Is £25 a week rent from my 18-year-old unreasonable?

[Notagain1981]

My 18 year old has recently got a apprenticeship and is earning £300 a week, sometimes more if he works on a Saturday. Hes paying quite alot on his car insurance due to a accident ( his fault). First of all I wasnt planning on taking lodge / rent for the first year, but he seems to be spending money left right and centre. Im on my own and work full time in a minimum wage job. Ive asked him to pay £25 a week is that unreasonable?

No

No, that’s perfectly reasonable. In fact I’d probably charge him a little more than that

I would ask for £50. Keep half (if you need it) and save the other for him (but don't tell him). He'll thank you one day!

As you’ve told him £25 I’d stick with that for now but once the insurance year finishes tell him it’s increasing to £50.
its not unreasonable to spend your early income left, right and centre. When else can you have the freedom to do that? But eventually you want him to be a bit more responsible with his money so you can help with that.

Would £25 cover his food?
I would say 20% to 30% of basic take-home would be reasonable, ie ignore overtime. That’s the common kind of values in my friend group for their kids. We do 20%.
I am aware of others who charge a set rate and then reduce it if they take over house work/cleaning/gardening etc.
My son spent like a premiership footballer the first year of having a job; 5 holidays!, constantly out in the evening, pubbing, clubbing and living it large.
I have said to him that he needs to make sure that he is saving money, he tells me he is, he probably is, but I doubt it’s a great amount. However, he has mentioned wanting a new car in the next year or two so he needs to wind it in and save some serious money.

I think £50 more appropriate. Maybe more. It’ll teach him things in life are not free.

Agree with pp. I would ask for £50 but maybe save £20 for them.

My now 20yo pays £100pm, which basically covers the increase in council tax (I had a single person discount before) and a contribution towards utilities.

He also buys and cooks his own food.

He is now on around £24k, so earning slightly more but not a dissimilar amount.

£25 is very reasonable. £50 is too .

If you want to do him a favour

stop cooking and doing his laundry - £25 isn’t enough to cover doing those jobs, his future partner will thank you

if you want to charge more and save for him - get him a LISA before they close very soon. Then organise to put in it £25 a week, the government will also donate

Do you pay council tax? You mentioned you are on your own so did you used to get the single person discount? If so how much extra is it costing now you no longer have the discount? I'd charge that plus a decent amount extra. You are not flush with money yourself so why should you fund his lifestyle whilst he is working. £25 is basically nothing, he probably spends more on a night out.

Yes im paying full council tax now, jumped from £155 to £210 a month. Plus all other bills have shot up.

No it’s fine!

My eldest pays £300 a month - 23 working FT in a graduate roll, youngest is 17 and has been working FT in a nursery since Sept - currently still gets maintenance from dad but at 18 she’ll also be paying £300 a month - doesn’t cover the loss of maintenance but bills, CT, food still costs the same - neither has an issue with it.
DD1 was paying £800 a month for a box room at uni - it’s a bargain

OP I would look at your increased costs - as a minimum he should be paying that. But I also think reasonable to charge extra especially if he eats food you buy or you do his washing etc.

It's only unreasonable in your circumstances as it's not enough. Increase in the new year.

£25 is very very reasonable

£25 is a bargain. Tell him that.

You should charge £50 a week!

YANBU. When I got my first job I paid 50% of my take home pay to my parents for "board and keep". A trifling £25 out of £300 wage is ridiculously low, especially if you're still providing food/making his meals etc.

Not in the UK but my DD18 starts college in a couple of weeks. Between her part time job and a grant she will have at least €600 per month (that will be the minumum, works in a pub so gets tips) I am going to ask her for €120 a month. She has no college costs and lives at home. She will be expected to pay for her phone and travel.

I would up that to fifty a week tbh

I would charge 30% if rent, utilities, and meals are included. That is still a bargain in the real world. So 100 a week. Save it for him for the future.

Thinking his money goes further than it does will give him a skewed sense of how hard he needs to work. What seems kind right now is actually setting him up for failure later.

You are paying for his food ? And his share of bills? Way more than £25. Have you costed out how much he costs? And show him the costs - cover his basic costs but don’t charge room rent - ie don’t charge for things you would have to pay for any way - would be my position

50 to 75 seems much more reasonable

More than reasonable you could even up it to £50 a week if needs be as everything is expensive and at the end of the day everyone has to pay their way wether you rent your own home, own it, still living at home etc it’s how the world is now nothings cheap. I recently had to move in with my mum with my child and I’ve been paying her £400 a month I still buy my own food and stuff but her water etc has gone up since we’ve been here and i will be paying a hell of a lot more when I move out so I don’t mind at all don’t feel guilty charging board

Thank you all. Dont feel so guilty now 😊