How much rent to charge - London!

[Ednot2024]

DS has moved back home after uni, and his partner is pretty much living with us, as her lodgings don’t allow male visitors. Next academic year she is doing a Masters, and DS has asked if she can officially move in. Putting aside if this a good idea, how would you think about rent? To note, we charge DS £300 p/m at the moment to cover bills, because he doesn’t have a steady income, and because we buy food for both of them. They share the room, have a bathroom to themselves, but we only have a 3 bed London terrace so it’s not luxurious.

will she be full time? or working as well?
how long have they been together?
what is your ds doing for money?

Look at spare rooms.com an idea of prices for room rental.

Do you want to charge going rate, or mates rates?

i don’t know if it feels fair to charge market rate? She was paying £600 pm for her lodgings - aside from sharing the room, our house is a bit nicer! How much should we feel obligated to offer her a cheap deal, because she is with DS? Appreciate that she is self-funding her Masters so she won’t be well off. DH thinks we should charge a slightly more ‘commercial’ rate, I’m not so sure.

DS currently doing temporary work but should get a full time job soon….

at what kind of level? has he just graduated?

will she be working alongside masters?

i’d charge £600 for them both

I would charge her £300 as well.

So £600 for en-suite room with bills included between them. Seems like a bargain.

do they ever cook for you all op?
do you enjoy their company?

I would not charge too low
As then they'll never move out

Be supportive but also do not remove all and any incentive to move out eventually 😁

Hi yes they do cook sometimes, and sporadically walk the dog, but they also create lots of mess which drives DH mad. On balance, I suspect life would be calmer if they had their own place but cost of living in London too high really for that!

how long together?

Personally - but you may feel differently! - I wouldn't want to live long term with another couple so I wouldn't want to make it too comfortable for them.

I would charge a reasonably high figure - say £750/month between them - and give them a list of chores that they need to do between them. I might also ask that they go out one evening every week to give me and DH some space.

They’ve been together since the last two terms of uni (so just over a year now). DS has just secured a full time role. They both have ADHD (diagnosed, medicated) so lifestyles are chaotic (always late, very messy).

£300 pm for each of them and they split the cost of a cleaner with you 50/50?

Are they respectful or thinking this is an expectation?
What are they doing around the house at present? Mucking in in even shares or treating it like a hotel?
Is there a plan for what happens if they fall out?
If they are respectful and at least trying to help then £300 each is still a bargain if she was previously paying £600. If not I would probably want to just say no.

£600 per month, buy own food, toiletries, bedding etc. for 1 year only and doubles in year 2.