“You abandoned your brother in his time of need”: 38-year-old and his family lose their home due to financial issues, he demands his brother allow the 6 of them to move in rent free indefinitely, he refuses

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    AITA for refusing to let my brother's family stay with me after they lost their home?

    "They asked if they could stay for 'just a few months””
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    I (34M) own a modest 3-bedroom house that I bought five years ago. I live alone and use one bedroom as my home office (I WFH full-time) and the other as a guest room/hobby space where I keep my music equipment and gaming setup.
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    My brother (38M) and his wife (36F) recently lost their home due to financial issues. They have three kids (12F, 10M, 7F). Their financial problems stem from a series of poor decisions - my brother lost his good-paying job two years ago after repeatedly showing up late, then bounced between jobs while his wife worked part-time. They kept their
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    kids in expensive private schools and activities they couldn't afford, refused to downsize from their large house, and ignored my parents' and my advice about budgeting. Eventually, they couldn't keep up with mortgage payments and were foreclosed on.
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    When they lost their home, they asked if they could stay with me "just for a few months" until they get back on their feet. Here's where I might be the AH: I said no.
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    My reasons: 1. My house is simply too small for 6 people. They'd need to take over my entire living space. 2. I need my home office to work, and I can't work effectively with three kids running around.
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    3. I value my peace and quiet, and frankly, I don't want my life turned upside down. 4. Their "few months" could easily turn into a year or more based on their financial history.
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    5. My parents offered to let them stay in their larger home, but they refused because they "don't want to live by my parents' rules." Instead of letting them stay, I offered to pay for a hotel for two weeks and help them find an affordable apartment. I also offered to cover their security
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    deposit. My brother exploded, calling me selfish and saying I have plenty of space and am "choosing things over family." My parents are torn - they understand my position but think I could "make it work temporarily."
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    Since then, my brother's family moved in with my parents (despite not wanting to earlier), and I'm getting constant texts from extended family about how I abandoned my brother in his time of need. My brother's wife is posting passive-aggressive things on social media about "finding out who your real family is during hard times."
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    So AITA for not letting them stay with me?
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    Cheezburger Image 10480651264
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    CarrieLee0407 NTA - Its not YOUR responsibility to fix what your brother let fall apart. They should have managed their money better to avoid this situation. Who in their right mind would move an entire family into a house that does not easy
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    accommodate them. You're house is set up for you. I'm sure you would end up being their personal baby sitter as well. Things would get damaged or if they dont want to follow your parents rules, Im sure they arent going to want to follow yours either.
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    Mundane_Look5516 NTA. They had a better alternative (living with your parents) that they were against because they didn't want to follow the rules. Unless your parents have insane rules, I'm guessing your brother thought he and
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    his family could railroad you and take over your home completely. You offered a lot of very reasonable help, and if he truly wanted to get his life together he wouldn't taken you up on your offer to help him find an apartment and pay for the security deposit. Any family
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    members who are giving you a hard time can offer to let your brother live with them
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    debby8541 NTA. They clearly had plans to take advantage of you that's why they didn't want to live with the parents or take you up on the offer of help for an apartment.
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    Otherwise_Degree... NTA. They want to run rampant in your house while you're working? They had a perfectly reasonable option with your parents and then you even offered to help them find a place and foot the deposit.
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    They just want to live rent free and take over someone's house at this point. They thought taking yours over would be easier.
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    urkulAa Nta They will never leave. Don't do it
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    RevolutionaryDiet... NTA Your parents offered them a place to stay and they refused because of rules. Now they can figure out how to be grown ups with responsibilities.

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