DS (16) wants to move out

[GentleOliveFatball]

Hello, my 16 year old son wants to move out and rent a house with a friend (who is 18) They are both responsible and my son has been keen to move out for a while. (We get along fine, but our home is very small and now he's getting older I think he struggles with not having much of his own space/space for when friends visit.)
I trust both my son and his friend, they have spent months researching and saving money. Between them they can cover rent, food, bills etc for a small two bedroom semi-detached house, walking distance from where they both work.

However I'm worried that landlords will not rent to them because my son is only 16. I don't mind signing the tenancy agreement if I have to, however I don't know if I can since I won't be living there?

My son is still only looking, and I'm aware I must do more of my own research however any advice would be appreciated.
We live in Scotland by the way.
Thank you!

@Soontobe60 you literally linked to a UK website which says you become an adult at 18 but then highlighted the statement that they become adults younger than 18 in Scotland.

But it’s not until their 18th birthday (or, in some circumstances, earlier in Scotland) that children become adults in the eyes of the law

So not quite. They have legal capacity at 16 but are limited in some areas until they are 18.

This post is offensive and also complete madness.

He is already working and sensible enough to have budgeted.

@snoopyshoose I'm asking because I previously worked for years in supported accommodation for young people. No SEN just young people unable to continue living in the family home for a variety of reasons but who aren't quite ready to live fully independently yet but who didn't fall under social services remit for a full care order.

@Gaz98
If you look at @Artistbythewater posts, they are very rude and offensive regards Scotland, it's been pointed out various times but they continue to double down and have showed complete ignorance.

But equally if the 16 year old doesn’t pay the 18 year old is stuck in a contract he probably can’t afford alone

Reading some of these replies it's no wonder we have so many young adults entering the workplace who are so ill-prepared for being a grown up. Staff who don't know how to cook or to clean up their dishes after lunch, or how to do their own laundry or manage their time. I've even known parents of mid-twenties staff to call and expect to discuss their adult child's work situation with management. There's a balance to be found somewhere between throwing very young adults out into the world with inadequate support and coddling them to the point they're completely incapable of being responsible adults. Yes, young people get exploited (as do adults in their twenties and thirties and beyond), but two young people sharing a property aren't automatically doomed to have their home turned into a crack den FFS.

I have a 16yo who is almost 17. He's flying through a legal studies course at college, ready for uni next year. When he's not at college, he's working. I'm not sure if I'd be keen for him to move out but I wouldn't be gasping and clutching my pearls at the prospect. He's a legal adult who has made the "positive progressions" required as a school leaver (although, as PP have pointed out, not required by law). He knows he has unconditional love and support at home, and I'd rather have to support him through a tricky transition to independence than willingly hold him back.

Oh yes, absolutely terrible for young people in Scotland. They're all just wallowing in their pits of failure...

I have an older child who left school at 16. That child has since completed college, an apprenticeship, a further apprenticeship and passed his driving test during that time. He's just bought himself a fancy car, and is heading off abroad next week for the third time this year. I can see why you're so concerned about our Scottish children, it's an absolute travesty for them...

@HobbyHorse30
Well said, my youngest DD is in 2nd year of uni, last year in halls, she was the only one who could cook and be self sufficient, the other 11 in her flat were useless, and out of 12 only her and one other had a pt job, the rest shored up by bank of mum and dad.
These parents think they're being supportive but in reality they're. not preparing future adults, hence why MN is full of posts about useless men.

just read and they are looking for a reaction it seems 🙄

I have a 16yo who is almost 17. He's flying through a legal studies course at college, ready for uni next year. When he's not at college, he's working. I'm not sure if I'd be keen for him to move out but I wouldn't be gasping and clutching my pearls at the prospect. He's a legal adult

@HobbyHorse30 He has legal capacity at 16, but after extensive googling everything I have found says that young people become legal adults at 18 - in Scotland as well as England.

This is defined by legislation (section 97 (1) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014).

I don’t know @HobbyHorse30, I prefer to take care of the basics so that DS (16) can fully concentrate on his studies, his sport, and also p-t work. I don’t want him thinking about paying bills and managing day-to-days admin/chores yet. It happens quickly enough - DD (19) is in her second year at uni and doing all of that for herself.

And we have to do that boring stuff for the rest of our lives, why start under 18?!😂

The age of legal capacity is 16. I do apologise that my late-night MN comment wasn't suitably specific and referenced

Your extensive Googling presumably also highlighted the National Guidance for Child Protection, whichq explains that childhood and adulthood are "variously defined" and that legislation is necessarily complex to support the transition. You'll also have noted that whilst some legislation is applicable up until the age of 18 in terms of support and protection, the provision which relates to rights and responsibilities of parents applies until the child reaches 16 years old as laid out in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Happily, our poor hopeless children in this mean and terrible country don't reach the age of criminal responsibility until they are 12. This means that our 10 year olds can't be arrested and tried in a court in the way that those in neighbouring countries can.

My decade of teaching this subject can't hold a candle to someone's extensive Googling, obviously, but happy to offer up any additional info you might feel further need to test me on want

@BruFord that'll be that "balance somewhere in the middle" that I mentioned then?

Thank you for the sarcasm @HobbyHorse30
I stated that I "extensively googled" because I am not knowledgeable about this, and I wasn't sure that 16 year olds were legally adults in Scotland.

Can they vote?

They can vote in Scottish parliamentary or local government elections, but not UK elections. I don't know any of the statistics (no sarcasm there - and I apologise for that in my previous post, I inferred a tone that possibly wasn't there in your reply), but apparently there are some studies which show that voting turnout among the 18-24 age group is higher among those who have been eligible to vote since 16. I know for my children, the crossover of still being being at school and studying Modern Studies as a subject seemed to engage them more in the process and they've always taken every opportunity to vote

@RampantIvy yes they can vote in Scottish elections and, previously, in European elections. Westminster elections don’t allow anyone under the age of 18 to vote.

I agree it is boring having to do the chores but I think in the long run it makes real life easier by taking on admin /chores at home before moving out.

Bills not expected to pay but to be given enough guidance on budgeting ti be able to manage away from home.

Absolutely @Gaz98, my DS does chores and we talk to them both about budgeting.

I meant that living completely independently at 16, while doable, isn't necessarily preferable to living in a supportive family home. To answer the OP’s question, I would encourage her son to live at home until he’s 18, because being responsible for everything is hard work.

As a poster pointed out, most tenancies are 12 months until they move to rolling so he’ll have to find a sub-tenant if he finds it harder than he thought.

My DD (19) is currently home for Thanksgiving here in the US and she said when she arrived that it’s lovely to have a few days off from responsibility! I’ve helped with her washing, meals are provided, etc.

Of course, if her son insists on moving, she may have to support him with it.

Op, can I ask who this older man is that he is moving in with?

Given the current trend for deferring, I should think in future quite a lot of 16/17 yos will find they have 'older men' or 'older women' in their forms at school.