topic Re: Would You Charge Rent? in Community Chat

Would You Charge Rent?

aj1980 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:58:59 GMT

If your adult child needed to move back home, would you charge them rent or let them come free of charge?

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

CelticCrafter — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:02:39 GMT

I think it would depend on the reason for them 'needing" to move back home and what our financial situation was.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

HLP — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:02:47 GMT

@aj1980 wrote:
If your adult child needed to move back home, would you charge them rent or let them come free of charge?

I would never charge my child. He's married but if he wasn't Id be overly happy to have him back.Thats how I feel about my Son, if you have issues, remember you raised him.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

They CallMe MRWILKES — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:37:56 GMT

Depends upon the very specific circumstances.

Do they have a full time job

or are they a full time student.

THIS ONE IS GONNA BE GOOOOD!

IT IS GOOD! AS EACH SCENARIO IS ENVISIONED! REAL AND MADE UP!

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

patbz — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:10:16 GMT

My adult son did move back in with us in his mid 20s. We don't charge rent, lent him an older car for his exclusive use. He pays us a sum every two weeks that covers his groceries, phone bill and the car insurance on that car. He has also been responsible for car repairs and upkeep ( that includes new tires, 200,000 MI checkup and a brake jpb). He helps around the house, he volunteered $4000 towards new windows, takes us out to dinner, etc

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Ronettes — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:08:57 GMT

With crippling inflation and skyrocketing rents, I would charge them a rent -

It wouldn't be what they would have to pay for an apartment, but I would charge them something.

Groceries, utilities, etc., are not cheap anymore - and it would be doing the child a favor, they would learn the value of a dollar.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

occasionalrain — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:09:51 GMT

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

They CallMe MRWILKES — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 18:03:42 GMT

I would think that an adult child would already have learned (or been taught) "the value of a dollar."

If you take a child in as an adult with the goal of dollar value education, you already made some mistakes along the way.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Sage04 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:11:47 GMT

If the person is moving home because of the loss of a job, then no. But if the person was paying for a place some where else and decided to move back home, yes that person should contribute something to the household. Don't have to call it rent.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Sage04 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:14:07 GMT

I also think that most people would volunteer. The parents should not have to ask.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Harpa — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:14:20 GMT

Yes. They would have to pay something. But a few days visit? No.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Laura14 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:14:47 GMT

I pay rent and mow the lawn and handle anything else the household requires. I moved back after my stepfather unexpectedly died.

It's reduced from what I would pay an outside landlord, but it's absolutely the right thing to do as the adult child. You don't live somewhere for free, related or not.

Doesn't have to be cash money, but it does need to be a contribution of some kind. Bills go up when more people are in the home. If you can't pay a bill, take one away by doing the shopping, cooking a meal, paying utilities, or keeping up the yard. It all counts.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

HLP — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:15:16 GMT

@patbz wrote:
My adult son did move back in with us in his mid 20s. We don't charge rent, lent him an older car for his exclusive use. He pays us a sum every two weeks that covers his car insurance, phone bill and the car insurance on that car. He has also been responsible for car repairs and upkeep ( that includes new tires, 200,000 MI checkup and a brake jpb). He helps around the house, he volunteered $4000 towards new windows, takes us out to dinner, etc

Congratulation Mom, You raised a wonderful Son. Mine would also be this responseable.Most everyone can have a child, you have to work to make sure you rear a responseable one.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Marp — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:23:24 GMT

@HLP wrote:
@aj1980 wrote:
If your adult child needed to move back home, would you charge them rent or let them come free of charge?
I would never charge my child. He's married but if he wasn't Id be overly happy to have him back.Thats how I feel about my Son, if you have issues, remember you raised him.

Wow @HLP, that is quite an unwarranted leap. The implication that @aj1980 has issues with her son or that she didn't do a good job raising him is beyond the pale.

Wonder how your much loved son feels about a mother that is so judgemental without a basis for any judgement at all.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

manny2 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:31:19 GMT

I would not. I would want them to be able to get out of the situation they were in, and be able to get back on track.

Life happens to responsible people too.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

drizzellla — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:31:26 GMT

No, we do not charge rent.

He came home after college. He lived in a house with 5 other boys at college. They were going to rent a house together after college. UNTIL, the one guy that had a good paying job was laid off. It was "last in first out" being laid off. So he had to move back home with his parents. His parents lived 100 miles from where "the guys" were going to rent a house. Some of the other guys did not find jobs. They ended up moving back with their parents.

My son was the only one who had a job. So the plan just died a slow death.

Then he was going to get an apartment with his best friend. But that changed when his friend started dating a girl and they got married.

He has now worked for 5 different companies since college. Each one was sold. And each sale was worse than before. One sale the company that was bought had 52 employees. The company that bought them, only kept 2. My son was one.

My son has been working 80 hours a week. And there have been numerous lay offs in his field. He has no job security.

So we figure he will inherit any assets we have. So why bother to charge him rent. Besides rent in our area is $$$$. He would have little for his other activities if he paid rent. And he so so little time to go out and have fun with friends. Would rather him have the money to go enjoy the things he would like to do.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

occasionalrain — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:33:46 GMT

If an adult child moves home to care for an ill parent, should the adult charge their parent for their care? It goes both ways.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Trinity11 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 17:02:44 GMT

@aj1980 wrote:
If your adult child needed to move back home, would you charge them rent or let them come free of charge?

I would never charge him or her rent. But that can backfire dependent upon your child. My MIL welcomed my brother in law back at 27 and he never moved out. He's still living in his childhood home at 74.😳 He never paid her a cent in rent and in her latter years lived off her two pensions and social security. My husband's sister moved back with my MIL after a failed marriage at 35. She never left either. She's 77. My MIL was a saint.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

Mindy D — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:36:28 GMT

Free, but if they are working, especially with decent pay, might ask them to help out with groceries and some home expenses. If they were flat broke, I wouldn't expect any money from them.

Re: Would You Charge Rent?

KingstonMom — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:36:53 GMT

@aj1980

Our 41 year old daughter has been back in the home for 2 years now.

No, we did not/do not charge her rent. She has 6 indoor only cats, so DH built her her own 'cat house'.

Our pit bull is too playful with cats!

We don't charge her for utilities either.