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Original poster

University costs-who should pay?

42 replies

Mysterybaby · 09/08/2021 13:05

Situation is oldest child is at a university five hours away from home , two income household.
Who should pay the following costs-
Petrol for taking and bringing home at end of terms
Storage of student belongings in university town
Hotel for person doing driving back and forth
1-Split equally between both parents
2-Parent who did the driving (using own car), packing etc and stayed in hotel alone.
3-Student
Thanks

OP posts:
CrystalMaisie · 09/08/2021 13:07

1

Jng1 · 09/08/2021 13:07

I presume you're divorced/ separated?

I'd say 1) but I assume your partner is arguing 2) or 3)

Elouera · 09/08/2021 13:09

1

Does the student to have a part-time job or is looking for one?

SherryPalmer · 09/08/2021 13:10

If the student gets a full maintenance loan and can afford it without too much hardship then they should pay. Otherwise the parents should split it (and possibly split up if they share a university age child and are still quibbling over who pays what!).

AlexaShutUp · 09/08/2021 13:12

Maybe the student could contribute to some of it, eg storage costs, depending on their financial situation.

Orf1abc · 09/08/2021 13:15

If they/ you are paying for storage, can the student not get back on the train?

titchy · 09/08/2021 13:16

Blimey. If you're separated can't you and ex split so you do one year he does the next?

I certainly wouldn't expect dc to pay hotel costs. I regard picking up uni child as one of those responsibilities that parents just do without quibbling over who pays. Like providing them with food - I wouldn't expect them to pay a quarter of the Tesco bill.

Anotherhill · 09/08/2021 13:19

How desperate are you for money or is it just the principle?

WombatChocolate · 09/08/2021 13:19

Yes, sounds petty. Parents pay.
You’d hope for the student, parents would be able to decide this easily and amicably and it wouldn’t become a big issue. Some separated parents though, do argue over every penny.

Best thing would be for one to do it one term and another the net and bear costs when doing it. If one person always does the picking up, you could split it if really needed.

qualitygirl · 09/08/2021 13:19

I don't understand the issue at all Confused

lljkk · 09/08/2021 13:21

Ideally (1) but They are all reasonable scenarios about who pays, tbh.

OurChristmasMiracle · 09/08/2021 13:27

Realistically 3- the student. They are the one Benefitting from it whilst 1 or 2 would be perfectly reasonable if parent or parents have agreed to assist with the funding university

MindyStClaire · 09/08/2021 13:28

Assuming the parents are still together, it wouldn't even have occurred to me that it would be anything other than 1.

bitcheeky · 09/08/2021 14:17

1…

What’s happening OP?

SeasonFinale · 09/08/2021 14:20

Do you mean two income household or two actual households?

MyOtherProfile · 09/08/2021 14:23

Can you take it in turns to do the pick ups so you split the petrol and hotel naturally? Then split the storage costs.

pinkmoon18 · 09/08/2021 14:24

Is it stuck on one parent always doing it?

Should be taking turns really

Chloemol · 09/08/2021 14:24

Petrol, whoever is driving, but take turns. Hotel whoever is driving but take turns

Storage either student, or split between parents

AnneLovesGilbert · 09/08/2021 14:25

Who can most easily afford it?

MaggieFS · 09/08/2021 14:34

Blimey, paying for storage and petrol and a hotel? Surely everything comes home in the car or the student gets the train if stuff is left behind?

Anyway, back to the point. Largely depends if you mean two households or one two income HH.

If separated, both pay, either equally or as per how you split all other child costs. If together, how on earth do you manage day to day?

FWIW, if I could afford it, I wouldn't expect the student to pay, but I would expect them to get a job and be proactive about earning during the holidays.

User135792468 · 09/08/2021 14:37

How petty! The parents need to split the cost and then split themselves. I couldn’t live with someone like that.

ShanghaiDiva · 09/08/2021 14:43

@MaggieFS

Blimey, paying for storage and petrol and a hotel? Surely everything comes home in the car or the student gets the train if stuff is left behind?

Anyway, back to the point. Largely depends if you mean two households or one two income HH.

If separated, both pay, either equally or as per how you split all other child costs. If together, how on earth do you manage day to day?

FWIW, if I could afford it, I wouldn't expect the student to pay, but I would expect them to get a job and be proactive about earning during the holidays.

It’s 10 hours of driving, so I don’t think an overnight hotel stay is unreasonable.
ShanghaiDiva · 09/08/2021 14:43

Option 1

Theworldisfullofgs · 09/08/2021 14:45

Not the student.
1 or 2 if you take turns.

SleepingStandingUp · 09/08/2021 14:47

1 and stuff comes home in-between years so no storage costs

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