Why would parents charge their offspring rent?

How’s that racist? Did he mock someone’s skin colour? He is stating what happens in some families, not all.

"Helping round the house" is not a nice gesture but what common decency indicates you should do. Your parents are not your slaves when you are old enough to do your bit.

Saying its British is racist

"British" is not a race

In this context it is because the OP then comments on Italians so 'racr' is inferred

Op just stated something that happens in the culture of the U.K.
It’s very rare that something like this happens in Italian families and for example Asian families as well.

Because at 18, they become adults and it's time for them to start learning to be adults. And as pointed out above, there may be a financial aspect too due to child benefits no longer being paid. Don't see anything wrong with being charged for petrol money tbh - if you expect o be taxied around at that age, it should not be free.

As for you thinking that helping out around the house is "a nice gesture" - well, I don't know what to even say to that. Even kids are expected to help out with chores and there's a big ass adult of 22 living at home for free and seeing it as them doing their parents a favour...

I think it's unrealistic to expect people to suddnley become adults at 18 when before that they have been treated like a kid from every corner

I currently live at home and would happily pay rent/bills.

I don't for two reasons. Firstly the home owner is financially and emotionally abusive to my mother who I am very close to. He earns massive amounts for doing very little (compared to how hard everyone else works around here) and doesn't share it with the person who he is married to. They struggle to find support back into employment because as far as the government is concerned she should be entitled to half his wages. The job centre just recommends divorce which is quite hard when you dont have any financial support. They won't take money off me because they want to be self sufficient although I pay them in kind whenever I can (taking her out places, buying food etc). They want the security of having a job before they move out on their own.
So that's the first reason, I'm not donating anymore to smaug and his hoarde of cash.

The second reason is that my father has never done anything for me, he was absent when I was little and was never around for pretty much all life milestones. At univeristy I think he gave me all in total £300 for the entire duration which was quite frustrating as the entire reason my loan was so tiny was because of his wages (and yes I tried to get a job).

So no he isn't getting any of my very hard earned money, I'm only staying here until my mother is somewhere away from him with her own job.

This was more of a vent post than anything, anon because people will recognise me if I post on my account.

I would only charge kids if I wanted to encourage them to move out, or was struggling financially. I understand why some people do it, but I personally think when you have a kid you morally commit to supporting them for a reasonable length of time. (my thought would be, at least until they leave university or higher education) Whenever I see people treating their kids as a burden without them having really done anything wrong - I think quite coldly: why did you have kids then?

For the sake of discussion, how would you feel if they then disgraced you as a parent to others? By being a scrounge, never knowing when to put their hand in their pocket, running up debts to people, landlords, other family members etc because they'd never been directly challenged to pay their own keep? (kind of showing you up as a parent in the process). You surely have just as much moral obligation to prepare kids as much as support them? I've deffo seen multiple people kicked out their homes, courses, jobs or such because they simply don't understand these people aren't their pushover mummy or daddy.

EDIT - Just to clarify, I'm talking about kids being encouraged to gently contribute and learn that this = more say and independence in things, not milked for profit or held over their head as a constant threat.

Sometimes it's because they are struggling financially (they're no longer getting child support, for a start).

Sometimes it's because, while they were coping financially while the child grew up, it was by putting off bigger expenses. You can't do that forever.

Sometimes it's because it's becoming obvious to them that they haven't been saving nearly enough for their retirement.

Sometimes it's to make sure their child gets into the habit of living within their means (often the "rent" is quietly saved and given back to the child when they need a deposit on their own place.)

Sometimes it's simply because now the child is an adult living as part of the household, they feel that everyone should pull their weight. Why should the parents' income go on food and heating and council tax for everyone (even if they've paid off the mortgage) while the child can spend everything they earn on luxuries?

"Nice gestures like help round the house"? If you are one of three adults living there you should be doing a third of the housework, cooking, shopping, laundry, gardening, home maintenence and so on as the bare minimum. A "nice gesture", since you live there for free, would be to do more like a half. Your mum is not the maid.

That's racist - I didn't charge my son rent so he could save for a deposit. He has bought his own house now and moved out.

I would only charge kids if I wanted to encourage them to move out, or was struggling financially. I understand why some people do it, but I personally think when you have a kid you morally commit to supporting them for a reasonable length of time. (my thought would be, at least until they leave university or higher education) Whenever I see people treating their kids as a burden without them having really done anything wrong - I think quite coldly: why did you have kids then?

They want you to be a functioning member of society and move out.

Agreed. I think that it's better to let them save up for a house or uni or whatever rather than making them pay rent (they'd pay for their own clothes, help around the house, pay for their own fuel, buy food, cook etc) could be the difference between them being able to buy a home Vs renting it.

Didn’t know me saving for a house deposit made me a dysfunctional member of society😂