[#1]

I am currently studying a PGCE and due to finish in June, I am hopeful of getting a full time teaching job or at least supply work in September in the city where my boyfriend lives (he bought a house last year) and works. We have been together nearly 4 years and I plan to move in this year whenever I find work. My question is, how do we go about working out what is a suitable amount for me to pay him for living there? I don't expect to stay there for free, but I don't expect to pay half of his mortgage either when my name isn't on it. I want to pay my way fairly but I don't want to get robbed either.

I know he is finding it hard to fund bills and the house on one wage and is looking forward to someone else's contribution which is fair enough. Money has been a slight bone of contention in the past and even when I worked and we were on quite differing wages he still expected everything to be split pretty much down the middle.

Any advice is welcome thank you!

[#2]

I am currently studying a PGCE and due to finish in June, I am hopeful of getting a full time teaching job or at least supply work in September in the city where my boyfriend lives (he bought a house last year) and works. We have been together nearly 4 years and I plan to move in this year whenever I find work. My question is, how do we go about working out what is a suitable amount for me to pay him for living there? I don't expect to stay there for free, but I don't expect to pay half of his mortgage either when my name isn't on it. I want to pay my way fairly but I don't want to get robbed either.

I know he is finding it hard to fund bills and the house on one wage and is looking forward to someone else's contribution which is fair enough. Money has been a slight bone of contention in the past and even when I worked and we were on quite differing wages he still expected everything to be split pretty much down the middle.

Any advice is welcome thank you!

[#3]

What I do (been with my partner for a similar length of time) I spend £250.00 a month on shopping!! Its just the two of us... but I tend to stock up and bulk buy.

He pays the council tax, TV licence, water rates, gas and electric (no mortgage - live in an inherited house). Never been an issue or a topic of argument/discussion for us.

I have my money, my partner has his. I dont want a joint account with him because Ilike my independence and financial stability.

If he asks you to pay towards the mortgage - which I know he think he probably will if he is jumping at the chance of you moving in. Make sure he puts your name on the mortgage. Surely the mortgage company looked at his affordability and saw that he could have afforded to take one out.

Doe he have any other financial commitments, such as credit cards, loans, hire purchase etc?

Is he in financial difficulty?

[#4]

No, he isn't in financial difficulty and has always been good with money. He bought his car outright from savings, hasn't been to university so doesn't have a student loan and always pays his credit card off every month. I think he is just looking forward to sharing the bills etc with someone as he lived at home until he was 31 and only paid around £200/300 a month board so he's gone a complete 180 to only having around this much to himself now after all the bills etc have been paid.

I didn't want to get my name put on the mortgage straight away as I wanted to see how we got on living together for a year or so first as if we are incompatible living together then it will be a nightmare to sort out.

[#5]

Hi 

Read your message and thought I'd let you know what a close friend of mine has done in a situation similar to yours. She has been with her partner for about 4 years and they decided to move in together. He owns his house outright, but she had a property with a mortgage of about 50k. they decided to sell her house and live in his. Everyone thought she was mad to do this, loosing her independence etc, but she says,"

I was on my own and struggling to pay my mortgage and bills after my children left home, this was a good way for us to discover, can we live together? My house was too big for one person, it was starting to need a lot of expensive work done on it, which i couldn't afford. This way is a win win for me. If we don't get on all i do is find a small flat to rent and I move out. However so far everything has worked well. My name isn't on the deeds, however I do pay half of all the bills, utilities council tax insurances etc as that is only fair and so far so good. We are getting on really really well. we don't agree on everything but are learning to meet halfway or find an alternative we both like. we also have the back up, although we have not touched the equity on my old house, of a large sum of money, which is in a variety of investments, in case we want to move on to another house".

Just sit down with him and talk money, not easy, it is one of the hardest subjects most couples have to discuss. Don't bury your head in the sand it will only make matters worse. I do agree that you should wait before you put your name on a joint mortgage, just in case, but it is only fair you pay half the bills.