# GF moving in, trying to decide how much rent she should pay



## onemanortwo (5 Jan 2023)

All, my GF is planning to move into my house and we both agree that she should pay rent, but trying to decide how much.
I'm not entirely sure what info is relevant when deciding. I live in the city center(ish) with my grown daughter. So she'd be moving in there.
We both earn ok money, we're not struggling, so it's not about needing money etc. When she moves in, she'll rent her house in a very rent-able area.
What are the things we shold consider when deciding on an amount?

Mortgage / 3?
Normal cost of a room in Dublin City
% of what she'l rent her house out for?

Thoughts?


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## DannyBoyD (6 Jan 2023)

Be aware that your partner will start to accrue rights to your property in the event that you separate in the future.

Some googling will give you exact details.

If you are both earning similar  salaries, you should be paying the same for  mortgage & utilities.

If there's a major difference in income then pro-rata as appropriate.

Financially (and possibly legally as well) you'd both be better off renting a room in your respective homes under the rent-a-room scheme.


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## skrooge (6 Jan 2023)

onemanortwo said:


> What are the things we shold consider when deciding on an amount?
> 
> Mortgage / 3?
> Normal cost of a room in Dublin City
> ...


What can your GF afford to pay if her tenant stops paying their rent and she is faced with:

the cost of serving her mortgage (if applicable),
ongoing legal costs to get the overholding tenant out, and
her share of utilities in your house.
If all that brings you to a number that's less than €14k a year, it also comes in under the taxation threshold for the rent a room scheme.

Alternatively keep it simple. Of your 3 options listed - she's not on the mortgage and you don't have a share in her property so that leaves market rent.


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## RonnieShinbal88 (6 Jan 2023)

It's complicated, I'd keep it to just sharing bills not the mortgage unless you get married.

You could argue that mortgage interest is a bill and work a share of that out plus utilities, so whatever she is paying is not contributing to equity and get that in writing, i.e. that she has no claim on your house, I've no idea if that would hold up in the hopefully unlikely event that she fell on hard times somehow and lost her property, you both separated and she sued for part of yours.

She is going to benefit from renting out her home, but unless you are married or contributed to that you have no claim on that unless you get married.

You could just agree that she pays for your vacations and you set up a vacation fund vault in Revolut or whatever rather than setting a fixed rent, it leaves a clear paper trail that she isn't paying a fixed amount to your mortgage.


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## Billo (6 Jan 2023)

Is your grown daughter ok with the move ?


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## Itchy (6 Jan 2023)

onemanortwo said:


> All, my GF is planning to move into my house and we both agree that she should pay rent, but trying to decide how much.
> I'm not entirely sure what info is relevant when deciding. I live in the city center(ish) with my grown daughter. So she'd be moving in there.
> We both earn ok money, we're not struggling, so it's not about needing money etc. When she moves in, she'll rent her house in a very rent-able area.
> What are the things we shold consider when deciding on an amount?
> ...



What does she think is reasonable and is that acceptable to you?

If there are three adults under one roof, its reasonable to split by three, IMO. Obviously you are covering your daughter.

I don't think her house or the rent received is a factor at all.


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## KOW (6 Jan 2023)

onemanortwo said:


> All, my GF is planning to move into my house and we both agree that she should pay rent, but trying to decide how much.
> I'm not entirely sure what info is relevant when deciding. I live in the city center(ish) with my grown daughter. So she'd be moving in there.
> We both earn ok money, we're not struggling, so it's not about needing money etc. When she moves in, she'll rent her house in a very rent-able area.
> What are the things we shold consider when deciding on an amount?
> ...


I dont think she should be moving in to be honest if you have to put up this post.


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## Sue Ellen (6 Jan 2023)

This older AAM post based on who said romance was dead might be worth a read if still up-to-date.  Some others here might frighten you too


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## messyleo (6 Jan 2023)

I'd agree with KOW here - I'd go with splitting bills and maybe she could buy the odd meal out etc


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## peemac (6 Jan 2023)

I'd go for a percentage of the rent she is getting for her house as that's a benefit she gets for moving in with you and she knows that.

20% - 30% would be what I would look at.

Create a revolut account specifically for this and use it for "extras" that both of you enjoy such as holidays.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (6 Jan 2023)

onemanortwo said:


> What are the things we shold consider when *deciding on an amount?*


You're focussing on the details but don't lose sight of the big picture here. You both accumulate rights and obligations via cohabitation over time. It's worth a read below.


https://www.citizensinformation.ie/...ting_couples/rights_of_unmarried_couples.html

In my view in the long run people in committed relationships who have assets are generally better off married.


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

DannyBoyD said:


> Be aware that your partner will start to accrue rights to your property in the event that you separate in the future.
> 
> Some googling will give you exact details.
> 
> ...



The plan is to use a rent book under rent a room so there is record that it's just rent and not payment of mortgage.


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

Billo said:


> Is your grown daughter ok with the move ?


Yes, we've discussed this, she's happy for me... she's also studying law so that might come in handy!


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

Itchy said:


> What does she think is reasonable and is that acceptable to you?
> 
> If there are three adults under one roof, its reasonable to split by three, IMO. Obviously you are covering your daughter.
> 
> I don't think her house or the rent received is a factor at all.


ok, that's fair enough and something I was thinking, all divided by 3 and I cover my daughter.

