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How much rent should I ask from my son

Sooetie
Sooetie Posts: 141 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
edited 22 October 2016 at 11:30PM in MoneySaving mums
Hi.

I'm new to the Mums forum but an older mum.

Just had an issue with my younger son who is now 18 and has a good job earning more than me.

As I am downsizing to get rid of mortgage and be nearer my mum who has memory problems he thinks he should pay less.

He pays £75 a week which includes extra TV box for his room and not for his girl friend who has lived here for most of the year.

He actually asked me to show him the new bills when I move so we can work out how much he costs!

My older son pays £65 a week but doesn't have the TV box and also doesn't have a problem with his rent

Does the younger think I spent 18 years to be treated like that?

I may be wrong but what does it cost?
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Comments

  • Lily-Rose_3
    Lily-Rose_3 Posts: 2,732 Forumite
    edited 22 October 2016 at 11:26PM
    Wow cheeky LOL!

    At the end of the day it's your house, and you make the rules. £75 a week? Can't decide if that is OK as I don't know what he earns, but £300 a month doesn't sound TOO bad, for rent, bills, council tax, washing and ironing, food, and sky tv!!! (And probably the landline phone, house insurances, including house contents, and tv licence!)

    He is still your son, and I think you have to cut him some slack, but that is a wee bit cheeky of him!

    How much would he cost? Who knows? Depends on each individual. Doubt he costs £300 a month though. Still, that doesn't mean he shouldn't pay that! If he is a decent person, he would surely want to help you financially.

    You could say 'no matter WHAT you 'cost' I want £300 a month from you for board money. If you don't like it, you are welcome to see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere!'
    Proud to have lost over 3 stone (45 pounds,) in the past year! :j Now a size 14!


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  • Sambella
    Sambella Posts: 417 Forumite
    I've helped Parliament
    I don't charge my son that much but it's your house and your rules!

    He is free to privately rent if he wishes and pay bills on top of that :cool:
  • Sooetie
    Sooetie Posts: 141 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Now I seem to be really mean.

    Lily-Rose you have good points but when a boy becomes an adult why should I continue to subsidise him.
    I did receive child tax credits and based it on that.
    I also did my sums and dont come far off £69 a week.
    Some may be able to ask for less just to get them used to paying.

    Sambella - a room is over £100 a week so its his choice

    He's always got a room at mine
    For £75

    lol



    Obviously I won't chuck him out
  • Sambella
    Sambella Posts: 417 Forumite
    I've helped Parliament
    The only thing you should maybe worry about is that you are charging them such a sum that you will miss it quite badly if they moved out at the same time.

    If my son moved out the subsequent drop in grocery shopping and utility bills cost would cover the loss for me.
  • Jackieboy
    Jackieboy Posts: 1,010 Forumite
    Sooetie wrote: »
    Now I seem to be really mean.

    Lily-Rose you have good points but when a boy becomes an adult why should I continue to subsidise him.
    I did receive child tax credits and based it on that.
    I also did my sums and dont come far off £69 a week.
    Some may be able to ask for less just to get them used to paying.

    Sambella - a room is over £100 a week so its his choice

    He's always got a room at mine
    For £75

    lol



    Obviously I won't chuck him out

    Why don't you reduce the overall cost for "keep" and then split the utility bills 4 ways? That would be fair and based on the actual bills which he wants.

    I'm including his girlfriend as one of the 4 and I think she should be paying keep as well - it makes no sense to charge your own children and then let someone else's child like there for free.
  • JReacher1
    JReacher1 Posts: 4,654 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    If you're downsizing and no longer having a mortgage to pay then I would be tempted to reduce the amount of money you are charging your sons. You are making about £600 a month of them both which seems quite high to me when they are your sons.
  • clairec79
    clairec79 Posts: 2,512 Forumite
    I'd reduce it so both sons pay the same (assuming both working) - if he wants the TV box he can pay that himself.
    However I'd also charge the girlfriend if she's living there
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 48,654 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    JReacher1 wrote: »
    If you're downsizing and no longer having a mortgage to pay then I would be tempted to reduce the amount of money you are charging your sons. You are making about £600 a month of them both which seems quite high to me when they are your sons.

    I agree.

    May be a worthwhile exercise to calculate how much extra it costs you to have your sons living with you.
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  • Maybe seeing the actual bills would be a good move! Is it possible he really doesn't know how much things cost? - especially council tax, I remember my son being shocked when he heard about that one!
  • JReacher1
    JReacher1 Posts: 4,654 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Skibunny40 wrote: »
    Maybe seeing the actual bills would be a good move! Is it possible he really doesn't know how much things cost? - especially council tax, I remember my son being shocked when he heard about that one!

    Council tax is a funny one as if both boys move out you only get a 25% discount for single supplement (I am assuming the OP is a single mother). Therefore I would charge each child 12.5% of the council tax bill each month as from a council tax point of view that is all they are costing me
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