Finishing Uni this term - how much should we charge for Board and Lodgings

[swimmer4]

DS is coming home & whilst looking for Graduate post is doing part time job with minimum wage.
How much do you charge for Board and Lodgings?

That's a how long is a piece of string question! Depends what you can afford and maybe how serious he is about grad job hunting. So anything from nothing to most of his wages...

Personally if the job hunting efforts were serious I wouldn't charge anything. But we can afford to feed another mouth so it causes no hardship.

I would never charge my DC anything, regardless of income.

I think somewhere around £500 a month would be about right.
I think it's very important that they pay something.

I don't think it important at all. Parents are supposed to look after their DC, not milk them.

I wouldn't change them anything either, with the exception of asking them maybe to pick up some bread or milk etc to contribute but nothing major, unless I felt they really need to be taught the value of money. But if generally sensible I would encourage them to save towards car, down payment etc

Why £500 Hugo? The ds in question might only earn £400 a month and have travel costs to find out of that? If you want to charge then it has to be a percentage of earnings surely, not a random amount plucked out of thin air?

Nothing until they find a grad job. Although would encourage them to save % as a buffer.

However, if they were not pulling their weight to find said grad job, then would discuss contribution to household to ‘motivate’ them

Looking back at op it says he works part time, so my mistake, the £500 was based on someone working full time. ( about £1200 a month)
Don't you think people should pay their way in life?

I'd say £250

Nothing unless you are really in need of the money.
I'm with goodbyestranger and would never "charge" my DC rent.
When eldest came home after uni he lived at home for about 18 months before moving into his own place. He paid for his own transport to work and lunches but I asked for nothing from him at home. He was able to save most of his earnings during that time which has given him a buffer now that he has rent and bills to pay.
Don't you think people should pay their way in life? I don't need my DC's money. I have taught them financial management and they are very frugal good at budgeting and saving. What would I do with their money?

My mum never charged me anything. I wouldn't charge my child either. I see it it's my job to provide them a home long as they need one.
Also my dad was kind enough to let myself, my husband and our new baby live with him rent free. He knew things weren't easy and was more than happy to help. Neither of my parents are well off by a long shot, but they wouldn't have made me pay rent.

Personally I think it's good they learn to pay their way so maybe 25% but I would hope we would be in a position not to need it so my plan is to save what they give us to give back to them when they are ready to move/buy a property.

I don't think it's good for young people to get used to having all that money to spend. However if I knew they were saving heavily and could trust them I would probably not charge them but would expect them to contribute to food.

We didn't need the money but we "charged" our oldest £150 a month "keep" rather than rent which we saved and gave back when he moved out. He didn't know we were going to do this and it was a windfall for him and he was thrilled.

Given the housing situation this generation faces I reckon ours would be reprehensible to charge a bean (that excludes your approach Bobble - not a bad plan, depending on the DC).

Nothing, obviously.

I worry about parents reading some of these comments and feeling bad that they cannot afford to support their adult dc.
Food and utilities cost money, benefits for children end at 18, not everyone can just absorb these costs and I don't think there should be an expectation that they will.

It's difficult and everyone will have their own views dependent on their financial situation - totally agree with @hugoagogo.

I started work at 16 and paid board (think it was £5 per week) whilst I studied for my A levels at night school (parents were asset rich and cash poor). My parents never asked for the contribution but I felt that it was the right thing to do. My DD has enjoyed a privileged education and hasn't really wanted for anything and personally, I think its good that DC should contribute to their upkeep costs - they are adults and not kids. I didn't leave home until I was 27 and was able to get onto the housing market quickly. Let's face it the costs of living at M & D's bears no resemblance the costs that are involved with having your own home or renting a flat etc (or need living costs at Uni).

I'm seriously thinking of renting out DD's room when she goes off to UNi (she will have another bedroom) because she's enjoyed the largest bedroom in the house, ensuite with her own staircase and it will create a fund for her in later life (maybe pay off the tuition fees) which I think is totally different to contributing towards food, etc.

Nothing.

I never paid any rent at home and nor will my DCs. Luckily I can afford to keep them.

Our son came home a year ago and we charge him £50 which is a relatively small amount as he’s earning in excess of £1000 per month. We feel that as an adult it’s only fair that he contributes. Utility usage has increased, especially water, since he returned so obviously bills have increased plus his girlfriend stays every week for 1, 2 or 3 nights depending on their plans so she’s an extra person in the house who requires food etc.

Wow - big thank you for all the responses.
We are definitely going to ask for 'board & lodgings' as we fear DS' motivation for job hunting may disappear.
Thought I'd share what we might do, as it may be useful to others reading this thread:
As we were paying him £50 week for food/phone and bits at Uni, we thought we charge this but then realised he will be spending quite a bit of time at his GF. So we're thinking £30 and when he's not here it's going towards gas/elec/council tax etc & the nights that GF stays.

Thanks again everyone

I would have to ask DS1 for £200/month. I simply couldn’t afford not to. My council tax would go up, my food bill etc. I think he should contribute if earning. Otherwise even with a part time job he’d have more disable income than me. I am a divorced parent who has DS2 who is autistic and goes to a local college, who needs a lot of support, and my DS3 who is in sixth form.

As it happens, DS1 has got a grad job away from home and starts in September so it won’t be an issue. He’ll be earning 3 x my salary!

*disposable

When I was a young adult living at home and working full time I certainly paid 'keep' to my parents. I don't think this was at all unreasonable. We were three adults sharing a house, why on earth should one not contribute financially?

When DS graduated he had one year 'free of charge' at home while he found and settled into a job.

My teen pays £40pm from their jsa. I'm saving it for them as they've said that they want to save up to move out. They'll get their money back plus a little extra on top when that happens

When they start working I may ask for a little more and put that away too.

I'm saving it for them
Why not teach them financial management and budgeting and the best way to invest it themselves? That will be a far better life lesson long term than you doing it for them.