To not charge boyfriend rent?

[Takethe]

My boyfriend and I are moving in together. He is giving up his rented flat and moving into my house, which I own with a mortgage.

My plan was to suggest we split all household bills equally, but I wasn’t intending to charge him any ‘rent’ or ask for any contribution to mortgage payments, because it doesn’t seem right to charge a boyfriend, and I also don’t want to risk him having any claim on the house.

My friend thinks I should be charging him something. AIBU (or stupid) to just say half the bills?

What have other people in this situation done?

@HollowTalk an extra person only makes a massive difference if you're living with the hulk. An average human really won't make that much difference.

The boyfriend also won't be living for free if he's paying half the bills. Half the bills is far more than the increase cost to the OP. Council tax doesn't go up 100%, standing charges for gas and electricity don't change, the Internet costs stay the same, food is cheaper to buy in bulk etc

Splitting bills 50/50 sounds fair especially given the OP earns double her partner's salary and wants to protect her asset

@HollowTalk he’s not a cocklodger if he pays half the bills and life expenses. Him moving in does not double her bills and expenses, she’ll be better off going 50/50 too. Her council tax only goes up by 25%, the water and electric are definitely not going to double etc. Why would he pay rent on her property? Just out of some twisted spite?

If your house is mortgaged the interest element is effectively the cost of living in the property whilst the capital is paid off

In principle I’d be looking for any partner to be paying towards interest (the documentation of that to protect your asset is a separate consideration) as then you are both paying for the privilege of living in that house

I was in the same position and my partner paid half the bills and covered all the Internet and and TV subscriptions. I covered the other half of the bills, paid the mortgage and anything that went wrong in the property I paid myself. It worked well for us and he managed to save a big wedge to put down on a house we bought together.