Living with a partner - how to decide what she should contribute financially?

[Deleted User]

Don't forget about the 'rent-a-room' scheme! https://www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/the-rent-a-room-scheme

Personally, i'd not be asking for rent (since your costs won't actually go up by her moving in). It will also mean in the event of a split, she won't have any claim on the property.

Split the living costs (bills, food) and that'll make life simple

scottishblondie

My boyfriend is moving in with me in a few months. We earn more or less the same amount. Our current plan is to split all bills and living costs 50/50, and he will pay the equivalent of 50% of the mortgage into a savings account which we will keep for holidays etc (or maybe for our wedding!). The house is solely in my name and will stay that way until we get married, so I will continue to pay 100% of the mortgage myself.

vacheron

nakiwala123 wrote: »

I have just bought a house with my boyfriend and from our combined salary I earn 65% of it. So all our bills and mortgage are split accordingly, he puts in 35% of each bill for example if council tax is £100, he will contribute £35 and I will pay the other £65. But then it is a litlle different from your situation as we bought the house together and it's in both our names.

We did the same. Split according to the amount we earned. therefore if the bills cost 40% of our combined income, we both pay 40% and keep 60%. We both worked the same amount of hours to pay each bill.

It's also fairer if one person gets a pay rise. 10% payrise means 10% more spare cash in the pocket at the end of the month.

It's also fairer if one party is greedy. say bills are £900pm and one party earns £500 and the other £2000. If shared equally, party 1 only has £50 left for the month when the bills are halved, party 2 has £1550. If party 2 likes the heating way up and the gas goes up by £100 per month, party 1 will have nothing left at all for themselves, and party 2 will have £1500.

Therefore in your position I would split all the bills according to income but in your case leave the house out of the equation for now.

playaz

Really love this forum - all the information provided is a great help guys!

StuC75

A more weighted approach to splitting the bills could be taken.

With my ex we made a list of each of the monthly bills and the amount 'split' that were happy to make, some were all mine, some hers, some split 50/50 and some based on earnings split.. Whatever left after was then 'each to do as wish'...

e.g. Not actuals but just to demonstrate..

bill amount Me% Partner% Me£ Partner£
Mtg £600 65% 35% 390 210
LifeIns£50 50% 50% 25 25 (since each benefit)
M!!! £20 100% 0% 20 0 (each paid own)
M!!! £15 0 100% 0 15
Sky £50 100% 0 50 0 (Cos I wanted it)
C Tax £120 50 50 60 60

etc..

one word of caution avoid taking any joint loans out to buy things!

playaz

StuC75 wrote: »

bill amount Me% Partner% Me£ Partner£
M!!! £20 100% 0% 20 0 (each paid own)
M!!! £15 0 100% 0 15

Thanks for the post, most helpful! I just wondered what the two items with M!!! are?

happycamel_2

My now husband was supposed to pay me rent when he moved in with me (he was receiving rent on his old place). He never paid up, he saved for a bigger engagement ring and honeymoon instead and proposed six months later. The way I see it, that means I bought my own ring and I still claim I only said yes so I got some money from the arrangement!

Shoe is on the other foot now though, I'm a stay at home mum.

StuC75

How odd, was supposed to be mobile 1 & 2 for separate mobile bills..

Having clarity on what bills each pay, and what each are happy with will make things easier to work through; other suggestions regarding having partner not pay to the mortgage but instead have a savings pot for long term \ hols etc may achieve the same in long run.. that way if you do marry then its easy to merge all together (as it would then..),,

playaz wrote: »

Thanks for the post, most helpful! I just wondered what the two items with M!!! are?

playaz

StuC75 wrote: »

How odd, was supposed to be mobile 1 & 2 for separate mobile bills..

Of course - makes pure sense for each person to pay their own mobile phone contract.

Thanks for the quick response

silk_2

I'm confused as to why she hasn't already sat you down and told you what she will pay / can afford. I mean.. you have to ask her? That's just weird.