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Original poster

How much rent should I charge my daughter?

56 replies

SuzieC1979 · 15/01/2013 14:14

Hi,

Thought I would give this a go! As you seem like a very helpful bunch.

My daughter came out of uni a couple of years ago, she then moved into a house with some friends, but has recently come back to live with us.

I enjoy having her about, truth be told - she keeps herself to herself, she buys her own food and she does her own washing! (although I have offered!!!)

I am wondering how much rent you think I should be charging her.. if any!?

She does work very hard, and the reason she moved home is so that she can save to perhaps buy a place of her own, or maybe just find another rental property. She doesnt earn megabucks...but I dont know if how much to ask for... or if anybody asks for any!

Would really appreciate your thoughts on this :)

Suz x

OP posts:
chewingguminmyhair · 15/01/2013 14:38

Lady - it wouldn't be 'making money' for a lot of parents. It does actually cost to have someone living in your house.

MrsMelons · 15/01/2013 14:38

chewing I never paid rent (just additional bills) and I had a mortgage by the time I was 22 which at 32 I have just paid off so I don't think it hurt me at all. In fact it helped as I never would have been able to save for a house deposit.

I was putting in savings what I would have paid in rent so I think maybe that is the difference as to why I understood how hard it would be. If I wasn't doing this my mum would have definitely taken rent off me as she made it very clear I was not there for the free ride Grin

irishchic · 15/01/2013 14:39

She is trying do save for a place of her own, buys own food etc She can only be using up a small amount of electricity, I think it is INCREDIBLY tight to charge your own daughter for living with you! Hmm

mrsjay · 15/01/2013 14:40

I paid my mum money when i started working at 16 I was on a blooming YTS (yes im that old) and getting about 35 quid a week, my sister is nearly 30 and lives rent free at home she pays for sky

chrome100 · 15/01/2013 14:42

A room would not be £500! I rent a two bed flat for £450. If you're going to charge her, £100-150 seems fair.

ENormaSnob · 15/01/2013 14:44

I would charge a token amount and then (my own finances permitting) give her it back as a lump sum when she moves out.

No adult should expect to live rent free imo. Even paying 200pcm she is in a great position to save up.

Cherylkerl · 15/01/2013 14:50

I would think it is generous not to charge, but not soft - if that's a luxury you can afford to give someone. Though not charging them when you are feeding them perhaps is - then it's costing you to have them live with you.

I wouldn't think anyone was tight to expect a contribution to the increased costs of running home. Perhaps making a fat profit would be a bit much.

It's very much dependent on the individual situation, earnings, adult child's activity within the house (if they are there much, if they come with a boyfriend or girlfriend in tow who eats everything in the fridge). My friends with divorced parents living with their mum struggling to pay her own mortgage have lived in what is essentially a house share with a parent have contributed a decent proportion - but they are both benefitting from splitting the costs of living. Whereas the ones with comfortable parents who are mortgage free/small mortgage can afford to charge much less.

kelly14 · 15/01/2013 14:50

I wouldnt charge anything but thats because i have never been so couldnt do it to me own child (shes only 7)
I am very nearly 30 and live in my parents house in UK (they live in Dubai), i dont pay rent and every bill is paid for by my dad via DD and i am given a monthly allowance, so i am very very lucky!

My circumstances are extreme and complicated and have had very bad time.

I have lived in oz for nearly 3 years where i did work full time and paid my own extortinate rent, but i had to leave and my parents begged me to leave so thats why i am where i am now in life!

I do know the value of money and how to pay for myself, my parents are just in very very good financial situation and my dad always says i am his child no matter how old i am.

Would i like to be independant, live in my own place and pay my own bills? hell yes!!! of course i would, this situation makes me feel worthless and beholden! , i am grateful but also find my situation highly embarrassing and it causes me alot of anxiety and stress but i am doing my best to get out of this and hope one day to be able to repay them in kind!

hellsbellsmelons · 15/01/2013 14:57

My sister is 40+ and doesn't live with my parents but she still gives my dad money to put into an account for her so she has an 'emergency' fund when required.
She know's she wouldn't do it otherwise.
Can you check she is really saving and building up some money?
If she is finding it difficult then you can take more from her and put most of it into a savings account for her.
If she is good at saving and is building a nice sum of money for the future then a minimal amount is sufficient.

