like a flat mate rather than the love of your life. i dont pay any mortgage or rent to my fiance since i moved in but as soon as i do, i will want my stake in it!

i think you should work out your percentage of your overall income and then work out who pays what towards bills as shes earning more than u. i think thats a fairer deal.

Work out your combined income, divide your income by the total income and times by 100. this will give u the percentage of your earnings compared to hers.

then apply this percentage to the bills. then your both paying your way fairly without upsetting anyone.

ie. your income may be 2,000, hers may be 3,000. = 6,000
to work our ur % - 2,000/6,000 x 100 = 33.33% so hers will be 66.67%

Then take a bill, council tax for example - £125. you pay 33.33% of this and she pays 66.7%

She has no hold on your property, she hasnt got a free ride and you have a fairer deal

Sorry for waffling. this is the solution me and OH have come to for when we are married at the end of the year! Good luck! xx

You'd have to be able to add up for that to work.:rotfl: