How much rent to charge 18 year old??

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 20:11

Hi!
I have an 18 year old son who will be finishing College at the end of June. He has a part time job at the moment and they have offered him full-time when he finishes until he gets an apprenticeship.

I think he should now contribute and he is happy to do so, but I have no idea how much to charge.

Do any of you folks have experience of this and what is your advice? I have some friends who don't charge their kids anything but as I am on my own I can't afford not to charge him!

Any advice greatly appreciated:)

Keefy-boy · 17/05/11 - 20:16

I would have thought the fairest thing to do is make it a percentage of his income rather than an absolute amount?

25%? 30%? Depends if it includes his nosebag and so on!

joe9000 · 17/05/11 - 20:17

I stayed on at home, and I thought half my takehome was fair. This still depends on what you take home. Half of £50 appears a little "mean" (for the parent)

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 20:23

Yes he should contribute but how you determine or negotiate that depends on what you both consider fair board and lodging.

When I stayed at home, my parents would not take what I would have considered fair and they weren't exactly rolling in it. What I considered fair I put in to their house in other ways for things that they really couldn't have afforded.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 20:28

Thanks - the percentage idea seems fair. I suppose it will be best to wait and see what his take home pay will actually be and go from there.

I expect I will be feeding him, doing washing etc:rolleyes::D

I still feel a bit guilty taking his money as some of my friends don't but on the other hand he needs to learn the value of money:)

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 20:31

Guilt shouldn't come in to it. People need to pay for their keep. You are doing him a favour in so much as he will begin to get a true idea of the cost of living and having to budget for things he wants as opposed to needs i.e roof over his head, food in his belly, clean clothes on his back.

Always make ironing EXTRA

joe9000 · 17/05/11 - 20:32

lizzydripping25 wrote: »

he needs to learn the value of money:)

You got it!!!

mred2000 · 17/05/11 - 20:33

When my brothers finished college/uni and got full time jobs, whilst at home, they paid my folks £20-£25 a week in the 80's... in the early 00's when I was in the same position I paid £30 a week plus paid the BT bill, paid for shopping every so often and bought in other stuff for the house, like decorating stuff and silly things like ON/ITV Digital... stuff my folks wouldn't have forked out for normally...

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 20:42

lizzydripping25 wrote: »

I expect I will be feeding him, doing washing etc:rolleyes::D

I still feel a bit guilty taking his money as some of my friends don't but on the other hand he needs to learn the value of money:)

Sounds as if he needs to learn the value of housework too, help make him a more rounded human being lol. Think of it as doing any future daughter-in-law a great favour.

ericab · 17/05/11 - 20:46

We've just had this discussion regarding our 20 year old daughter who has just moved back home, we also spoke about our 23 year old daughter who is also at home.

Twenty three year old works in a school, so only around 18 hours per week, plus around 5 hours in a shop on Sundays, 20 year old works full time.

We felt the fairest way for them both was a percentage of their earnings and that's exactly what we've done.

They also have to do a fair share of housework, a bit of ironing and a bit of cooking. We would be saying exactly the same if we had boys, as we feel getting board off them is about teaching them nothing in life is free, it helps them budget and gives them an understanding of bills, rent etc. The housework stuff means they know how to keep a tidy house and won't starve

Pandakoo · 17/05/11 - 21:04

Give the boy a break! You shouldn't be charging him rent at 18! If my mum done that to me i would be so shocked! We're still only young.. Don't you think it's weird that none of his other friends are having to pay rent? I don't know any of my friends at that age that have to pay rent.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:06

So when do you stop freeloading and pay your way in life Tyyleer?

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:10

Whatever the amount is...
Unless you need the money...I think you should without telling him, put it in a savings account and give it to him when he moves out. So he can pay for deposit .

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:14

I'd let him have his first full time pay to himself to enjoy but that is it. The OP already said she can't afford to keep him for free.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:18

wishfulthinking wrote: »

Sounds as if he needs to learn the value of housework too, help make him a more rounded human being lol. Think of it as doing any future daughter-in-law a great favour.

