Should the Bank of Mum and Dad start charging interest?

If you’ve lent money to your children to help them with university fees, a deposit on their first home or even just to support them with the rising cost of living, then you’re not alone. Statistics suggest that around a quarter of all mortgages are now partially funded by the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’.

But have you ever thought about whether you should charge your offspring interest when they pay the loan back? It’s a consideration that’s likely to make many parents feel like Dickens’ famous festive miser, Ebeneezer Scrooge. However, there are arguments to be made for adding on interest which might help to prevent you from donning a Victorian style top hat and uttering ‘Bah, humbug!’

If you’re concerned that any money provided to help out your children might end up becoming a ‘permanent loan’ that you might never see again, interest can be a good way to ensure this doesn’t happen. Whether you put an interest rate in place from the start, or make it clear that interest will start to be charged if the money isn’t paid back by a certain point, the idea of having to repay more than the initial amount can help the borrower take the loan seriously and ensure regular payments are made.

It’s also worth considering what adding interest could help teach your children about ‘real world’ loans, especially if they are still relatively young. Another way of achieving this is to refuse multiple loans – a bank wouldn’t agree to an endless stream of applications for further credit, so if you do want to see your money again you should ensure that your offspring don’t see you as an unlimited supply of funds.

Of course, the Bank of Mum and Dad isn’t really a bank at all, which is what makes it attractive for all involved. Young people will likely feel more secure borrowing from their family than risking being turned down by a bank and damaging their financial status; whilst parents who can afford to loan their children money know it might offer some protection from the difficulties of struggling to pay off credit. Charging interest might be something you’re completely comfortable with, or it might be an idea you would never entertain; ultimately, however, the choice is entirely yours.