renting a room out

Wee_Willy_Harris

maka wrote: »

just had a look on spareroom website 4 rooms to rent inc apart from food

1st was £395pcm about £95weekly
2nd was £385 same agin roughly
3rd was £90 a week
4th was £95 a week

But it's far more complex than this. For a start, those prices quoted are for allowing a stranger to live in your home rather than a trusted relative. Many landlords will reduce the rent for a good tenant, which is clearly what you have (and yes, before the pedants strike, I know he's a lodger). It may be a better approach to ask for a contribution to the bills rather than a rent increase. It's the same result, but it may be more palatable to him. If you charge him full whack, of course, he may decide that living with his sister isn't his bag and !!!!!! off somewhere else, leaving you with a considerable drop in household income.

Jowo_2

I'm not sure that the household is getting much benefit from his £50 per week contribution as it includes food which may swallow up easily a half or two thirds of that, leaving the OP around £10 to £25 pw better off at most.

Obviously, costs like Sky, WIFI, council tax, television licence, water (if unmetered), insurance are going to cost the same with or without his presence in the property whereas there will be a modest increase in energy consumption and an increase in grocery expenses.

maka_2

contribution to the bills maybe a way to go with this if he moved out i thin we would be in the same situation as we are now because he leaves lights and heating tv's computer on,

Jowo_2

maka wrote: »

contribution to the bills maybe a way to go with this if he moved out i thin we would be in the same situation as we are now because he leaves lights and heating tv's computer on,

I believe you can buy gadgets that prevent electrical items from being left on stand-by but I think that this and leaving lighting isn't particularly expensive in the scheme of things, though granted, it is wasteful.

I've had a thermostat/timer for a central heating that allowed me to lock the LCD display and prevent people from making changes to it, such as switching on the heating outside of the set times.

PasturesNew

To be seen to be being "fair", why not ask for £50 + 1/4 of the electricity/gas/water and 1/4 of the food bills + he has to stump up for a takeaway once a month.

That way it's more in line with what he's costing you - and no point can be argued as being too much.

Jenniefour

maka wrote: »

not keen on renting to anyone else infact would be nice to have our house back to ourselfs

When you say it would be nice the house back for yourselves, is this your wife's preference as well?

If so, and it might help for you and her to have a chat about this, then it may well be time to let him know that you're pleased to have been in a position to help him out while he's been getting back on his feet and now's the time for him to get a place of his own.

Otherwise, I think 18 months at 50 quid a week all in is extremely generous by most people's standards, as others have pointed out this would barely cover the food for a grown man. In your case, you do not have a lot of money to spare, have to be careful - so it is more than generous to be doing this for 18 months. If you both decide he has the option of staying then the money side needs to more accurately reflect the real cost - and leave a bit over for yourselves. You are doing him a favour so there now needs to be something in it for yourselves - which is an amount of money where you know for certain you are not subsidising your BIL cost wise.

No wonder he wants to stay !! He knows he's onto a good thing.