View Full Version : Do you think Mike and Carol charged Alice rent to live there?


TheLittleFaerie
06-13-2024, 03:43 AM
I'm not sure how this would work with a live-in housekeeper. You might think they'd let her live there free since she's working there, BUT they are PAYING her to work

Tankeryanker
06-15-2024, 07:28 PM
It would depend on her hours and how much they wanted to keep her. Do they need her later at night or just until dinner?

Is she an employee or a member of the family?

I am going to say no, they do not charge her rent.

Rich3
06-16-2024, 01:48 AM
No.

Bonniegirl
06-16-2024, 02:28 AM
Nah, I think she got room and food for free as well as a salary. That would be a good job , but than it might feel like you never leave your place of employment. But upside no worrying about getting to work on time being already there and the meals included.

Dude111
06-16-2024, 05:27 AM
No I doubt they charged a penny :)

biffbronson
06-16-2024, 05:36 AM
Nah, I think she got room and food for free as well as a salary. That would be a good job , but than it might feel like you never leave your place of employment. But upside no worrying about getting to work on time being already there and the meals included.

I think that's right. Also, she didn't have to worry when temperatures went sub-zero and have to find out, if driving to work, whether her car would start...! (Not to mention the insurance, registration, taxes, gas, repairs, and upkeep if she had her own car.)

Dianne3
06-22-2024, 01:36 PM
I think that's right. Also, she didn't have to worry when temperatures went sub-zero and have to find out, if driving to work, whether her car would start...! (Not to mention the insurance, registration, taxes, gas, repairs, and upkeep if she had her own car.)

Alice didn't drive.

Dude111
10-19-2025, 02:07 PM
They considered Alice a part of the family so I doubt they asked anything....

Bonniegirl
10-19-2025, 02:38 PM
Alice didn't drive.

Than she didn't have to worry about waiting at the bus stop in cold, rainy , windy or really hot weather. Or the bus being late. And being out after dark stuck at a bus stop by living in at her job.

80s Dude
07-26-2026, 04:55 PM
Why would they charge her since they pay her?

Dude111
07-26-2026, 06:11 PM
That it would be stupid!!

They adopted her into the family so I doubt they charged her a thing...

Rich3
07-27-2026, 11:43 PM
Is this a joke?

Dude111
07-28-2026, 12:36 AM
No sadly I dont think it is :(

Bonniegirl
07-28-2026, 02:44 AM
I've been thinking maybe before she was hired , she was given a choice. Live out and your salary will be higher. Or live in and we'll pay you less but you get room and board.

Would equal out about the same in the end . Less pay living there, but if she lived out , she'd have to pay rent, bills and for food.

TheLittleFaerie
07-28-2026, 12:25 PM
I've been thinking maybe before she was hired , she was given a choice. Live out and your salary will be higher. Or live in and we'll pay you less but you get room and board.

Would equal out about the same in the end . Less pay living there, but if she lived out , she'd have to pay rent, bills and for food.

That honestly makes PERFECT sense!

TheLittleFaerie
07-28-2026, 12:27 PM
Why would they charge her since they pay her?

They're paying her to WORK, but they also have a "tenant/landlord" situation going on, so I wondered if that would be separate. I live in an apartment, there have been tenants who also DO WORK around the complex and the Landlord pays them, but also charges them rent to live there.

Kermit T Frog
07-28-2026, 02:33 PM
Alice is like Mr. French on Family Affair.
I don't think he pays rent.

But yes, nothing is free. Both he and Alice might have had higher wages if they lived away from the house.
Alice with Sam and Mr. French with his squeeze, Miss Faversham

Howard
07-28-2026, 02:44 PM
Totally agree with you! I'm sure that in exchange for rent they did her a small salary in return.

Bonniegirl
07-28-2026, 03:38 PM
A drawback of a person with a domestic job that lives in the residence with their employer would be if you got fired. Not only would you lose your job , but you would lose your living space too! :eek: What would a person do in that situation?

Kermit T Frog
07-28-2026, 05:52 PM
A drawback of a person with a domestic job that lives in the residence with their employer would be if you got fired. Not only would you lose your job , but you would lose your living space too! :eek: What would a person do in that situation?

Miss Faversham said that there was always a family needing her as a nanny. Her kids would grow up, and she would have to find a new family. But what would you do once you were too old to work?

Nowadays, you can't take the risk of being an Alice, Miss Faversham, or a Mr French and try to retire in America.

You will be homeless eventually. Maybe that is why they changed the demographics of who the domestic help is?

Bonniegirl
07-28-2026, 09:20 PM
Miss Faversham said that there was always a family needing her as a nanny. Her kids would grow up, and she would have to find a new family. But what would you do once you were too old to work?

Nowadays, you can't take the risk of being an Alice, Miss Faversham, or a Mr French and try to retire in America.

You will be homeless eventually. Maybe that is why they changed the demographics of who the domestic help is?

Good point . But maybe they had them on a payroll with an accountant . And were paying them by check and taxes were being taken out ?

Duster76
07-28-2026, 11:08 PM
I can't say for certain what the law required for domestic live-in help in the late 60's and early 70's but I believe this is how it generally worked. There is a written agreement requirement that outlines the task and duties of the live-in, wages and any additional compensation. The employer is required to keep records including social security withholding and employer contribution. Generally speaking room and board was not taxable on the employee, if the agreement did count room and board as a W2 item then there was still a requirement that the salary be at least at the minimum wage level and the room and board piece be above that.

The big issue in Alice's case was this, over the course of her employment, her workload doubled. She goes to work for Mike and his three sons, and all of a sudden Carol and her three daughters move in! How does this work? A 10-15% raise doesn't begin to cut it, at least not in my opinion.

TheLittleFaerie
07-29-2026, 12:53 AM
A drawback of a person with a domestic job that lives in the residence with their employer would be if you got fired. Not only would you lose your job , but you would lose your living space too! :eek: What would a person do in that situation?

Well, in the TV world, unlike the real world, when ppl go apartment hunting they can usually find an apartment and be moved in before sunset, so maybeit wouldn't be that hard.... Not that they would ever fire Alice, BUT if they did, I wonder if the tenant/landlord relationship would be affected or be looked at as a seperate thing? If Alice found another job, I wonder if she might continue to rent her room at the Brady's house?

But apparently when Alice was working at the diner when she left the Brady's she'd found SOME place to live, unless she was living with Kay.

Bonniegirl
07-29-2026, 01:08 AM
Well, in the TV world, unlike the real world, when ppl go apartment hunting they can usually find an apartment and be moved in before sunset, so maybeit wouldn't be that hard.... Not that they would ever fire Alice, BUT if they did, I wonder if the tenant/landlord relationship would be affected or be looked at as a seperate thing? If Alice found another job, I wonder if she might continue to rent her room at the Brady's house?

But apparently when Alice was working at the diner when she left the Brady's she'd found SOME place to live, unless she was living with Kay.

I think she was staying at Kays.