House keeping

It doesn’t

"Chat GPT response was:
Fuel - £10-£20 per week
Water - £3-£5 per week
Budget groceries for full meals - £30-£50
Sundries (eg loo roll) - £3-£5".

I'd say Chat GPT is out of touch with cost of living! Even if not looking to make a profit.

It would be a challenge to feed a mid twenties adult on the top end figure of £50 a week, i.e. 3 meals a day for 7 days.

But to get back to the original post, Nan15's grandchildren need to learn to pay their way.

Further to my previous response - some years ago I took in a young nephew and the agreement was he'd pay once he was settled in his new job. Needless to say the months went by and nothing more was said by him about paying a modest weekly amount. (I was working, and in my 60s). I came home tired one day to find the kitchen in a mess and him making doorstop sandwiches for himself. I sat him down that night and explained he'd have to start paying a weekly amount. Next thing, he moved out to a house share! So it wasn't a case of not being able to afford paying for "board and lodging"

I don't suppose the OP was intending, or wanting, to rent out rooms to strangers. She is doing her grandchildren a favour. £60 is nothing. Just for a bedsit I think they would have to pay around £100 a week on the open market, with no food or creature comforts provided. When people are not seeing and paying the actual bills - eg energy and water - they do not realise how expensive they are.

You could say you've contacted the Home Office re becoming registered as an HMO. (House of Multiple Occupation) Why? Because, with a little refurbishment, you could rent out their rooms via Serco or one of the other migrant accommodation companies, and have a guaranteed income for at least five years. Sure, you may lose benefits, but that would be more than compensated for by your new guaranteed & very healthy income. Bit of a wake up call for your non paying lodgers!

Darn system not allowing amending posts again - that's per person.

Might be a useful exercise to ask Chat GPT. I just did and said they must cover costs, but not looking for profit.

The response was:
Fuel - £10-£20 per week
Water - £3-£5 per week
Budget groceries for full meals - £30-£50
Sundries (eg loo roll) - £3-£5

So between £46-£80 per week and they must obviously pay any lost Council Tax discount on top of that - as I suspect OP is single. Obviously OP will know whether she is feeding them budget food, ready meals or what to judge accordingly.

The "system" offered to do further thinking on that topic.

WithNobsOnIt

They are taking you for a ride love

Order a full family meeting with you, their parents and both of the asap to discuss what has happened

First of all discuss the amount of rent they have not paid. Must be nearly ,£7,000 for the 2 of them

And how this should be paid off.

A lump sum and ground rules for future rent payments.

Every week on Monday or they are out the next day. Give them a receipt and get legal advice on their status. Lodgers etc.

To be honest l would show the pair of them the door. They are adults and old enough to look after themselves.

Plus you will probably better of financially.

Good luck.
X

I get the gist of why you're thinking "full family meeting" - but I suspect that would not be a good idea. Those parents of theirs might well pile in - on their side - and, in fact, I suspect they would.

I agree with the other poster of making sure OP has a friend of hers with her when she reads the Riot Act to these two grandchildren. Help to strengthen her will and show these two that she has moral support with her. Lots of people look to override a "woman on her own" - it's usually bad neighbours that do that....but in this case = it's bad relatives.

I agree with the other poster that thinks it's not coincidence they've both stopped paying at once - yep...they've ganged up with each other by the look of it.

In OP's position I'd give them a week to take positive action on this all told - eg plan to pay off their arrears and agreement to paying more in future than £60 each. After that - the locks would be changed. I know they're grandchildren and the "blood is thicker than water" - but sounds like they still need "training" in being responsible adults generally for the sake of wider Society.

You are being financially abused ! IRL knowing your situation Id be.involving the Elderly safeguarding team

They are taking you for a ride love

Order a full family meeting with you, their parents and both of the asap to discuss what has happened

First of all discuss the amount of rent they have not paid. Must be nearly ,£7,000 for the 2 of them

And how this should be paid off.

A lump sum and ground rules for future rent payments.

Every week on Monday or they are out the next day. Give them a receipt and get legal advice on their status. Lodgers etc.

To be honest l would show the pair of them the door. They are adults and old enough to look after themselves.

