should i charge my student son "rent"

Gemmzie

Definitely, otherwise it gives a false idea of real life living as an adult.

I'm giving my parents £200 a month, I earn a little less than your son and am on a little less loan wise.

misscomickat

It is a bit of a tricky one. Presumably he is staying at home to save money.

Do you own your home or do you have to pay rent or mortgage?

I think it is only fair to ask him to chip in for what he uses eg food, electric, bills etc. But it has to be fair, he will not want to feel you are profiting from him.

I don't know what a reasonable sum is, you will have to work that out together. As a student I paid around £40 a week rent for a room in a private house, obviously plus food and gas/electric.

melancholly

i think some idea of what the real world costs is one of the most important things you can learn at university....... so i would charge him! you don't have to make it what commercial rates would be, but an amount for 'housekeeping' is more than fair.

PasturesNew

My friend has just rented a room in a student house in Hull.
His rent is £55/week and includes all bills. So all he has to pay is his food.

I think you should charge him. It's not like you're trying to make money out of him.

adidas

I agree with what most people have said here. I'm in a bit of different situation in that I pay rent when I'm back in the holidays at my normal home address because I work and it affects the benefits. I disagree with this but I still pay it anyway because I have no other option. It is too expensive to move out and I am saving money at the end of the day. I do agree with Broke student, you should tell him in a certain way and it certainly does feel a lot less like 'home' now.

ian_mitchell_2

I don't think you should be making money of your son, but if you want to teach him to manage his finances, how about asking him for £50 a week, and then putting it in a savings account for him. Then when he's finished uni you can give him the £7000, this can go towards a deposit for his first house.

Ian

x2o

I agree i think your son should pay house keep. It gives your son a chance to start living in the real world.

It never hurt me when my folks started charging me rent even through college and Uni it gives you the skills to manage your money and to realise how to use it better I think.

Anyway good luck with what ever you decide.

freebie_junkie

ian_mitchell wrote: »

I don't think you should be making money of your son, but if you want to teach him to manage his finances, how about asking him for £50 a week, and then putting it in a savings account for him. Then when he's finished uni you can give him the £7000, this can go towards a deposit for his first house.

Ian

thats not teaching him anything, i wish teh council and united utilities and powergen did this for me but unfortunately they keep the money i give them!

living alone or even in student accomodation costs a lot of money and i think that by charging him rent, the op will be easing her son into this. he will be saving money compared to living alone and she will be able to cover the costs of him living there. £50 a week wont totally cover all of the stuff he will use so its not like she will eb making money off him or anything is it!

my oh never had to pay keep even when he got a decnet full time job and he nearly had a heart attack when he moved in with me and found out how much half of the bills would cost him each month!

Rikki

With the loan and the grant which is paid in three installments he will have £1,700 a term.

The University year is about 31 weeks so dividing a terms money between 10 weeks he will have £170 a week to live on. Plus the money from his part time job and holiday work.

He should also apply to the university for a bursary. If he is entitled to a maintenence grant, the universitys usually have funds avaliable in the form of a bursary for these student. Certainly worth asking.

You have lost probably about £60+ in Child benifit and Child tax credit.

He is an adult now and although he is living with you it is a hard world out there and if you teach him to pay his way now it will be easier for him in the future.

Personally I would have a third as board and lodgings, save a third for him too, and the third thats left for his personal expences, toiletries, travel clothes and going out.

This will give him some idea as he may want to move into a student flat next year.

Rikki

ian_mitchell wrote: »

I don't think you should be making money of your son, but if you want to teach him to manage his finances, how about asking him for £50 a week, and then putting it in a savings account for him. Then when he's finished uni you can give him the £7000, this can go towards a deposit for his first house.

Ian

This would be fine if you weren't on a low income and were no longer in receipt of child benefit and CTC.