I know some major cities are looking at social problems that are generated due to airbnb, so, like uber, relying on that income may not be realistic.

That being said.... I would not want anyone living in my basement unit that I couldn't kick out if they were asses. So, I wouldn't rent to friends or family.

I would do a favour, like 3-6 months free to help someone land on their feet. But I'd know there'd be a risk they would be asses about it and I'd lose the income and the friend. Because I would enforce the agreed-upon time frame and expect normal renter behaviour along the way.

I doubt DH could give SS the boot if it came down to it. I'd delay renovating until SS finds his own place and moves out.

It sounds like your DH already has the idea in his head and he will keep dropping hints or letting you think it will be for "rent" when its finished but really he plans on using it for his son. He just wants you to okay the renovations and then once its all finished he will say that his son can live there "for a while" "until he gets back on his feet" whatever else kind of crap they use and then by that time YOU will look like the bad guy because you have a completely renovated space that he could use but won't let him "help" his kid. Nope, don't fall for it. He's setting you up to be the bad guy and him to be the hero that swoops in to save his failure to launch of a son. If I were you, I would take whatever extra money you are making now because of that client and set it aside as a little nest egg. If for any reason Daddie-o decides his son is going to live with you, you'll need a first and last months rent, plus deposit to get the heck out of that miserable situation.

But I'm worried that I'll assume it's just talk and he'll really mean it this time...

You need to make sure he knows where you stand on this.

Having a minor step kid live with you and then getting them out at 18 is bad enough, letting them move in at 18 is just nuts!

My DH once mentioned something in passing about his oldest daughter living with us at 18 if she wanted/needed to. I said, "Nope, not happening."

SS already owes you money; your DH collecting rent from him will probably not happen, which means, the kid will not have much incentive to leave, especially with his own little basement apartment.

I told my DH when we moved in together, that no other adult was living with us. It's too hard on a relationship. His kids were young at the time, so I wasn't even thinking of them, but it worked to my advantage since we did not specifically exclude them. Once they became adults, I made sure to be clear that the rule included them.

DP once mentioned to me that "SDs might live with us after high school you know, out of necessity."
I immediately said, "IF that ever has to happen then let me be clear that there are going to be ground rules and rent paid and household tasks required of them. That is not up for discussion."

Deer in headlights look while I walked away...I will assume we will be discussing this again in the future and why I am intent on the SDs learning life skills like doing dishes, laundry, cleaning house, getting a youth bank account, etc. DP just thinks "just kids!" I think "Exactly, kids!" Why teach this when they hit 18....he's having enough issues with Sd12 already because she's never ever had to do anything!

If I were you be very clear.

I had a very similar situation with my DH. We have been looking at houses to buy for investment purposes, the down payment funds of over $100K would come from my pre-martial savings. The idea is to find a full house with a basement suite or one that could be converted to a basement suite with a double garage, then there would be two suites and a garage to rent , which means 3 streams of income for the one property. Main floor/ upper suites in our area rent for more than basement suites, upper floor in the houses we looked at could get $1700 a month and the basement suite $1100 per month, garage would get about $250 per month.

When skid 21 and GF broke up and needed a place that when DH mentioned that we should get something and rent it to him ("since, skid will have to pay rent to someone anyways"), at a discounted rate and it would be the upper suite (for $900) and give him the garage too of course.

I said it was not a good idea. Skid rarely pays back borrowed money or takes responsibility for anything. Over time he really started pushing it and would not stop talking about it. I said "and what happens when he does not pay his rent?". DH replied "well then we would kick him out". I just shook my head, because this is one of the biggest lines of bull he ever tried to feed me. DH could not even enforce or remind his kid about the house rules when he lived with us, he can't even ask skid to repay money that he has borrowed, but some how he is going to find his balls and be able to kick skid out when he does not pay rent at our investment property? I told my husband that I am not willing to risk our marriage to rent a place to his kid and that situation is a disaster waiting to happen. DH heard me, however I had to repeat it over and over again.

I could not buy a place and invest my savings in an investment property so skid could trash it and not appreciate and since I am sure we would never see rent, it would feel like I am paying him to do that. But as I said I knew the bigger picture, something would happen and it would cause issues between me and DH and being part of a Step family has enough issues that we don't need to make and invite more.

Tell your DH over and over again, very nicely, "You and our marriage is the most important thing in my life and I would never enter into a situation that would jeopardize what we have, and based on that I will have to say no." You could even add at the end of that, "and I know you feel the same way and would not want to do anything that would upset me and our marriage" - Well you get the idea, you might have to repeat that statement over and over again to give reason why you are saying no to the idea but it will sink in.

Good luck.

Just sell your current place and move into a nice 1 bedroom home w/no basement or guest room. We have a guest room downstairs that I want to just seal up because ss30 keeps trying to move back in.