House sharers, how much board do you pay ?

[Rocket]

This is for both people who are paying board for living in a house with either their parent/s or people who are just renting a room at a house they found in the paper or whatever.

How much do you pay ?
Does it cover bills ?
Food ?
Do you think it's fair ?

My son has just got his first full time job after working a couple of part time jobs.
So now it's time for him to start paying his way. (I'm giving him a month to live it up first )

I also have a mate who's lived with me for quite some time but I've never bothered to charge him because he house sits while I work away oversea's.

But with me changing jobs and taking a chop in wages, I'm going to change the rules a bit and they can help to cover the cost of the roof over their heads.

Trouble is, I really have no idea how much is fair.
Should family get a better rate ?
But I still don't know what the going rate is.

My place is your basic 3x1 with air con, plus a powered, fully tooled up and alarmed shed with air con, for bikes only, no room for cars.

Help me please !!!

[-J-]

I have a border and I charge him 120 a week plus 1/2 bills.

I've never charged my borders a bond.

When i lived at home my parents charged my 50% of my wages to live there, however they saved 50% of the amount i was paying as board

[chew]

Mum always slugged us 30% of our gross wage, must have been soft. We did our own washing and cooking except when she cooked dinner couple of times a week.

Our apprentice coughs $100 a week plus food and common bills. Thats generally what I charge the freeloaders who stay with us. If they shit me it goes up.

[Martin1]

I have paid my folks board for living under their roof since i was sixteen. back then i got a part time job to pay for it ($30/week). since then the board has increased to $50/week, but only because i'm still studying at uni fulltime.

they have neither a mortgage or rent, and do not have to pay the majority of household bills (water, gas, elec, etc.) thanks to living in a rectory (perks of the job!). i am still happy to pay my board though as every little bit helps out.

if i was working fulltime i would expect to pay more.
i finish uni for good in one week, so i plan on moving out pretty soon after that!!

[Jedi]

I've been looking at moving out soon and depending on area 100-150 bucks + bills wouldn't be any more than the going rate.

[Breyten]

As I work away most of the time, I get two differrent rates.
When home, $100pw, includes food (when I'm home for meals so 50%) and bills. Usually take the folks out at least once, and shout take-away at least once.
While away, $40pw - essentially storage fee. Car on verge, bike round back.

When I first started out, folks slugged me for 30% of my weekly net income. However, they saved half of that on my behalf. Might be a good idea to do something like that, so he gets used to having to hand over a large sum of earnings, and you have some of the cash handy for breakdowns/bail/dowry... i mean.. yeah!

Edit: Moving back out again soon, renting from a mate and looking at about $120pw + bills for that.

[Aphex]

$100-$150 depending where it is, what it is and what you include.

Some include bills except phone etc.

If I were to let a room out in my current abode likely would be $130p/w + bills.

[Kilma]

I have 2 people living with me. They are currently paying $80 each a week. That will go up to $100/wk in the new financial year.

They supply their own everything, and pay their share of the bills.

3x1 with shed & garage for their cars in Maddington.

When I was living at hom and paying board, I was paying $150/week, which included food/washing/cooking etc. (all the standard family stuff). I was on pretty good wages then though.

[Bendito]

$100-$150 is fair, and pretty realistic.

A room in my house would be $100 + bills

[Rocket]

Thanks everyone.
I'll go with $80 p/w I reckon.

[Stoneville]

I charge the girls $80 a week each ($240 a week rent) for the house on the Bentley/Cannington boarder, they sort the bills out between them and buy their own food

[T.G]

Used to pay the old man $100 a week board and chip in for food, mind you i was studying 3-4 days a week at tafe then found myself working the rest. As time went on i started paying towards bills and my full share of food

[megs]

I charge my border $50 a week and only bill he has to go halves in is electricity, he got it lucky considering I have no gas and hot water is on electricity. But I wish I had of charged more. I lucky and have a small mortgage.

I reckon at least $70 or $80, makes you less resentful, especially when you have to fork out for house expenses.

I want to charge border more, maybe (probably not) later down track.

[faultykyle]

Living with rents, I dont pay board... but I do more than my share of housework (eg waking up at 10 and having a note to clean up the mess in the kitchen...)

Mother is keen to have me move out... says she'll even pay $50 a week in rent assist just for me to piss off. I think I'm gonna stay though... Uni is just (and I mean JUST) across the road (shout out to my Curtin brethren!)

[Mirkz]

When I was living with my folks it started off something like $60pw, then it went up to $100pw.
It covered EVERYTHING... washing, food, bills etc.

I now live with a mate, renting.. I pay $150pw and pay half bills, all my food etc.

Its family, look after them I'd say... hell if you charge $100pw or something, put $50 aside into an account or something and give it back to him when he moves out.

[Cam]

We've got a roomie planned to come and live with us after the move, I've been thinking $120 to $150 a week including internet access. Will split other bills as they come in.

[MottBoxx]

depends where you go.

When i moved itnerstate with family friends of teh mrs. they said $100 for a room and then slit the bills and food bills, but then wouldnt let me use the net and wouldnt get any of the food I liked so I ended up telling them to jam it up their ass.

I live at two places atm (partly with the mrs. and partly with the old lady) I'm at my old ladies house about 3 nights a week but still pay $150 a week and help with the bills if or when she needs the help (she owns the house). When i first starteed working she did what alota the other folks here did, charged me about $80 -$100 a week, kept about $30 so that i'd get used to spending money on rent/mortgage and then wehn i fianlly moved out to go itnerstate she gave the remainer back.

[shmoo]

I moved back home with mum not long ago for the specific purpose of saving $$$ for my own place.

She basically said "i'd really like to help you out and get you some $$$ for your own place, but i cant afford to, so you can stay here rent free until you find somewhere." Recently after a couple of house offers fell over i've started paying $100 per week again as i didnt want to keep bludging.

For your son, i'd change him $100 per week and prolly not bother too much about bills etc. With the mate, $150 + half the bills would be fair.