Real life MMD: Should I charge my bro?

marich

He's your brother - so you'll know fine well what regard you hold him in .

Either help him (and then do it with a good heart) or tell him that you won't .

Wondering if it's OK asking for 10% - get real ! What a worm !

Malices

It depends on the relationship between you and your brother. If you're close, I don't think you'd consider charging in the first place, however.

So that makes me think it's quite a business like relationship in the first place, in which case, fine, but as a courtesy since he's family, I would reiterate that it's possible to do it himself and show him where to go for advice, and if he still wants you to do it, be upfront and tell him what you want in return. If it's 10%, fine - if he doesn't like it, he will find someone else. Personally, I wouldn't go higher than 10% since you don't know when the tables might turn. What would your brother do if the shoe were on the other foot?....Something to ponder....

bangersnmash

Sometimes I do small or even big favours to people for free without wanting anything back in return. Or sometimes a token thank you such as a bottle of wine or a possible favour at some later date is nice. But it's not particularly necessary. I don't necessarily expect or want any reward, especially not off poorer people. It's just nice to help out and be of use.

Other times I charge, either a percent or an hourly rate. Particularly if it's someone well off or rich so they can easily afford it plus because they're rich it's only a relatively small amount to them, the same as a fiver is to me.

If I'm making them a load of money then I think in general it's reasonable for me to be cut in on the success when it comes in. Or even up front. If I make a grand for someone then it's reasonable for me to get a oner out of it.

Or if it took a fairly chunky amount of effort and work or cleverness out of me to achieve it then actually I'd like £200 or even half please, thank you.

In this instance if there aren't any favours stored up previously then I think 10% is possibly reasonable, even if it's only a bit of work, except for the following exceptions.

If it takes a lot of work then maybe 20% would be more appropriate. It's saving the brother the work of doing it himself and even 20% is still cheaper than the 25%+ that he'd be paying if he used a commercial outfit.

However, if the brother has been, for instance, regularly mending his brother's car for him for free or lending him his holiday home for free or doing some other good favours previously then perhaps he ought to do it for free as a brotherly favour.

Another variable to consider is that if the brother with the claim is well off but the brother doing work to get the claim sorted out is poor and needs some work then it's reasonable for the richer brother to pay the poorer brother for the work he does.

And vice versa, if the brother doing the work to get the claim sorted is significantly better off than the one whose claim it is then perhaps he ought to do it for free just to be helpful. If brother who is doing the work to get the claim owns a big mansion outright without even a mortgage to pay and has a thumping great big bank balance and two brand new top of the range cars at £80k each and all the rest in his drive etc whereas brother whose claim it is lives in a grotty little rented bedsit and is months behind with his rent and about to get thrown out then of course the rich brother should do the work for free and it would be a bit outrageous if, despite his great riches, he was nevertheless still greedy enough to want to skim 10% off it.

So it all depends. In some situations it would be appropriate but not in some others.

birkee

AshleyJane wrote: »

Your opinion is so misplaced like the person stated above; you are wrong check out martins blog. We dont need people like you on this site spurning off ill informed information. Before you make such sweeping statements about people why dont you read a bit more and actually understand what it is you are talking about...

PPI isnt just a small silly mistake made by some stupid people... it has been a major investigation and has resulted in legal action whereby people who were fraudulently missold something and stolen from where able to claim it back...

Your ignorance is sickening

Are you saying they slip a few hundred pounds on the repayments, and you don't even notice or query it?

Your stupidity is sickening!

birkee

Give em a bottle of wine, to say thank you!
Some people Do live in a surreal world compared to others.

For my Brother, I took the engine out of his car and overhauled it. Must have saved him a fortune, so I don't think a bottle of wine says much of a thank you.
Not only that, he was also offering my services to his friends and neighbours. Fix a TV here, a washing machine there, repair a broken down car.

Never once did I charge HIM or them, but for damn sure I wouldn't be as stupid these days.

So yes, if he were still alive now, I would certainly put a price on any help given.

These days, I am constantly helping another Brothers Widow,(16 years a Widow) and I would go to any lengths to do so, and never expect ANYTHING in return.

So which sort of relatives are you talking about, when you state quite firmly what YOUR position is?

p.s. And I don't drink damned wine anyway! So DO NOT sling one my way! It seems like a 'can't be bothered' gift anyway.

Money_Saving_Forever

People need to get a grip! Only he is best positioned to make that choice so stop getting personal! I know someone who could have retired comfortably had he have the balls to start up a company 40 years ago and charge for the endless services he provided from rebuilding engines to installing complete heating systems for friends and family and by HELL a crappy bottle of whatever IS not enough gratitude to say the least! I don't like being indebted to ANYONE so I myself FORCE money at my uncle whenever he works on my car as I am of no use to him so it is only right that I compensate him with money!

At the end of the day if your 'bro' is decent he will throw a few bob your way depending on how much he gets back... there's many arguments for and against, but we don't have the full facts...

Ebenezer_Screwj

I would show him the procedure unless there is is any reason why he is unable to do it himself. I wouldn't charge a fee but maybe suggest that it's "his round" or maybe there is something that he can help you out with in return.

SJ_Jones

birkee wrote: »

Are you saying they slip a few hundred pounds on the repayments, and you don't even notice or query it?

Your stupidity is sickening!

Seriously???? After being pointed in the direction of Martin's blog you still insist that all people who were missold PPI are stupid?

Misselling isn't just sneaking the payments on without telling the customer.

I was missold it when I was straight out of Uni 10 years ago, I went into my bank to ask for an extension on my overdraft for over Christmas. I came out with a loan and a credit card. PPI on both, after being lied to about what it covers. This was the start of my debt spiral, which I am now digging myself out of. I reclaimed that PPI. I wasn't stupid, I just trusted that my bank were telling me the truth.

Please, don't make ignorant assumptions and throw insults at people based on them! :mad:

shazzap67

Charge your brother? What kind of person would do that? Surely that's what families are for - to help each other. I would be horrified if I was charged to help or for help from any of my siblings - I hate to think how much I would owe my elder brother for maths homework help, or how much I could have charged my younger brother for help with his decorating.... as for what my sister could have paid me for all the times I was her practice hair during her college days!!! This person should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking of charging

lclark

It's interesting how many people assumed the person asking the moral dilema question is male. I assumed it was a female but I am a female myself so maybe that's why. The question poser never states what sex she ;-) is, she simply talks about having a brother.

Nothing to do with the question, sorry about that. It just struck me as very interesting when I read the first post referring to the question poser as a he and I wondered for a split second who 'he' was. I had to go back and read the dilema again as I'd been so sure it was a girl. Weird the way our minds work.

For my penny's worth I was initially shocked when I read the dilema that he/she/it would ever dream of charging her brother. Having read all the posts I guess some people do have a point. I still think you shouldn't charge though. If they are really not close siblings then why is he asking for her help in the first place.