How much to charge lodgers gf?

klizw

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

If you paid tax on the additional income from the lodger's g/f over and above the Revenue's "Rent-A-Room" threshold I think you're looking at less than a grant a year if you're a higher-band tax-payer. i.e. less than twenty quid a week.

If I did have to pay tax, that would increase the amount I would have to charge as if I paid £20pw in tax that would basically be £80pm off whatever I charge her. So confused!

princess_loki

has your existing lodger always paid on time? has he always tidied up after himself? do you trust him? if you have pets does he get on with them / feed them whilst you are away?

depending on how you answer the above would for me have an impact on additional rent.....

you could keep one good lodger and let his girlfriend move in for a really reasonable rent knowing they will look after the place and pay the rent. OR you could take a risk and have people you don't know in your house....

having had very nasty people in my house i would prefer to have someone i know and guaranteed income rather than strangers....

mind you see my other thread about the tumble dryer - take things like that into account if you dont know her and make strict rules!!!!!

klizw

spugzbunny wrote: »

thing is - I don't think you can. I think the rent-a-room scheme is saying you can ONLY charge rent. No consumable expenses regardless of whether they increase due to them being there. I agree it seems backwards but I'm pretty sure that is what it is saying.

I think I'll try to speak to someone there because what if a lodger moved in who wanted sky etc, surely they would pay it in their own name? Other utilities are no different as they are all consumables, seems the rules are a bit iffy

spugzbunny

klizw wrote: »

He is very at home here, I don't have family pictures around the house and neither does he, he does have personal things in shared rooms though

Sorry - I wasn't suggesting he wasn't. I just wondered how I would get on with lodging somewhere - it sounds like your situation is completely different to any I have previously considered. Please disregard my previous post. It wasn't ment to de-rail the discussion.

spugzbunny

klizw wrote: »

I think I'll try to speak to someone there because what if a lodger moved in who wanted sky etc, surely they would pay it in their own name? Other utilities are no different as they are all consumables, seems the rules are a bit iffy

yes i would definately try and speak to someone - I find directgov confusing at best!

klizw

spugzbunny wrote: »

yes i would definately try and speak to someone - I find directgov confusing at best!

Yeah it seems a bit weird, cos someone could have a job where they work from home a lot, or part time, or not at all even! and obviously use a lot more utilities, I dont think its fair to expect a landlord to pay tax on their lodger having a shower!

klizw

I think I'm successfully more confused!! He is a good housemate and don't want to push him away by going to high but its also my home and to share it with another person I need to have good reason so I can't charge to little. He basically does no housework, which doesn't bother me that much as he is good in other ways and I think I just get to the housework first! but I'm hoping his girlfriend will help out more! I think I might suggest £550 and see their reaction, if it seems way off I might go down a wee bit to £525. I don't think I could even go down to £500 as £150pm doesn't make sufficient difference to me to have an extra body in my home.

[Deleted User]

It's simple.. break down his rent on paper into various bits (mortgage contribution, gas, leccy, water, phone/internet, insurance).. then either double them or add 25% to them (e.g. add 25% to his portion of the mortgage, add 50% to the 'consumable bills' like electricity and gas - depending on how your cooker works).

Try to do it fair and explainable. Think about what will add to bills and what will be a 'personal space expense' - e.g. an extra person using the shower/TV.

When i flatshared my housemate just moved his girlfriend in without telling us.. she used the shower all the bloody time and it drove me nuts!

Jowo_2

Market rent, not the expenses incurred by the OP, should be main driver when calculating the new rent as a couple.

If the OP and her husband are having reservations about the extra person in the house, and the way the dynamic may change or resources/space be stretched, then perhaps they could set an inexpensive revised rent and tell the couple that it's so they can save towards a deposit on a self-contained property and that the new lodging contract will expire in 3 months time. That way, you know when you get your property back to yourselves and this is a polite way of saying that your house is just interim accommodation for them to find an onward nest together.