How much rent should my brother pay?

Similar situation to me actually.

I'm doing a full time uni course while staying at home, I work fridays and saturday nights in a local bar for some money but I only get about £350 a month ish. My brother who is 2 years older earns about £1300 a month. He refuses to pay board to my parents on the grounds that I'm not. I buy my own food and pretty much do most things around the house to myself. It really sickens me to see how selfish he is. My parents are fairly well off but that's beside the point. If people refuse to chip in then they can get lost IMO.
 
I only pay a token amount - mostly covering my costs - but my parents are comfortably off and don't even really want to take that. If they were struggling financially I'd up it considerably its the decent thing to do.

Ultimately it comes down to whatever they decide between them but if she is struggling or even just making ends meet then thats a pretty poor show.
 
Lima said:
For 600 they could just move out and rent a 1 bed flat or a decent house share. Why would his mother charge such an amount?
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They are adults who essentially house share with the parent(s), so charging the going rate is fair. Anything less is mollycoddling.

300 each should cover cost of food, bills and general maintenance of said property over a month.
 
balky12 said:
I pay 20% of my net salary each month. It's a lot more than £100 each month...

To put things in another perspective my old man earns a bucket load. My keep isn't needed in the slightest to help run the house. It's the principle though.
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What principle? How about the principle that parents shoudn't look to 'make a profit' from their kids? That is how I'd see if I had kids who were earning and they lived at home.

If you moved out, would your dad rent out the room to a lodger? If so then you have a case but otherwise I don't see why you should pay any more than you cost the household.
 
Lima said:
For 600 they could just move out and rent a 1 bed flat or a decent house share. Why would his mother charge such an amount?
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£600 a month for 2 people to survive on inc all food and bills?

Got a daughter whose a student nurse getting £540 bursary a month to live on and thats not easy.
 
I would say 40-50 quid a week each and that's a bargain , 12.50 a week is taking the **** i was paying 25 quid a week at my ma's 20+ years ago. i gladly paid more when i could to help her out.

best to learn now living aint cheap , they will have shock if they ever move out lol :D
 
robfosters said:
Tried talking to him but then both him and my mum tell me shut up.
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I'd take this as "Oh they know better than me!" and just leave it.

Either they need to find the decency to pull their weight financially, or your mother to realise that he isn't her 'little boy' anymore and has to help her out.
 
estebanrey said:
What principle? How about the principle that parents shoudn't look to 'make a profit' from their kids? That is how I'd see if I had kids who were earning and they lived at home.

If you moved out, would your dad rent out the room to a lodger? If so then you have a case but otherwise I don't see why you should pay any more than you cost the household.
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It's not about making a profit it's about at least covering there costs as they both work full time (earning more than the parent in the process).
 
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estebanrey said:
What principle? How about the principle that parents shoudn't look to 'make a profit' from their kids? That is how I'd see if I had kids who were earning and they lived at home.

If you moved out, would your dad rent out the room to a lodger? If so then you have a case but otherwise I don't see why you should pay any more than you cost the household.
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May I ask how old you are? If you read my posts you would see I pay just over £400 a month keep.

For a little over £10 a day I get a house, sky TV, broadband, as much food as I can eat, all bills paid for, some decent company and the occasional lift somewhere.

Let me know where I can do that if I move out.

I can assure you my parents are not 'profiting' from me. pahaha.

Now back to my principle bit. I'm a working man, I am still living at home (though saving), yes my dad can cover the costs of the house and mortgage without help easily. Doesn't mean I shouldn't pay my way. I want to pay my way. I think I am still getting a bargain...
 
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My sister and I still live at home and pay the same amount £130 PCM. I am happy with this :D

It has been this rate since I left school. The mortgage has been paid off in our house and I cant see how it cost more than £600PCM to run the house not including food but I rarely eat at home anyway.

As for the op. Paying more than your brother and his girlfriend combined is not on in my eyes. I can't even see how this is a thing bar some extreme circumstances.

I don't understand this 20% thing a few people have mentioned. The rate is the rate in my opinion. when I was on a little over £100 a week apprenticeship wages it worked out about 30% now its next to nothing. I learnt money management early I guess :)

If your mother and brother have not reacted well verbal suggestions maybe have a sit down with everyone and work out the outgoing of the house. Don't worry about individual incomes as in reality that is not important. Show it in facts and numbers the financial strains the lack of funds coming from your brother and demonstrate how its putting a burden on your mother. In my experience it is much easier to prove that people are wrong by written out facts and figures.

Best of luck sorting this out op and I hope you do. It's only money don't fall out with family over it.
 
Marshstyles said:
I don't understand this 20% thing a few people have mentioned. The rate is the rate in my opinion. when I was on a little over £100 a week apprenticeship wages it worked out about 30% now its next to nothing. I learnt money management early I guess :)
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What you will find with parents that do this is that they are most likely squirreling money aside for their kids for when they move out.

That and it get you use to extra out goings when you get pay rises. Your spending habits do change. Also 20% isn't a big deal..

Marshstyles said:
It has been this rate since I left school. The mortgage has been paid off in our house and I cant see how it cost more than £600PCM to run the house not including food but I rarely eat at home anyway.
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Be surprised. You saying it doesn't cost £7000 to run your home for a year excluding food? Our council tax is £2500 a year...
 
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They are massively freeloading. Your mum should grow some proverbial balls and kick them out.

My parents asked me for money when I stayed at theirs, and I wouldn't want to soak up the food and energy without contributing a chunk. It doesn't feel right to me.
 
balky12 said:
Be surprised. You saying it doesn't cost £7000 to run your home for a year excluding food? Our council tax is £2500 a year...
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Ouch! Do you have a massive house? We are band C and pay £1350

I did a quick google and found This page, I know its a year old but minus the mortgage the average running cost is £6000 so I can't be far off. Also we do not have a gas supply, nor sky and we are as energy efficient as possible.

I hope you're right about parents siphoning money to give back to me when I get my place. I will hit my deposit target next month and I am getting itchy feet :eek:

Sorry for mini thread hijack. :o
 
lol, I'm 17 (nearly 18) and I pay over 60% of what I get in board. Your brother needs to pay up they're going to be ****ed when they actually move out.
 
10 years ago I was taking home 1100 every four weeks and I gave my mum 250 of it. That was for my board, food and ironing. I didn't grumble at the time. I knew how good I had it. 100 quid between the two of them is disgraceful.
 
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