Why do people pay parents rent/to be asked to pay rent

I never got this, and it seems to be a white thing as I have never heard any of my non white friends doing this

Why on earth do parents charge their own children rent to stay in their house?

What purpose does it serve?

Where does the rent money go? if they got the cash for 18 years of a mortgage/rent they can continue paying it, or do they want some new uggs or what

With free market rent prices so high why not just tell them to save the cash for a deposit on a future place and not prolong their dependency on you?

is it because I am not white that I don't get it?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

kerily

15

Because the parents can't afford to keep the child. If your kid's under 18, you get child benefit; as soon as they're not, you don't get any child benefit. So while under 18 their benefit will probably have paid some of their share of food and bills, when over 18, then it obviously doesn't.

Plus when you're 16, you can get a job. So you can afford to contribute, whereas under 16 you obviously couldn't. It's not about trying to optimise things for the kids in the future, it's about making sure that everyone can make ends meet in the meantime; in short, it's about being poor. (I don't see it as related to race, either; I'm white and I get it.)

Reply 2

callum9999

16

Original post by kerily

Because the parents can't afford to keep the child. If your kid's under 18, you get child benefit; as soon as they're not, you don't get any child benefit. So while under 18 their benefit will probably have paid some of their share of food and bills, when over 18, then it obviously doesn't.

Plus when you're 16, you can get a job. So you can afford to contribute, whereas under 16 you obviously couldn't. It's not about trying to optimise things for the kids in the future, it's about making sure that everyone can make ends meet in the meantime; in short, it's about being poor. (I don't see it as related to race, either; I'm white and I get it.)

I wouldn't say it's about "being poor". Most people who have to pay rent don't seem to be particularly poor to me.

It's down to the parents attitude. Some parents have the attitude that once you're an adult you should pay your own way (where feasible) and some parents have the attitude that you are their child and they will always look after you.

Neither is right or wrong.

Reply 3

kerily

15

Original post by callum9999

I wouldn't say it's about "being poor". Most people who have to pay rent don't seem to be particularly poor to me.

It's down to the parents attitude. Some parents have the attitude that once you're an adult you should pay your own way (where feasible) and some parents have the attitude that you are their child and they will always look after you.

Neither is right or wrong.

Everyone who I've known who's paid rent did it because their parents couldn't afford to keep them any other way, hence my reasoning. It doesn't come down to morality really - just necessity.

Obviously it'll differ in different areas (if you live in an affluent area, I'd imagine families can make ends meet without financial contributions from their kids) but that's my experience, at least.

Reply 4

Tommyjw

18

Because a person has to stop sucking on their Mums tits at some time

Reply 5

chickenonsteroids

17

lol this isn't related to race and I think you've just said that to annoy people.

However, Kerily's explained everything.

Also it helps build a sense of independence in the person... they'll have to start paying bills eventually :smile:

Reply 6

FendiFendi

OP

Original post by Tommyjw

Because a person has to stop sucking on their Mums tits at some time

re-read what I wrote.

if anything it makes you MORE dependant on them, say you are paying £50 a week, that's £50 a week that could have gone to saving for a new place

Reply 7

Oh my Ms. Coffey

Only persons parents I know who do it are pretty well off.

Reply 8

original_username

15

Was talking about this with mates last night and I said the same as you. You cost your parents less if you are in a job and you' be better off saving the money to actually move out properly. My mates said my parents are just soft, I bit my tongue.

Reply 9

JadeN92

17

Well I'm black and during my gap year, as soon as I got a job I started paying rent so it's not just a 'white' thing.

Granted it was only £60 a month but I think it was more to prepare me for having to actually pay for rent and bills etc.

I'd feel like a bit of a sponger if I'm a working adult and yet am not contributing anything.

I really don't think it has anything to do with the family being so poor that suddenly they're relying on their children to make ends meet...

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 10

FendiFendi

OP

Original post by chickenonsteroids

Also it helps build a sense of independence in the person... they'll have to start paying bills eventually :smile:

because reducing someone's income makes them more likely to move out?

I am just saying, instead of them paying rent tell them to save that money instead, and considering child benefits is only £20 a week for 1st child and 2nd is £14, you need to sort out your own life if you are so hard up you can't afford £20 a week to make ends meet

Reply 11

Freiheit

17

Surely the child's education should be the top priority and not having to work to pay rent.

Reply 12

Rascacielos

19

Original post by FendiFendi

re-read what I wrote.

if anything it makes you MORE dependant on them, say you are paying £50 a week, that's £50 a week that could have gone to saving for a new place

If you put £50 pw towards a deposit on a new place, not only is that going to take you a while, but it's also going to leave you without £50 to pay your parents for rent?

Reply 13

IB_19

I presume it is to contribute towards the bills as they're working. It also depends on the circumstances and how able their child is able to pay. I would at least offer my parents rent, (though I think they'd decline).

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 14

Rascacielos

19

Original post by Freiheit

Surely the child's education should be the top priority and not having to work to pay rent.

Although there are some cases of parents asking rent from their children whilst they're still in compulsory education, I think it's more common when the child is either at university or at work. In the first case, you get a maintenance loan/grant for living at home so it seems only fair that you should give this to your parents. And in the second case, well, they're obviously not in education so that doesn't apply.

Reply 15

Drunk Punx

19

Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey

Only persons parents I know who do it are pretty well off.

OMG new girl in your sig... :coma:

Hoo dat?

On-topic: I pay a quarter of my wages (which amounts to about £50 a week) to make up for the lack of child benefits.

Reply 16

sophia_

16

Original post by Tommyjw

Because a person has to stop sucking on their Mums tits at some time

.. That's one way of putting it, I suppose. :lolwut:

Reply 17

chickenonsteroids

17

Original post by FendiFendi

because reducing someone's income makes them more likely to move out?

I am just saying, instead of them paying rent tell them to save that money instead, and considering child benefits is only £20 a week for 1st child and 2nd is £14, you need to sort out your own life if you are so hard up you can't afford £20 a week to make ends meet

usually they aren't asked to pay the full amount. Most of the times a lot less than they'd actually pay so at the same time thru can be saving enough so they can eventually move out

Reply 18

Rascacielos

19

Original post by FendiFendi

because reducing someone's income makes them more likely to move out?

I am just saying, instead of them paying rent tell them to save that money instead, and considering child benefits is only £20 a week for 1st child and 2nd is £14, you need to sort out your own life if you are so hard up you can't afford £20 a week to make ends meet

But not only that, what kind of message does it give to a person that they can just live at home for free? Why bother getting a job or living independently, if you're much better off at home?

And just as an aside, not everyone is in as fortunate a position as you. For some people, £20 per week makes a hell of a lot of difference (I should know, that's what I'm living on right now). Don't be so naive as to think that a person can just sort their lives out and get more money. Clearly you've never been without it, otherwise you'd appreciate its value.

Reply 19

Psyk

16

In most cases they're not really paying "rent", they're paying towards bills, food, etc. Which seems fair enough to me. If you're earning money it's only fair that you contribute instead of expecting your parents to pay for everything. If they were really paying rent they'd have to be paying more than their equal share of the bills and other shared costs, and I don't think many people do pay that much.

Why do people pay parents rent/to be asked to pay rent

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