The only think I though about is that my GF benefits from this financially a lot more than I do, 
which I don't mind, we both do pretty well, but I do a bit better, her renting her place would prob' put us at even.
Is she was paying 1/3 the rent here, she'd still be making over 3 times what she'll pay me to rent.
It's her house so I guess that's not the point and I should just charge her the market rate for renting
her section of the house, plus 1/3 bills?


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

KOW said:


> I dont think she should be moving in to be honest if you have to put up this post.


Can you expand? We both have want this to be financially fair and feel the best way to do this is financially clinicial.
I don't see the harm in it.


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

Another note, both she and her sisters have had properties with partners that eventually ended up in court.
They all owned the property and the guy tried to claim half, she she's way more focused  on this than I.
But I think it's the correct thing to do given that we've both worked very hard to say and buy properties and
I think it's right that we'd want to protect that investment from any potential harm.


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## onemanortwo (8 Jan 2023)

Sue Ellen said:


> This older AAM post based on who said romance was dead might be worth a read if still up-to-date.  Some others here might frighten you too


Right, common problem then. It'll go through those, thanks


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## RonnieShinbal88 (8 Jan 2023)

I think her paying rent is questionable to be honest.

You're taking the view that as a couple if she moves in you are entitled to some of the rent she gets for her place, but you aren't.
Her moving in isn't costing you anything, other than maybe some utility increases, you don't have any claim on her income or assets because you aren't married and you didn't contribute to buying her place. She is downsizing from having a place all to herself to sharing also.

Legally she might have a claim on your place as you are co-habiting and its going to be her home for X years.
A rent book might just document her claim, the fact you are both discussing it suggests a future fallout isn't inconceivable.

On your side you are assuming a responsibility by making your house her home and co-habiting there, and her paying rent would document that.
Whereas on her side there is no commitment, you have no rights to her assets.

From your perspective I think you'd be better off married to pool your assets like that, then it's all a lot simpler.


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## Clamball (8 Jan 2023)

Probably better to ask for a contribution to the household expenses, food, electricity, broadband, travel costs, eating out, but steer away from a contribution to the mortgage or house repairs.   If she was not moving in you would still have all those expenses in any event.

Your idea of a rent book and a rent a room scheme sounds ok but you are not actually doing that so it is pretty worthless as proof she did not contribute to house repairs or mortgage.


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## onemanortwo (Monday at 3:27 PM)

RonnieShinbal88 said:


> I think her paying rent is questionable to be honest.
> 
> Legally she might have a claim on your place as you are co-habiting and its going to be her home for X years.
> A rent book might just document her claim, *the fact you are both discussing it suggests a future fallout isn't inconceivable.*


Correct, it'd be wrong to think it isn't possible. This is why we're trying to keep everything on the books.
We though by paying rent and not paying the mortgage per se, we would be making sure she has no claim 
on the place. Again, her idea/thoguht process, not mine. I do think however that it's fair is she pays rent if she's living there.


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## onemanortwo (Monday at 3:29 PM)

I thank you all for this. I see it's way more tricky that first thought. I was looking to find the fair amount.
I guess what I thought was if we had it in a rent book we can look at it almost like a landlord arangment,
however as that is not the defacto arrangment it might be pointless.


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## RonnieShinbal88 (Monday at 3:56 PM)

onemanortwo said:


> Correct, it'd be wrong to think it isn't possible. This is why we're trying to keep everything on the books.
> We though by paying rent and not paying the mortgage per se, we would be making sure she has no claim
> on the place. Again, her idea/thoguht process, not mine. I do think however that it's fair is she pays rent if she's living there.


What might be an idea is something in writing capturing the actual situation, that she is moving in to allow her to rent her place out, to make some extra money, in return she is giving you a share of the savings from that to help with bills and the money is not going toward owning a share of your house in any way, and should the two of you ever separate the understanding is that she will return to her own place (if that's possible the way tenants rights are going!). Getting her to sign something so you are both on the same page seems sensible. On the original question she might work out her old outgoings on her place (mortgage) minus the new outgoings net of rent, all the renting expenses, tax etc. and you work out some share of that saving that she is making, she would need to first set aside a fund to pay tax and for a maintenance fund for any repairs etc. Anyway best of luck with it, hope it all works out great for you both.


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## AndroidMan (Monday at 8:33 PM)

RonnieShinbal88 said:


> What might be an idea is something in writing capturing the actual situation, that she is moving in to allow her to rent her place out, to make some extra money, in return she is giving you a share of the savings from that to help with bills and the money is not going toward owning a share of your house in any way, and should the two of you ever separate the understanding is that she will return to her own place (if that's possible the way tenants rights are going!). Getting her to sign something so you are both on the same page seems sensible. On the original question she might work out her old outgoings on her place (mortgage) minus the new outgoings net of rent, all the renting expenses, tax etc. and you work out some share of that saving that she is making, she would need to first set aside a fund to pay tax and for a maintenance fund for any repairs etc. Anyway best of luck with it, hope it all works out great for you both.


Am sure she will love that


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## onemanortwo (Tuesday at 10:11 AM)

AndroidMan said:


> Am sure she will love that


She suggested it! She's been in a situation where someone has tried to do it to her, so wants to be very legal about it.
TBH, I don't get this disaproval of this. I also co-own a few places with an old friend and we've always had a very strong legal agrement in place in case of fall out. It protects both parties, I think it shoud be the same in this relatioship.


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