Plus you will probably better of financially.

Good luck.
X

You are not being unreasonable. They agreed your very fair request and they must therefore stick by it.

Tell them to leave a.s.a.p they are taking you for a mug. £60.00 a week is ridiculous, they wouldn't get a room for one night in an hotel or airBB for that.

Course they should pay, their adults, time they acted like it
If they don’t I’d ask them to leave … what a cheek

Some really good advice here. All I can add is this and no disrespect to you if I'm going down the wrong road but if you are at all worried about having the conversation with these 2 leeches, is their a trusted friend who can be with you so you who would also bear witness to what was discussed eg the notice period given to leave if they still don't pay their way (and the arrears) Please let us know the outcome - fingers crossed for you that it goes well

Charge them £500 a month each or kick them out. You are teaching them to regard you as a pushover. You’re doing them no favours by allowing them to financially abuse you. They are entitled parasites who must pay up or leave. Don’t be a doormat!

Good post knspol

I just wonder why they both suddenly stopped paying>. Presumably they got together and had some sort of discussion. They are definitely taking a huge liberty and relying on you not saying anything and just putting up with this.
Straight talking is needed however difficult this might be for you. I would ask them why they stopped paying, and then tell them you can't afford to keep providing free board and lodging so either they move back to their parents, find another place to live or start paying again. I would add that because of the months you have had to manage without payments then they have to pay more until the arrears have been repaid and tell them clearly how much you expect extra for how ever many weeks is appropriate. If they don't agree then it's time to give them notice to leave and I would also inform their parents.

Not at all. They are a bit cheeky!

M0nica

Give them a month to pay the arrears. If they do not send them back home. By doing what they are doing they are stealing from you and battening on you like young criminals.

LOL - as I thought I was being pretty "straightforward" in my response. M0nica has beaten me on that one hands down....

But they are certainly being more than a little thoughtless - and I'd be willing to bet they don't do their share of the housework either. Chances are they are taking no account of what level of income you are on (even if it's State Pension only - in which case you definitely cannot afford to subsidise someone else) or your age might mean your health/energy aren't what they were to do their housework for them, as well as your own share of the housework.

Hope you get this resolved okay and you come back to us and either say "They're paying their way and doing their share and have paid what they owe" or "They've gone - that's the end of that". I still think you're probably lined-up in your family's minds to take on the next two downwards in age come a year or two's time if you don't put your foot down now and have a serious conversation along the lines of "You were the ones that chose to have all those children - didnt you think ahead to the future?".

Give them a month to pay the arrears. If they do not send them back home. By doing what they are doing they are stealing from you and battening on you like young criminals.

Sorry Witzend has already pointed out how much tax free income you are allowed from renting rooms in your house. I should have read the whole thread instead of just part of it.

V3ra

*Dont forget to declare the rent on your tax return!*

£60 a week is hardly taxable profit!
Take all the expenses into account and Nan15 is probably making a loss ☹️

You are allowed £7500 a year income from renting furnished accommodation in your home before tax is applied.

Whoops - this unable to correct typing error thing again on here. It's 44 square metres for £433 per month.

Nan15

? ?

I'm guessing exdancer's question is so that you can get an idea what privately rented housing goes for in your area - ie is it a cheap one or a dear one.

So - I took a very quick peek somewhere - and chose Liverpool to see what came up.

eg
1 room apartment 944 square metres) £433 per month
1 room apartment £124 (much less - but its really only a bedsit - as it's 13 square metres)
2 room house (53 square metres) = £520 per month.

Obviously too the size of the place will give some sort of clue about transport costs - eg a fairly small place = they could walk everywhere, but a bigger one means transport costs of some description.

I am concerned that you are being taken advantage of, however I’d be the first to allow my home to be open to my own. But please don’t be taken advantage of.

Re tax, IIRC you can earn £7500 p.a. from lodgers, without incurring tax.
At least that was the case a few years ago when dd and SiL had one to help with the mortgage.

But re the OP, of course they should be paying! £60 is peanuts by today’s standards. I dare say it’ll be difficult, but you do need to get tough. Maybe point out how little you are asking compared to what they’d have to pay even for a grotty room in a grotty house or flat share. .