Rent for adult children

Amanda2709

My daughter is 23. Just finished uni and is earning £250 a week from 2 jobs.Not paying tax yet.
I charge her £30 per week for food and bills, ( electricity. Gas. Water. Internet,) and I do her washing 

and £25 per week for rent. Bear in mind I’ve lost 53 per week in housing benefit cos she’s working but feel taking £53 in rent of her is too much.

do you think £30 and £25 is ok. She’s not complaining at all. 

GrumpyDil

I'm charging my son a straight 200 per month but he is having a year out prior to going to uni and although he doesn't know it will get the money back when he goes to uni.

In your case I'd say the amount sounds OK, particularly give it would cost a whole lot more if your daughter rented in an HMO and given you have reduced benefits because she is back with you 

elsien

That leaves her £200 a week for discretionary spending and the nice stuff.
£53 a week all in for lodging, food and bills is an absolute bargain.
 I don’t know why you’re worried about it - it still leaves you out of pocket if that’s only covering your decreased housing benefit. 

I was paying nearly that much on a lower wage 30 odd years ago. 

Amanda2709

Yes I’m covering the rest of the rent. She knows she needs a fair bit of money to rent a place  of her own. She’s an acting student graduate. So it will be a fair bit away yet.

herebeme

If my parents lost £53 a week income because of me, and I was earning anything at all, the first thing I would insist on is paying that difference. How can she not be concerned about that? Have you told her? 

What is she spending her remaining income on? If she is saving every penny, then perhaps ok and very kind of you to subsidise her, but if she is off clubbing and buying lots of clothes etc then I would insist on getting at least the £53 a week back. She’d be worse off renting, so I don’t see how she could complain. If you are worried about her reaction, explain that with winter bills you are struggling to manage with the loss of the £53 a week in benefits, so she needs to contribute up to that amount.

Also, she is 23 years old and you are doing her laundry?
I was taught to use the washing machine and tumble dryer aged 8, and from that point on my mum never touched my laundry again (I do realise that’s unusual, but surely by the time someone is in their 20s they shouldn’t be expecting their parent(s) to do their chores?).

Amanda2709

She lived at uni for 3 years so she does know how to do it, I’m doing my other children’s so I just do everyone’s. She came bk from uni with a massive overdraft and has only just started work. Working in the acting industry you needs a lot of money like going across the country for auditions and such wot.
I offered to go half’s on the rent. She’s not complaining at all and 

badmemory

I think more than the £55 would be quite acceptable.  There are some who say we shouldn't charge our children for staying at home but if they are adults then they should contribute.  She won't complain as she thankfully knows which side her bread is buttered.

herebeme

I think you are very generous. And if you end up finding it hard to make ends meet I wouldn’t worry about her complaining or not, I’d ask for a increased contribution. But if you can manage without and are happy to then she’s very lucky to have you helping her out. 

Amanda2709

I don’t want to feel like I’m taking all of her money. As she’s paying her half of our family holiday. But at the same time paying her way. I take £30 of my son for food and bills so the same apples to my daughter. He’s a student so doesn’t affect my housing benefit 

pickledonionspaceraider

Hmm I would probably charge more as She isn't really paying her way as such, she is just making up for lost income.  At the minute you are exactly the same as you were,  financially speaking - before she moved back in - so you are going to be making up the extra food spends and energy out of your own pocket. This is going to cost you, OP in time and money

She has £200 a week spare - that is £800 a month.  Do you have £800 cash spare at the end of every month?  If not, can you afford to be subsidising her living costs so heavily?  If you start struggling, ask for more

I wouldn't be doing laundry either normally, but at the minute, I probably would take control of the washing - being the control freak I am - to ensure only full loads were put on, and save the energy - esp if I was doing it for one other child.  But washing /drying would be it, and putting them on her bed, no ironing or putting away.  

Pollycat

Why not have a chat with your daughter to see what she thinks.
Explain why you're charging what you are.
It can then set a precedent for when your son gets a job.