Should my partner be charging me rent?

saajan_12

FlorayG said:

I think he's a bit bl00dy entitled and I wouldn't be staying there. He's been gifted the flat and wants to charge his partner rent? That's not a relationship I would be pursuing. Share of bills, yes, fine, quite normal to expect you to pay 1/3 the council tax and 1/3 the service charges. (A third because there are three people living there)
Never heard anything so outrageous I'd be on my bike ASAP

Same can be said the other way.. OP has a place to live and wants to pay 0 rent? That's not a relationship I would be pursuing. 

I would look at it as if they were both splitting rent on a room in a share house elsewhere, then they'd both pay £~350 each plus bills. The fact that its in a property he owns is between him and his family, why should OP benefit from a gift they didn't receive? 

ButterCheese

Your partner is profiting from you paying rent.  He is also a tight-wad.  I would strongly reconsider a future with this person unless they have all manner of other qualities that make up for this.  I also get the impression that even if you pay half rent, it's still the cheapest way for you to live.  Just remember that staying with this person because it's easier and cheaper to live is not a solid foundation for a relationship

BikingBud

saajan_12 said:

FlorayG said:

I think he's a bit bl00dy entitled and I wouldn't be staying there. He's been gifted the flat and wants to charge his partner rent? That's not a relationship I would be pursuing. Share of bills, yes, fine, quite normal to expect you to pay 1/3 the council tax and 1/3 the service charges. (A third because there are three people living there)
Never heard anything so outrageous I'd be on my bike ASAP

Same can be said the other way.. OP has a place to live and wants to pay 0 rent? That's not a relationship I would be pursuing. 

I would look at it as if they were both splitting rent on a room in a share house elsewhere, then they'd both pay £~350 each plus bills. The fact that it's in a property he owns is between him and his family, why should OP benefit from a gift they didn't receive? 

Because there is no rent or mortgage to pay?

Because that's the kind of thing that you do when in a relationship? 

Where does it end:

• Paying for storage space for clothes? 
• Paying for showers, use of hot water?
• Paying for a shelf in the bathroom?
• Paying for use of the washing machine?
• A parking fee to park the car on the drive?

Would you really expect some sharing your bed to pay for half of it?

Tabieth

saajan_12 said:

Same can be said the other way.. OP has a place to live and wants to pay 0 rent? That's not a relationship I would be pursuing. 

I would look at it as if they were both splitting rent on a room in a share house elsewhere, then they'd both pay £~350 each plus bills. The fact that it’s in a property he owns is between him and his family, why should OP benefit from a gift they didn't receive? 

I don’t think it works at all the other way. The OP is in a relationship with a person who owns a house outright (so zero rent or mortgage to pay). The OP is happy to split all bills. The OP partner won’t tell her how much some of those bills are. The OPs partner sounds unpleasant and controlling to me. 

Yes the OP “benefits” from a gift they didn’t receive. But they’re in a relationship, that’s how these things work. The OP isn’t taking advantage here, the OPs partner is. 

RHemmings

I can't imagine charging a partner rent for a property I own completely. Even if they were richer than me. The way I would do things is to divvy up the bills, e.g. maybe they pay the energy bill, and the council tax. 

newsgroupmonkey_

Albermarle said:

It is the same dilemma as do you charge rent to any adult children living at home.
Some people think that is OK and others do not.
Personally I think it is OK as long as it is a reduced rate.

OP- Maybe say - I will pay a third of all bills, including council tax and service charge,( if you tell me what they are ) and then + £100 a month to cover things like maintenance costs etc.

That's a different scenario, but ultimately my opinion would be that it's the same thing.

If they own outright and it's simply going to go into the owners entertainment expenses, that's a bit out of order.

In my case, when my son started working, we were struggling and our rent was high - we couldn't really justify having 3 of us living in a large 3 bed house any more, but didn't want to upheave him. I charged him the equivalent of the child benefit in rent.

Although tbf, I didn't ask for any help towards food, electricity, washing etc.

Bigphil1474

I'd either be charging him back for any things you do around the house - cleaning, cooking, washing, bedroom activities etc.as you would be becoming his tenant, or leaving to find your own place. The reality is he that he is proposing renting you half of his bed which costs him nothing and he couldn't rent out to anyone else. If he was paying a mortgage or the property was rented, I could totally understand him expecting some contribution, but not if it's not costing him anything.

NameUnavailable

So he's refusing to be open about what the costs are and he's literally told you to get out if you don't like it? Hmmmm.

I'd say you need to think carefully about this relationship.

sheramber

Is your partner declaring his rental income to HMRC.

 £700 from his friend is already more than the rent a room allowance so he should be declaring the income and paying tax on it. 

Your rent would have to be added as well. 

RAS

I hope that you are putting all your spare money into an escape fund? Keep negotiating and stash away at least enough to cover a month's deposit, month's rent up front and moving costs.