moral question, what to charge girlfriend!

older_wiser

nnb wrote: »

I am not a landlord so I am replying as if I was the girlfriend. And these would be the options I would assume were available:

- We still date but I stay in the other house and pay what I currently pay.
- We date and I move in with you, I pay the market rate for renting part of your property (so half of bills, plus rent - which happens to be your mortgage). I would not be expecting to own part of the house, it is purely a rental/lodger agreement.

If I moved in with a boyfriend and he only charged me half of the bills, I would think I've landed on a sweet deal! I'd also worry his family/friends think I am taking advantage (if they find out what our deal is). I would expect to pay more though, as if we were jointly renting somewhere. I certainly don't think you should offer her a better deal on whatever property she lives in, just because she's your girlfriend. As others have said, what you choose to spend on her in your relationship is irrelevant to your question - although it does sound like you spend a lot on her already so in all honesty, I get the feeling she could certainly afford to pay the going rate with what she's saving on the dates! Dating is expensive haha!

My only concern with you going with the last option (of market rate) would be that if you split up, she may try claiming she owns part of the house or something daft so I would suggest having something written in place that says she is purely renting/lodging - I don't know the legalities of what you could put in place, but I am sure yourself or someone else here knows more so could clarify that a bit more and understand what I am badly trying to explain here

I think in the short term thats a sensible idea 50/50 for everything rent bills etc but when it goes to years thats when it becomes more troublesome. If i had been paying half the mortgage for nearly 10 years i would certanily be thinking i had a form of equity in the house perhaps i'm being too financial minded about it though.

AlexMac

Wow

snickpan wrote: »

...Just seeing if there was a firm line of answers before I pop the question.

I hope she doesn't have a dictionary:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pop-the-question

Or maybe she does... in which case, congratulations!