Charging Family Rent Gets Uncomfortable
I saw this on Reddit and had definite opinions about the idea of charging family rent: A 28-year-old woman allowed her younger brother, 24, to move into her guest room after he lost his job and couldn’t afford his apartment. Initially, she told him he could stay for a couple of months to get back on his feet, but she made it clear that she expected him to contribute financially once he found work.
Fast Forward Three Months
The author said, “He’s applied to some jobs, he spends most of his time playing video games and hanging out with friends. I told him I was going to start charging him $300/month in rent starting next month, whether or not he has a job, because I feel like he’s taking advantage of me.”
Her brother didn’t take the idea of paying family rent well. She says, “He got really upset and said I was being heartless since he’s struggling and I ‘don’t need the money.’”
To complicate matters, her parents are on her brother’s side, saying, “It’s wrong to ‘profit off family’ in a tough time.” The author explains, “For context, I do have a stable job and don’t need the money, but I feel like he should be held accountable instead of freeloading.”
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Personally, I don’t see how the brother’s finances are his sister’s responsibility. She was already nice off enough to help him… three months is a significant amount of time. Also she set expectations and he’s not meeting them. Plus in today’s society, $300 a month is not enough to live anywhere else. It’s not the money, it’s the principal.
To boot, her parents are siding with the brother as far as the idea of family rent. At the same time, they don’t want him moving back in with them because they have their own financial issues. If he moved back in with his parents and paid family rent to them, it would help everyone, but if that’s not an option…
Hold The Family Rent
What about suggesting that the $300 per month will be saved back and given to the brother when he moves out? He’ll need more money at that point in life… and if she does keep the money? I still think it’s more than fair. Her utilities have probably been higher since he arrived.
What do you think? Is she being unreasonable, or is this a fair way to hold her brother accountable? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me: Doni@wcsx.com
I didn’t the family rent thing with my daughter when she lived at home, but maybe I should have? I’ll try it out on my son when he turns 18. lol… Here’s one person’s take on that idea.