Would you charge 24 year old child rent?

[whyut]

Hello,

My daughter has just finished her degree. She has moved back home. She is now going travelling, but not proper travelling. Random cheap holidays away, etc.

She has money saved for this.

She may be at home for a few weeks at a time not doing much until the next trip.

Would you charge her for the time she is at home?

Thanks

My parents rules were always we could love rent free all the while we were in full time education. I moved out at 17 anyway but both my sister's are still at home (both in their 20's) and both working. She only charged them £200 each per month including food if they want meals she's cooking etc. They both enjoy the luxury still of being able to go on holidays etc but they have the small responsibility of rent to teach them for the future.

I don’t think I would depending on how long she was planning to travel for. I had a grad scheme lined up for the September after I finished and travelled during the summer and lived with my parents for a couple of years. I appreciated their support post graduation to help me with work clothes etc as I had nothing left before my first pay check. I paid a small contribution once I was earning. Unless I was hard up I could never charge my children market rate rent. I don’t see an issue with contribution to bills or any additional costs of having someone at home.

If she’s planning on bumming around for years I might get harsher though as she does need to put effort into getting a job.

My children are aged 44 and 48 and they will be referred to as my children until I die.

I wouldn’t. My DS (who is my child) is 27. He is in the process of buying his first home and will be moving out in the next few weeks. He saved very hard since leaving university- which has enabled him to have a good deposit. I don’t agree with charging rent and then saving it. That isn’t going to teach good money management.

I wouldn't charge rent but if she's lying around the house doing nothing I'd expect her to do most of the house work, cook dinner for everyone etc.

Normally I’d say yes, but she’s only there short term and she’s contributing (at her own suggestion or yours?). If she were properly living at home with no desire to do differently or had a full time job I’d definitely charge rent. If I didn’t need that money then I’d save it as a deposit for them later.

I’m 26 and I lived with my parents in between uni/ a year working in London...etc.

Regardless of whether I was working FT or a student I was never charged rent. I was expected to live by family rules though, understandably. My parents aren’t overly wealthy by comfortable enough to not NEED rent from me.

Now I have a lovely house with DP, we’re very settled and earn very well. Most importantly I have a fantastic relationship with my mum, she’s basically my best friend and I think a lot of that stems from the support I got when I needed it. Had they charged me rent I wouldn’t have the house I do now.

My dd 23 is coming home soon to specifically save up. She can’t afford to save at the moment as she has an apartment and bills ect.. so we won’t be charging - however - she will have to show proof she is saving.

In your circumstances OP I’d ask her to contribute to shopping when she is home

I think when they start earning a salary they should pay a household contribution, but nowhere near the same level as 'rent'. I've never begrudged the fact that my parents asked me and my siblings for a contribution when we began earning. I'd certainly have expected to pay something or stand entirely on my own two feet by 24.

I personally would feel wary of giving her chores.

I feel like this could steer you into the direction of parent - underaged child instead of parent - adult child...

She might not do them exactly when you want her to do them. She might do them differently (especially in regards to gardening...) than you'd like her to or not to your satisfaction for other reasons.

Which might lead to you telling her to do them sooner, more thoroughly etc, her perceiving this as nagging...

I'm not saying this is going to happen but I feel like there would be a distinct possibility. At least in the case of my mother and me...

Which is why I personally would probably prefer a financial contribution. Either actually spent on housekeeping (if you need the money) or "stash" it away to give her when she has a child, wants to buy a house, needs the money for other reasons...

Do you have other children?

If yes, I'd advice you to find a solution that would (most likely) be sustainable for all of them/if her siblings needed to move back home as well...

how can she afford these holidays?
i am not sure if i would bother charging as she doesnt appear to have a full time job.

No, I'd let her have this time before the shit world we've bequeathed her generation smacks her in the face

This and also my children will be my children until the day I die.

No

I would never charge my kids rent.

But it would be different if I needed the money.

She's been studying for years, if this is just a break for a year after graduating and you can afford not to charge her, don't, let her enjoy herself and recgarge before the real world fully kicks in. Once she's in full time work she needs to contribute a token amount maybe £25/£30 a week as long as she's saving for her future, deposits etc not just blowing everything she earns and obviously contribute to chores. Doing that for a couple of years will enable her to buy a property which is very difficult for young people today, if you're going to charge her full market rent she may as well live elsewhere and have the space and freedoms associated with that

This and also my children will be my children until the day I die

Err and so will every one else on this forum

Sometimes people need to ask for rent if they have no money this doesn’t make them any less of a parent ..

Depends...

We moved back into my families anex while we saving a better deposit for a new house for over a year. I paid for all the food for the household of 8, and did all the cooking.... that was my rent 😄

Sometimes people need to ask for rent if they have no money this doesn’t make them any less of a parent ..

Of course, my dm charges my dbro rent. I was referring to the idea that we shouldn't call a 24 year old a child.

I don't understand why you are asking this question?! Of course she needs to pay rent and understand food and accomodation are not free. She needs to get a job, or go knocking on doors offering to wash cars or muck out horses / poo pick.

ariela

Niche

No, personally I wouldn't be charging rent at this time. However if I was her mum I would be gently probing about her intentions regarding this boring thing called work!!! A CV of just Uni and travelling at the age of 24 looks a bit threadbare, employers look for evidence of work experience, regardless of the degree and its classification.

Depends if you are happy to sub her lifestyle, really OP.

Does she have plans to end the travelling at a certain point and get work or is it an open ended arrangement?

FWIW my eldest lived here part of the week for a while and rented elsewhere the rest of the week. He paid full rent on the other place and half the (low) rent the dc pay here. He was quite welcome to be here full time but chose not to. As adults I think it's important for them to make a contribution.

Depends - I wouldn’t be impressed if she didn’t have a FT job AND was going on lots of holidays however cheap. Is she temping and then spending whatever she earns on jollies? What students have savings enough for multiple holidays? They’re normally spending the money from their student loans! I’m not sure that I would be happy to subsidise that lifestyle - she’s 24 and it’s time for her to focus on getting a FT job and make steps to becoming financially independent. It’s up to you really if you wish to enable your DC. It might be different if her aims were to save some money to help her move out whether it’s a rental or a mortgage deposit.

Yes, especially if she is 24, and bumming around going on holidays, not looking for proper work.

What would she do if you weren't there, she would have to rent somewhere, she is a 24 year old adult, who is just arsing around going on holidays and not taking responsibility and finding work.