Good idea!

Tyyleer wrote: »

Give the boy a break! You shouldn't be charging him rent at 18! If my mum done that to me i would be so shocked! We're still only young.. Don't you think it's weird that none of his other friends are having to pay rent? I don't know any of my friends at that age that have to pay rent.

More of his friends pay rent than don't pay - you could move out at 18 and it would be a lot more expensive than paying rent at home:D

rozafa wrote: »

Whatever the amount is...
Unless you need the money...I think you should without telling him, put it in a savings account and give it to him when he moves out. So he can pay for deposit .

Nice idea - but, unfortunately, at the moment would need the money - unless I took more than i needed and saved some of it!:D

Elphie_Lives · 17/05/11 - 21:19

Tyyleer wrote: »

Give the boy a break! You shouldn't be charging him rent at 18! If my mum done that to me i would be so shocked! We're still only young.. Don't you think it's weird that none of his other friends are having to pay rent? I don't know any of my friends at that age that have to pay rent.

Normally I would agree 18 is too young, and if he had been going to Uni and staying at home, then I wouldn't say charge him. But he is going to have a full time job, he needs to learn that one day he'll have to budget and do without certain things.

My parents don't charge me, (I'm 19 and at Uni), but I still help however I can. Buy some groceries, cook the dinner, make sure mum doesn't have extra work when she comes from work. Its a way of preparing me for the real world, as is charging a full time worker who is staying in your house.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:19

ardwark wrote: »

I'd let him have his first full time pay to himself to enjoy but that is it. The OP already said she can't afford to keep him for free.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, I can't - but a good idea to let him keep the first pay to himself

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:20

Don't feel guilty about it. Life isn't cheap.

Karly · 17/05/11 - 21:22

rozafa wrote: »

Whatever the amount is...
Unless you need the money...I think you should without telling him, put it in a savings account and give it to him when he moves out. So he can pay for deposit .

And how will that teach him the value of money?

The OP should negotiate an amount of rent that suits both of them, allowing for urging him to save a small amount towards a deposit for himself some day as well - agree that when that time comes if he saves so much then the parent will contribute too - say 2/3 child, 1/3 parent or whatever suits the parent (but only if he does save this amount - if he doesn't he gets nothing).

When I was 14 I really really wanted a particular radio cassette player, I'll never forget it was £45. My dad made an agreement with me that if I saved £25 he would then give me the other £20. That is exactly what happened, and I like to think it has taught me to be quite good with money as an adult.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:23

Do you mean help with bills, or actual rent? You could just divide up the bills. I don't know about rent, it seems to be a common British thing to charge children to just stay in the house.

Pandakoo · 17/05/11 - 21:25

It just sounds like to me your being a bit harsh on the boy. He's soon finishing college and is already working part time and as soon as he goes full time your already starting to charge him rent?

Elphie_Lives · 17/05/11 - 21:26

Tyyleer wrote: »

It just sounds like to me your being a bit harsh on the boy. He's soon finishing college and is already working part time and as soon as he goes full time your already starting to charge him rent?

How is it harsh? If he moved out he'd be charged considerably more than his parents would be expecting. He isn't a child anymore.

butterworth · 17/05/11 - 21:28

I always believed a third of your take home was the right answer to this question.

It won't necessarily cover your costs (though it might), but it will get him used to the idea of 'the real world' for when he moves out...

soulboy77 · 17/05/11 - 21:29

Why is it harsh? At 18 you are an adult and should be paying your way if you are not in full-time education.

[Deleted User] · 17/05/11 - 21:31

£20 a week?

HollyC · 17/05/11 - 21:35

Many many years ago, when I left college and started work, my parents 'charged' me one-third of my take-home pay. They did that with all of us kids, and (at the time) it seemed fair. It was still a massive shock when I left home and found that living expenses were so much higher!

Hey there!

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How much rent to charge 18 year old??

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