How much is it reasonable to contribute if living with boyfriend?

NYGiants

cjdavies wrote: »

If it wasn't for the lodger I would have suggested 50/50 on all bills.

I'm assuming from the post that she will be replacing the lodger, so I would suggest a 50/50 split on bills (unless one person earns a lot more than the other).

The money saved by not contributing towards rent should be put into an ISA. At least if a few years down the line things don't work out you have a nice little sum of money to put down as a deposit on your own place.

angrypirate

Set up a joint bank account and pay for all the bills and food out of this. Put in the same amount each, every month. Job done

janthemum

When I was sharing my ex OHs house (some years ago) for 3 years. he insisted I didnt pay any rent, food money or bills. 3 years down the line he chucked me out with my stuff in black bin bags, i obviously had no claim at all.

Fair enough I had no claim had a few savings and had , had a good 3 years.

Felt pretty devestated driving away with my black bin bags though!

BitterAndTwisted

angrypirate wrote: »

Set up a joint bank account and pay for all the bills and food out of this. Put in the same amount each, every month. Job done

Having a joint bank account or any other financial product with anyone you aren't married to is risky in the extreme. I would suggest that the OP does the exact opposite if the b/f doesn't want to the OP to have any claim on the property should the relationship end.

justme111

is it just me who keeps reading the OP's username the wrong way?

orangeslimes

I'm not surprised he doesn't want a contribution from you. If you pay him a penny - even towards food and bills - you potentially have a claim to half the property (or more).

Knowing my boyfriend I doubt he will have thought of that...he hasn't said he doesn't want a penny either, just that he didn't want rent. Also I am in Scotland where the law may be different?

It is not the same at all for the lodger (unless the lodger is sleeping with him).

I am pretty sure he isn't sleeping with his lodger...but I don't see why if his lodger did start sleeping with him it would give him a share of the house?

I think you both need to visit separate solicitors and get an agreement drawn up, declaring that you have no interest in his property.

Seems a bit overkill?

When I was sharing my ex OHs house (some years ago) for 3 years. he insisted I didnt pay any rent, food money or bills. 3 years down the line he chucked me out with my stuff in black bin bags, i obviously had no claim at all.

Yes, it does worry me what might happen if we fell out... I would also feel like a scrounger if I didn't pay anything.

Does he not pay any rent back to his parents?

No he doesnt!

I still have a while to decide whether it is a good idea anyway, as I have a few months on my current lease, and his lodger is planning on staying till the summer. Plus I need to think about whether we are ready etc, it just seems to make sense when he will have an empty room and I might be around a lot anyway...and it will be cheaper than renting somewhere else.
I was just interested to know what other people make these things work though...so thank you for all your responses.

sonastin

Half of all running costs e.g. food and bills. Nothing towards capital maintenance costs, e.g. boiler services. Basically half of what you would pay if you were tennants while he picks up all of the costs that a landlord would pay.

If you know you're not the sort of person to claim his house out of spite if you split and he hasn't thought of the possibility, its probably not worth bothering. If you think the red mist could descend if he chucked you out and you want to make sure you can't do that to him, a legal agreement could be drawn up to make it harder if you do end up splitting up...

angrypirate

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Having a joint bank account or any other financial product with anyone you aren't married to is risky in the extreme. I would suggest that the OP does the exact opposite if the b/f doesn't want to the OP to have any claim on the property should the relationship end.

Assuming it is only bills, food and entertainment paid for out of the account then whats the issue? If you start paying for house maintenance out of the account then it could get risky.