Money Moral Dilemma: How much board should I charge?

MDE

nyorks1503 wrote: »

Our daughter hated paying us for her board when she lived at home which led to so many arguments that in the end we asked her to leave.

So basically, you kicked your daughter out over board money? How truly, truly sad. I sincerely hope you never need her assistance as you age!

The_Rock-man

MSE_Archna wrote: »

My partner’s daughter is 18 and has just started a full time job. She was at uni part-time before that and my partner gave her £30 per week, plus paid for expenses such as mobile, clothes and gym. She’s now earning over £200 a week and we’ve asked her to pay £30 a week towards board, so she can learn the value of money. She thinks it isn’t fair and says she’ll only pay £20. Should we make her pay up?

Hmm sounds to me like she went to Uni with part time work and decided to leave uni to work full time based on her being only 18.

As for what fair £30 from £200 is not enough IMO (I am paying ~50% of my income on my board) but no matter what she should pay the £30 a week, if she still don't like this offer her £20+ a % of the bills (likely to turn out to be more than £30).

chrissie121

I think that paying a realistic amount of board is good for your earning child. It shows them the value of money and makes them take responsibility for themselves a bit. Parents who do not expect a reasonable amount are not doing their kids any favours. £30 is very reasonable maybe £40 would be better!

chrissie121

It is called "Touch Love" and she will thank you for it in the end

edinburgher

It is called "Touch Love" and she will thank you for it in the end

Tough love?

MDE

edinburgher wrote: »

Tough love?

Yeah touch love looks like something totally different!

kriss1977

Techno wrote: »

Isn't it the same as the rentaroom scheme so about £5k (ish)

It's £4250 pa - was looking up this stuff the other day.

fatal1955

Get her to objectively define a genuinely "fair" charge for her board and to justify whatever figure she comes up with, basing it on evidence from doing her own research into what she can get locally and how much it would cost. The exercise should prove enlightening for her :cool:

BTW: do you charge her for her share of council tax etc.?

BigMummaF

avaface wrote: »

Ive never understood why it is until your 18 your home is considered just that your 'Home',but once you reach a magic point ie left uni or reach 18,you are suddenly made to feel like a lodger....

Because that is what the government have said defines the line between child & adult.

IF the parents are on benefit--with the amount of redundancies that could be possible--the Benefits Agency will assume adults living in the house are contributing at a level they specify. Family connections do not enter into the equation, regardless of them being your child, your sibling or your neighbours third cousin on his mother's aunt's side!

It is not pleasant to hold your hand out for 'lodge' from your child but everything has to be paid for. No, I didn't have children in the mindset of obtaining ready-made tenants but envisaged that some of the money I gladly spent supporting them while growing would be supplemented by their contributions now, to help me provide for my later years. I could not afford to do both while they were in education & really do not want to be dependent on them in my old age.

It's called compromise where I come from; not free-loading, taking advantage or pay back...more the Circle of Life, as a very wise baboon once sang

Valhaz

I assume that she will be continuing to live at home, thus using gas, electricity, water, washing powder, loo rolls etc., and EATING. If she were to find a place of her own, I think she would find it would cost her way in excess of twenty pounds a week. £20 barely covers the cost of her food these days. I think parents should make children living at home and earning a reasonable wage pay their way, as by not doing so, the children are not getting a realistic view of the cost of living. They are not doing their children any favours by subsidising them. This is how my parents were with me, and I am grateful that I have always had a realistic approach to money as a result.

Our daughter pays us £120 a month and has always paid something towards her keep since she started work, but she does buy all her own toiletries and lunches. We are all happy with this arrangement.