higgle · 15/01/2013 15:05

When it looked as if DS1 might be living at home after uni I said he would need to pay £50 per week for "board and lodging" i.e. everything if he was working and living at home. He lives in one room in a shared house in London now and pays £630pcm for that plus some of the bills and his food of course on top. I can feed him very well indeed for £20ish on top of the normal food expenditure, it seems to cost him £50pw to live on sausages and stir fry.

jemimapta · 15/01/2013 15:15

My 18 year old daughter works full time and lives at home, she pays £100 a month

RedToothbrush · 15/01/2013 15:27

She does work very hard and the reason she moved home is so that she can save to buy a place of her own

Have you considered charging her rent, keeping a small percentage for bill and for you and then saving the rest so you ensure that she does actually save and they she's not blowing the lot and getting too comfy at home?

That way she saves, you get a bit of income and you also have the reassurance you aren't going to be lumbered with her forever either.

Birdsgottafly · 15/01/2013 15:27

I would review it monthly, if you only take a token amount.

I allowed a young relative to move in with me and only took the bare minimum, on the basis that she needed to save.

She spent every penny she had, not only on herself, but on her BF.

She is leaving mine in two weeks, without any savings and i am sorry that i didn't take at least £10 a week more(to give back to her), so she wasn't worrying about heating bills, until she has a pay rise, in about a month.

I take nothing off my 17 year old, at present, but she buys her own clothes etc, except for driving lessons/essentials, because she is working hard and is showing that she is sensible with money.

Midlifecrisisarefun · 15/01/2013 15:39

Add all the bills that are relevant to her staying at home then spilt by the number of people in the house.
for example: electric/gas/tv/internet/water/CT/rent all added together then divide by (for example) mum, dad and DD
We did this with our DC it made them aware of costs! Although some friends thought it was mean to charge them Hmm

WileyRoadRunner · 15/01/2013 15:40

I wouldn't charge my children rent in this circumstance.

Crinkle77 · 15/01/2013 15:51

chrome100 I live in the north west and what some people want for a room is ridiculous. I was looking for a room to rent recently and most people wanted £350-£400 although I have seen some people charging more but this was rare. So I would imagine that if you lived down south then you could expect to pay £500 for a room

Yfronts · 15/01/2013 20:35

I would charge 50 a week but save it up on the quiet and give it to her just before she leaves.

Yfronts · 15/01/2013 20:36

Or just a nominal 30 pounds per week.

GoingBackToSchool · 15/01/2013 20:50

When I left school (2 years ago) I got a job and I paid rent. £10 if i earnt less then £100 a week, £20 if I earnt between 100 and 200, and £30 if more than 200. Seemed fair enough. Now I earn a lot less than that (apprentice wage :( ) I pay about £90 a month. So even though it's not much I still pay something despite being paid very little, saying for OU fees and saving for a house.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/01/2013 20:55

£250? That's what I paid at uni, granted I was lucky with the rent.

My mum and I discussed rent when I moved back in after university briefly (I then moved in with my DP). £250-£300 was agreed.

Whilst I was still able to contribute to the flat etc with my DP it was £300. I wasn't earning much. Could never have lived alone on what I was earning.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/01/2013 20:56

All my amounts were monthly btw not weekly!

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/01/2013 20:59

Too add,I'm not sure if my Mum would ever have taken it,because I was still working part time when I moved out. But I think my willingness to contribute meant a lot to her.

Even a nominal amount would be fine. Your daughter sounds lovely OP. as all people about my age are of course Grin

porridgewithalmondmilk · 15/01/2013 21:02

To be honest, nothing - we have never done this in our family. We don't talk money, I'm there for them when they need me and they are there for me when I need them. If you need the money fair enough but if not I do think it is a bit mean.

Flossiechops · 15/01/2013 21:03

Unless I was in dire straights there's no way I could even contemplate taking money from my dc. You have to do what you feel is right for you though op

blueraincoat · 15/01/2013 21:23

Me and DP live with his parents, we pay £400 each for everything, food, washing. We also have a lot of space, 4 rooms and a bathroom for the 2 of us. Considering a flat of a similar size would cost us £1000+ just for the rent where we live we feel that is fair and it suits our wages. It depends on your dd's wages and the location you live in really. We all sat down talked it through and came up with what we felt fair, pay by standing order and it is never mentioned.

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