Working from home

joe3400

I hope that I have posted this in the correct section, I am retired and have had my step daughter working from home since the start of the corona virus pandemic last March, she does not get any assistance from her company apart from a laptop. Since last March her use of my utilities with the associated costs to me have gone through the roof, I am aware that she can claim tax relief for working from home during the pandemic but its not her that incurs the financial burden its me, I'm finding it difficult to persuade her to claim from the government, she will need to register for a government gateway account which it seems to be a chore for her, is there any thing other than kicking her out that I can do to reign in my spiralling costs.
Joe

MovingForwards

Switch the heating off and tell her to put a jumper on.
A laptop doesn't use much electric.

unholyangel

Charge her what it's costing you? Otherwise, she won't be able to claim tax relief for it. 

joe3400

Yes, totally know that laptops do not use much power, my point was and remains, do I want the fact that my step daughter has to work from home affect the fact that I incur heightened costs due to no fault other than she resides here, putting extra clothing on and switching the heating off doesn't help! 

poppy12345

Then she needs to pay you more for her keep...

68ComebackSpecial

poppy12345 said:

Then she needs to pay you more for her keep...

^^^^ This! If she still can't be bothered to claim tax relief then that's up to her, though it's likely that she is saving money by not having to commute to work in any case.

Barny1979

joe3400 said:

Yes, totally know that laptops do not use much power, my point was and remains, do I want the fact that my step daughter has to work from home affect the fact that I incur heightened costs due to no fault other than she resides here, putting extra clothing on and switching the heating off doesn't help! 

Where else do you expect to claim from?

joe3400

So it's my fault then 🤷‍♂️

poppy12345

joe3400 said:

So it's my fault then 🤷‍♂️

I'm not sure what exactly you're asking here. It's quite simple really, you either ask her to pay more keep or show her where the door is if she refuses. Although during these time that would IMO be rather harsh.

MattMattMattUK

joe3400 said:

So it's my fault then 🤷‍♂️

Not at all, but if you wish to attribute blame it would fall on your step-daughter for a) not keeping the costs of working from home to a minimum and b) not paying you to cover the additional costs she is causing.

Barny1979

joe3400 said:

So it's my fault then 🤷‍♂️

No it isn't, but who do you expect to foot the bill?