Charging rent for 21 year old

depurple1

Reading this makes me realise even more how wonderful my parents have been to me!

I finished university and wanted to move in with my boyfriend while saving up for a house. They felt that was a bit silly to rent a flat, so instead we both lived with them for 2 years. They didn't charge rent, as they said they would prefer if we saved up for our own house (which they could see we were doing).

We did help in the house though, and shared the food bill. They don't have a mortgage but they covered all of the household bills. We looked after the garden, and paid for anything needed there, and grew lots of veggies. We also paid for some one-off expenses - we bought them a vacuum cleaner when the old one broke, bought them a new TV, etc.

This meant that we were able to afford the deposit on our house a lot sooner than we would have been able to if we were paying rent. We still see them nearly every day though - we moved about 100 yards down the road!

Bear_family

When I lived with my parents 2 years ago, I paid £100 a month, but got it all back when I got married and bought a place with my husband. He incidently was paying £250 a month (and in serious debt when I met him), which went into his folks pockets for their fancy holidays abroad and they never gave a thought to advising him how to save money and be frugal. Took me 2 years to sort him out and put him on the straight and narrow. Incidentally, one of their other sons has had to pay off their mortgage with a lump sum as both are over retirement age and ailing and can't work anymore – nice example! Sorry for the rant!

crazymo

My son is 28 and pays no rent to me. He knows how expensive things are as he once had a mortgage but when he split with his girlfriend they had to sell up. I am a widow and do not work. I do all his laundry and cook all his meals, he has to pay maintenance for his daughter. Not certain what he earns but he is a self employed joiner

Js_Other_Half

crazymo wrote: »

My son is 28 and pays no rent to me. He knows how expensive things are as he once had a mortgage but when he split with his girlfriend they had to sell up. I am a widow and do not work. I do all his laundry and cook all his meals, he has to pay maintenance for his daughter. Not certain what he earns but he is a self employed joiner

So why are you putting up with it? You're obviously not happy with the situation otherwise you would not have posted about it?

Sit down with him and show him the bills - maybe he thinks you're better off than you are?

Good luck.

Alfa_Female

Hi! My Sister is 30 and has lived with us for the past 8 years, she earns just over £100p/m take-home. Up until December last year she paid us £150 p/m keep, but we put it up to £200p/m in January as it hadn't gone up in the whole time she'd been here.

Her rent includes her board/lodging and includes phone, computer use (paper/ink etc), some washing/drying, gas & electric and the occasional Sunday lunch. She buys all her own food.

Smileysunflower

My just recently moved out 21 year old was paying me £250 a month, earned approx £800 a month. That included all food, phone, not inconsiderable gas, electricity and water, taxi service (me) and full laundry service (also me). Oh, and cleaning services too!

tallgirld

when I lived at home 14 years ago I was paying £40 a month. I then made a big fuss and it was reduced to £25!!! When I left home and started renting it cost me £240 a month. This is when I realised how lucky and spoilt I was at home!!!! I therefore do not feel that I am in any position to make a valid comment as I sponged off my mum for years!!! LOVE YOU MUM :-)

tBagpuss_2

one way to work it out would be to look at what you currently pay for yourrent/mortgge and other bills as a proportion of your income, and suggest that he should pay a similar proportion of his income as his 'rent'.

Alternativley, I definately think he should pay something closer to a 'real' rent - £300 a month at least, if he is earning £900.

If this leaves you able to make savings you can always then offer to give or lend him money towards a deposit when he wants to move out, if you like.

When I moved back in with my parents (due to my job moving) I paid 1/3 of the bills. I was still paying a mortgage on my own house, which I was trying to sell, but paid them about £100 per month as rent as well (this was 6 years ago) and also did a fair share of the household tasks, cooking etc. I was paying les than a market rent but was paying, proportionally, at least as much of my income into the household as they were. We all felt it was fair.

Jays

Hi

If a son/daughter pays rent does that mean they are entitled to a rent book?

What legal position would the parents be in if they decide to sell their house and move whilst a son or daughter pays rent?

Last time we moved I remember being asked how old our children where, and the implication was if our eldest son was over 18 he would have to consent to the move.

If a son or daughter was paying rent but the family 'fall out' and the parents wanted the son/daughter to move out, how would they stand legally?

Just wondered if anyone had encountered these problems, or knew the answers. We aren't in any of these situations ourselves.

Jays

ailuro2

Work out the proprtion of bills they cost you, minus the mortgage- so if the food bill is £100 a week for a family of four they pay £25, plus 1/4 of heating bills,council tax,home insurance,extra costs at Christmas etc.Also charge them full price for any Sky additions they insist on.1/4 of the standing charge for phone rental too.
- they will soon get a realistic idea of how much it costs to run a home, without actually paying 'rent'.

In return for this they can contribute to 1/4 of the housework, choose 1/4 of the food menu etc.

alternatively charge them 1/4 of their take home pay and tell them if they don't like it they know where the door is!:p