To charge sister board and if so how much.

[MuggerBe]

Sister is coming to live with dh and I and our DC miles away from home as part of an extended (potentially year long) holiday/casual work visit.

It's a great opportunity for them to visit another country with the ability to work if they want.

They've said they're happy to pay their way but I don't want to say an amount too high.

For background info, only dh works and so I take care of our child/household things through the day. Dh says it's fine but we're struggling ourselves at times to afford everything and so can't afford another person's costs.

Aibu to say for ease that sister pays £100 a week which will include- Electric. Internet. Water. Food. General outings in the car if I'm going. But not include food when out socialising, phone or travel expenses outside of us going anyway.

I don't want to take excess money. Or would it be better/easier to charge them when we get bills and somehow work out the difference which won't be easy and likewise they then only contribute towards their own food, or we do similar as with utilities where we split it each time.

I'm just not sure. I'd originally said it would only cost a small amount extra and given that figure to them saying food would be extra. Aibu to now alter the amount that better reflects the actual cost?

[StuffandBother]

You refer to 'they' a few times so if it's DS and a DP or DC then I think £400 is quite fair if it includes food

[Artandco]

£350 for a 3 bed is wildly unrealistic in most areas now days. The cheapest place i have every lived was £780 a month for a tiny bedroom in a flatshare. £100 a week for accomadation, all bills and food sounds fine tbh.
Like I said maybe £75 if it's affordable to you, and ask if they can babysit kids one evening every month

[What2]

It sounds like too much but unless you know the local market then it's impossible to know. Whatever you do the most important thing is to discuss everything and for everyone to be clear about the arrangements.
There is a difference between getting her to split the bills with you and getting her to pay the extra costs you will incur if she stays.

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

I think if you'd said you were in Australia in your OP you'd have got quite different responses. Living expenses and food especially are so much more expensive there. I think the amount is right.

[seven201]

I think it sounds about right as bills and food do add up. My sister had our dad stay in with her for a few months and she said the food bill went astronomical (he eats and drinks a lot) so if there are two of them then sounds a bargain to me. Can I come when your sister leaves?

[MuggerBe]

Rent is about £1000 per month.
I think if I was working I'd be less inclined to charge much. I guess it's to cover any food or trips alcohol etc but when I say socialising I mean their socialising away from us for family meals. So if we went out for drinks I'm not paying or they wanted a curry take out at home I'm not paying etc. Hope I've made it clearer.

I was initially thinking about 50 dollars per week but dh thinks 180 dollars which is about 87 pounds if you go off the current exchange rate.

[NisekoWhistler]

Why not take a little look on the local ads sites such a gumtree or similar to see what a house share costs in your area per person and go from there?
I think 100gbp is very fair myself

[Artandco]

Tough - London. I think your charging under massively. That's £780 room is now £1150. We now rent a 1 bed flat, with children, for £2000 a month. £300 doesn't even get you a parking space

[Evabeaversprotege]

How much board/rent does she pay at home?

I'd use that as a guideline.

(Actually I wouldn't charge family but I get why you want to)

[antimatter]

So your rent is 1K.
I guess bills will be no more than 250 pm
So you expect your dsis to pay 100 pw which will cover a quarter of your bills?
This doesn'y make sense because you are already paying that without her living with you.
I would charge equal share of food and electricity bill and ask her to help with cleaning and occasional babysitting.

She is your sister not a lodger!

[antimatter]

I meant 250 without food.

[peggyundercrackers]

I think it sounds a lot of money for putting family up. No idea if this is Oz is expensive though as I've never been.

rent here is quite cheap too, we could easily get a 3 bed house for about £400 a month, there's quite a few of them about. Normal rent for a 2bed flat would be less than £100 a week easily.

[MuggerBe]

Sorry yes it's just sister. No dp or DC.

Electricity bill for last quarter was 600 dollars or 300 pounds. We certainly aren't asking for a split 3ways just any excess bit for ease 100 per week would cover everything and they'd not have to think about it.

I think if my dh said his sister was coming to live with us and I was the only one working outside of the home I'd possibly ask for the same as my house will have an extra person that I'm having in some respects potentially pay towards.

I'm split to be honest.

[OurBlanche]

Talk to your sister. Tell her what you are thinking and why. She must know that you only have one wage coming in, it won't be a shock. Tell her how much you are thinking and see what she thinks, what she will agree to.

It isn't fair on anyone not have that discussion before she buys tickets/arrives.

On the face of it you seem to have your sums about right. When your sister knows how much food etc costs out there I am sure she will agree. She still gets a cheap year and you don't get pushed into debt.

[riverboat1]

I'd sit down and work out (with a nice excel spreadsheet using actual calculations based on your current bills) how much she was actually going to cost you in terms of extra electric, water, food etc and charge that. Then you can explain to her exactly why you need to charge that amount. Plucking a number out of the air doesn't seem a very good way to go about it.

[Artandco]

How much do you spend per week on food currently also, that might help

The best thing is to talk to her though, explain why you need a contribution to cover food, basics and see what she suggests

[Birdsgottafly]

I put my Neice up, last year, for £60 a week, which is more than 100 aud.

I'd take into account what she earns, as well.

You need a 'grown-up' conversation with her. You shouldn't be expected to fund her, but there shouldn't be money left over iyswim.

It will all need 'tweaking' during the settling in period, anyway.

[Lightbulbon]

I think asking about aus living expenses on a uk forum isn't going to give realistic answers.

Most people here won't know living costs there.

Or ask on the expat board?

[DoreenLethal]

Does it cost you guys just £100 a month per person to cover all bases then? If so then £100 is too much.

Add up all the costs of living there, rent included and divide it by the number of people and then that is what you charge her.

Rent, bills, food, licences, internet etc etc...plus if she is going to be using them car tax, fuel.

[MuggerBe]

We didn't pluck a number out of the air so to speak we were looking at a number of factors and the imposition of having someone in the house for an entire year, which is great to have family here but it's dhs home as well. We looked at current room rentals plus factoring in extra activities electric food.

They currently pay 0 at the moment and want to become more independent.

[LizzieMacQueen]

I would charge her nothing until she found a job then base an amount on her actual income when she does.

But £100 does not sound excessive for 7 days board and lodging. You can always review the situation once she has been with you a month.