Board/rent for working teenage children

Bat_E

The only discussion I can find on this is from years ago and therefore a bit out of date.

My 19 year old son earns just above minimum wage and we need to start charging him board.

We feed him, I do all his laundry etc. and the only thing he spends his money on are clothes, going out and his car.

What's an acceptable amount to charge him? I don't mind doing things for him but it's about time he started paying his own way.

Thanks.

Mirno

25-33% of his "normal" take home pay.

If he rented with friends, he'd pay probably the same amount (where you live tends to scale with earnings, at least for most people).
If you feel that you don't want to take too much, but want to stick with the principal of making him pay his way, consider putting some of the amount in a separate account and give it back to him at some point in the future (deposit/buying furniture when he moves out).

Mirno

BitterAndTwisted

This has proven to be an EXTREMELY contentious subject and comes up on this forum regularly!

One school of thought, where the family really do need their child's contribution is to ask for one third of their take-home pay. One only has to do a search on web-sites like spareroom to find out what a room in a shared house could cost, and that won't necessarily cover Council Tax and utility bills, to make a comparison.

Other schools of thought, where parents do not actually need a contribution is to accept board but stash the money away in a savings account and present those savings as a lump sum to the child when they move eventually move out.

There are opinions in all shades in between those two positions because neither of those is "right" in all cases, for all families, in all circumstances.

The only "right" one for you is the one which is fair to both you and your child, one hopes.

Buzzybee90

bat_e wrote: »

the only discussion i can find on this is from years ago and therefore a bit out of date.

My 19 year old son earns just above minimum wage and we need to start charging him board.

We feed him, i do all his laundry etc. And the only thing he spends his money on are clothes, going out and his car.

What's an acceptable amount to charge him? I don't mind doing things for him but it's about time he started paying his own way.

Thanks.

£250-£300.

BitterAndTwisted

Regardless of the amount you choose to charge him, you should not be doing his damned laundry! He should have been doing his own for the last few years as an absolute minimum. I suggest you try and stop treating him like a toddler and consider treating him like an adult or he'll never be out from under your feet.

pops5588

It's tough one, because my Mum could have, and I think some thought should have, charged me more when I was living at home. But the fact she only charged me £100 meant that I was able to save like crazy and now own my own house.

Although having said that I did my own cooking, washing, treated her to a meal out every so often etc.

74jax

I'm a firm believer in 3rds, a third to you, spend a third and save a third. Of course he might not save it, but that's how i would hope it goes.

My DD is 15 and does her own washing. And she also cooks our dinner once a week too.

Bat_E

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'll discuss with my husband and we can decide between us.

koan_2

It's about finding a balance. You don't want to exploit your child and charge them rent, but equally you don't want them treating the place like a free hotel!

Putting some money aside for him in order to save for a house deposit sounds like a very good idea, especially if he's not really into saving his money and tends to spend it all.

HappyMJ

A little less than the market rate for a room in your area. A room in my area can be rented for £40 a week with some bills included so maybe £30 a week excluding food which he can sort out. https://www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/staffordshire/burton-on-trent/3150671

lika_86

Whilst he may be a teenager, he's also an adult.

Maybe think of it that way, if an adult lodger moved in, what would you charge?