Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To charge my son board when.......

49 replies

Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 12:57

he won't have a room?
I'll explain. My son wants to move back home, he has been living with his Dad, but misses his family and friends were he grew up.
Trouble is, we have no spare bedrooms. We have two reception rooms, so I could get him a sofa bed and put him in one of those. It would be quite private for him in there.
My daughter works full time and I charge her £50 a week for everything.
My son has a job he can start. Do I charge my son and if so, how much?
Thank you if you have got this far Smile

OP posts:
HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 10/12/2012 12:59

If the room would be for his exclusive use, then I'd charge him the same. It doesn't matter where the room is or what it used to be - only that it is his private space, and ceases to be your second reception room.

It's a very VERY small amount of money for a room, heat, light, food and facilities.

mrskeithrichards · 10/12/2012 12:59

So he will have a room? Same digs then!

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 10/12/2012 12:59

Would the room be exclusively his or would others still be able to use it? If it's going to be used as his bedroom and for his use only I think it's only fair to charge him if DD already pays rent to you.

bradyismyfavouritewiseman · 10/12/2012 12:59

Yes. But I would charge less than your dd if he won't have a private room.

He will still use gas, electric, food, water etc.

squeakytoy · 10/12/2012 12:59

If he is going to have the same amount of privacy in that room then yes it is fair enough to charge him the same as his sister.

dreamingofsun · 10/12/2012 13:00

out of interest how much do people charge? how do you work it out? Do you vary it on how much each person earns?

i agree with what people have been saying - was going to say same but they type quicker.

IneedAsockamnesty · 10/12/2012 13:05

It's a weird one, I know a woman who receives cb ctc and maintenance for Her kids and still charges them board because they have paper rounds.now that's bizarre.

If your son is an adult has a job and the room will be for his sole use then charge him a reasonable sum for it

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 10/12/2012 13:05

A percentage of their wages worked for our family.

Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:13

It wouldn't be as private as a bedroom. We would stop using it as a reception room but would have to walk through it to get to the kitchen, which we won't need to use at night.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:15

Oh and he is an adult, no cb or maintenance, not that I ever got mainenance, but that's another thread.

OP posts:
SeasonallySnowyPeasant · 10/12/2012 13:17

Yes I would charge him. It's a token amount rather than proper rent.

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 10/12/2012 13:17

oh. Then I'd charge him less.

Really more to reflect the heat & light, food, etc.

Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:18

How much would you charge though? £30, £35, £40?

OP posts:
dreamingofsun · 10/12/2012 13:18

i would charge him the same. He's taking up a room. Ok privacy isn't ideal, but then this probably isn't ideal for you either.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 10/12/2012 13:22

I'd charge less too to reflect the lack of privacy.

perceptionInaPearTree · 10/12/2012 13:24

If he has a full time job it's reasonable to expect him to pay - presumably you will be cooking his meals etc? So it isn't just about having a specific bedroom.

dreamingofsun · 10/12/2012 13:25

not sure if this helps....but i recently worked through all the costs to run our house eg council tax, electric/gas, TV, food and it came to £59 per week - when i divided it by 5 (number of people living in our house).

So if your costs are similar to ours you daughter actually isn't paying for her space - or rent - just covering her share of bills. hence i would charge the same for son so he could do the same

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 10/12/2012 13:25

I'd probably knock off a fiver or a tenner, as a token.

He's still eating. Still using electric and gas. Perhaps the phone. Maybe broadband useage - unless you're on unlimited. etc.

If he doesn't like it, he can always try to find a roof over his head with facilities and food for under £50 a week.

Viviennemary · 10/12/2012 13:30

I'd charge him a bit less than you charge your daughter as he won't have his own room. Food, electric gas, and so on. I might charge around £125 or £150.

Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:31

Thanks so much for your help. I think i'll probably charge him £40 a week, he'll be happy with that.
I doubt he'll find anywhere cheaper for everything included.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:33

Viviennemary Is that amount monthly?

OP posts:
hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 10/12/2012 13:36

I doubt he'll find anywhere cheaper for everything included.

Unless you live in the back end of beyond I'm pretty sure he won't. My 20yr old DS used to pay us £150 a month for his board, he moved out at the start of the year and now pays £350 a month for a rundown bedsit, that does include heat, light, council tax, TV licence and water and broadband but doesn't include his food bills or his phone bills (he also no longer gets Sky on tap which he is gutted about).

Original poster
Sparklyblue · 10/12/2012 13:45

hellhasnofury I bet he's gutted.
My son will have internet and Sky on tap. There is a TV in the room with Sky.
£40 sounds like a good deal to me.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 10/12/2012 16:09

I was meaning monthy but it's two low. I think £40 a week is very reasonable. Glad you got something that suits you both,

cozietoesie · 10/12/2012 16:14

And I wouldn't, if I were you, make it just too comfortable and cheap for him. I know he's your son and you want to make a good transition to work for him (and let him see family and friends) - but do you still want him there in 10 years time?