Live in girlfriend and finances

[MrMoo]

My girlfriend and I were talking about our financial arrangement last night and I was curious what OOT thought.

My girlfriend has lived with me for a little over a year. She lived in Texas. I asked her to move in with me all the way in Massachusetts. Six months later she then moved all the way across the country with me to Las Vegas when I relocated.

When I moved to Vegas I purchased a home. After I purchased the home I looked into local housing and came up with the following:

-- My girlfriend would chip in $350/month in rent. I looked on Craigslist and the average "room for rent" situations ran about $400-$500/month.

-- My girlfriend pays 20% of communal bills/utilities. I chose 20% because I make roughly four times as much money as her.

As it stands, if we were to break up, the house would be 100% mine.

Is the situation fair? If not, what would you consider fair? I'm also interested others are doing in similiar situations.

*Edit* Forgot to add, my mortgage is roughly $2200/month.

[Dominic]

I think it's pretty fair, since she moved out for you with no real job prospects. But she needs to get out of the house and find something to do besides you, Dude. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[FishNChips]

Tough call. If you are both totally comfortable with it then cool. Did you give any thought to just letting her live with you rent free since she's moved cross country twice in <6mo to stay with you?

You may want to check with an attorney about this though : the house remaining yours might not be as cut and dried as you think (it might be, I have no idea, but I'd check if I were you).

Keep us all posted!
FishNChips

[jeffraider]

Sounds very fair! I like giving your gf a little break, and I think you've got the balance between giving her a break and not letting her ride for free down cold.

[JCool]

Why are you charging her less than the going market rate for rent? I hope its because you're getting extra side benefits from the g/f. Otherwise, charge her 500 bucks a month. 20 percent of common charges seems okay.

Oh, and something tells me this agreement has been thoroughly documented in writing.

[DrewDevil]

If they're not married, she has no claim to the house, except in California after a lot of years.

[JCool]

[ QUOTE ]
If they're not married, she has no claim to the house, except in California after a lot of years.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is an incredible statement.

[KaneKungFu123]

You are making her pay rent? nevermind, i thought you bought the house outright.

[MrMoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Did you give any thought to just letting her live with you rent free since she's moved cross country twice in <6mo to stay with you?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. Not at all. And thats why I posted this thread. When we were talking last night I found out that "a lot of people" thought it was crazy that I was charging her rent. I think the strongest feelings of that were coming from her mom. I was taken back. If she's working and making money, I think it's fair that she contributes to the household. Including rent. If we were married, I could see things being different.

Could you explain your reasoning why because I asked her to move in, she should get to live rent free? I just don't understand it and I'm really trying to see the logic.

I'm not sure if it makes any difference but when she lived with me in MA for 6 months, she did not contribute towards rent or utilities because she was not working. Although she would usually pay for the groceries. When we moved to Vegas I explained that I expected her to find a job and contribute to the bills.

[grandgnu]

$2200 a month? Yoikes, that's like, all my expenses......combined! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

I think you're being very fair with her, although I'd make her chip in more with the household duties because you're paying such a larger percentage of the bills.