Do you pay rent if you live at home?

sharp910sh

If I had a son at home I would charge him a the bills and food and what not. As he is at university I would not charge him rent.

I would encourage him to go to another university far away from me.

redskyatnight_2

If the child/student is staying at home, past the age of 18, (whether they were at uni or not,) then I most certainly would charge him or her living expenses. Up to when they are 18, many people get child benefit and tax credits for their child, but it stops the August after they're 18 (or when they stop full time education,) so many people would need some contribution from their offspring.

If they stayed at home (and didn't attend uni,) they would have wages or JSA, which I would expect a portion of. Similarly, if they were attending uni, they would/should have some form of income (eg; maintenance grant.) They are adults and cannot live for free; nor is it fair for them to expect to.

So I would definitely expect a contribution. Unless you have a fair amount of surplus income: I don't see how anyone could allow their child who is at uni and but living at home, to be rent free and not contribute anything: after all, if they lived away, they would have to pay for EVERYthing. And in the real world, young people don't have parents with money trees to subsidise them.

My niece starts uni in September and is going to a uni far away, and her parents have made it very clear that they won't be paying for anything, as because she will no longer be contributing to the family budget, they literally can't afford to give anything to her. When she is 18, she is going to get a new phone in her name and she asked if they were still going to pay her £25 a month phone contract when she was at uni LOL. Her mother couldn't believe her ears. How about NO?!

Once you're an adult, you have to contribute to the household, and obviously if you choose to live away (at uni or just somewhere away from home,) you have to support yourself.

It's OK to help and support your (adult) child - if you are able to - if they are very desperate and need help badly for some reason, but supporting them financially - just because you can - when they've left home, or letting them live at home rent free and taking nothing from them, is a terrible idea, and it does them no good either. I have known many a person who lets their offspring live for nothing - even into their mid 20s, even when they're working full time. Yeah right LOL!

My niece harps on about this friend and that, whose parents send them money all the time, and one who apparently had his mother pay the full year's rent on his accommodation. If that is true, then I find it incorrigible. I said to her: so much for independent living! And her mother said 'I'm glad they've got the money to spare! Many people don't!'

Of course, if you CAN afford it (and many cannot; ) then making them cough up and saving it for them is not a bad idea, but even then, I would be afraid they'd squander it when you dished out the 1000s you had saved. My neighbour's nephew was given five grand a year ago, in his grandad's will, and he blew it in 5 months on crap he didn't need, and he is 24! So I am not sure that is such a good idea, as I believe many young folk would squander the money.

mintymoneysaver

sharp910sh wrote: »

If I had a son at home I would charge him a the bills and food and what not. As he is at university I would not charge him rent.

I would encourage him to go to another university far away from me.

Believe me, I did!:rotfl:Unfortunately, for a massive variety of reasons it didn't work. I would still live her to live in halls even though she is going to a local Uni!

GoldenShadow

Well, my friends at uni all got more loan than I did because my Mum earnt more. The govt expect your parents to help out to a degree, there is no doubting that.

My Mum and Dad actually paid for both of my brother's accommodation whilst they were at uni (both did masters, so four years each).

I went to an away uni but dropped out after 6 weeks and went to one from home. I don't speak to my Dad and haven't for years. I live with my Mum and she doesn't charge me anything. Its quite a lot cheaper having me here than paying half of my accommodation elsewhere, plus I buy all my own food, sort out the dogs and do a fair portion of the cleaning etc. I'm pretty confident I cost less than £150 a month to keep which is what Ma paid for my last brother per month.

Probably depends on the individual but I'm confident I manage money well, as is my Mum and she's more than happy to have me here at no charge. Works for us.

Person_one

I wouldn't charge her rent, but I'd get her to stick the vast majority of her loan in an ISA with no access and just keep a small amount back for spends and travel costs.

If you don't need the money from her to keep the house running, that's what will set her up best for the future. When she graduates she can use the lump sum for a house deposit, or a decent car for work, or as a buffer should she ever be unemployed after she moves out.

Mojisola

Dunroamin wrote: »

I think paying rent is optional but paying for food and utilities isn't, otherwise the whole grant/loan just becomes spending money.

And she should be doing a fair share of the household jobs.

barginboyrob

When I graduated and moved back home, then I paid rent just £250 per month, plus pay for internet/phones etc,

To be honest that barely even covers the amount of food i eat!

charleybear

I go to college, not uni.
I don't pay rent but i have to help with the upkeep
of the house such as tidying up,do the washing, keeping eye on the dogs etc...

dizzyrascal

My Youngest went to our local university and so lived at home. This meant she could also keep her part time job and work all the year. She took a placement year and earned money (she did pay rent then) and also managed to save enough to move out for her final year and reduce her part time work.
I didn't charge her rent when she lived at home as I felt it was the best way for me to contribute to her upkeep/future. It also meant that she left university with a good degree and her only debts are her course fees (about 10k) rather than having a larger debt which would have included her living costs.
It would have seemed bonkers for me to charge her rent for it to just become part of a long term debt.
I was pretty much a single parent for most of her life (separated when she was 3) so we never had exotic holidays or a luxury lifestyle so I saw this as an important contribution. That may have coloured my view but she did learn to save and live frugally and she still does but without a huge debt to repay.

nicole2216

ive read this thread outloud to my daughter (who starts uni in Sept) and will be living at home.
My question is, at the moment we are in receipt of benefits.
Will these benefits be affected by daughters loans/grants/bursery?
She has no qualms about paying towards her upkeep/rent call it what you like. She is adamant she wants to contribute. If we lose Housing benefit because of her 'income' then I feel its only fair she contributes the amount that we loose.
Does this sound fair to other parents?