26-year-old brother gives his 22-year-old sister a month to move out after a temporary stay stretches to 7 months, but she cries and their parents call him selfish: '[You] should be willing to let her stay until she's financially stable'

Author image for Celeste Mello
Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2026 7:15 PM EDT

At some point, letting your younger sister stay at your house and having to remind her to clean up after herself starts to feel like caregiving. 

An older brother on Reddit under the username Fine_Refrigerator216 explains that he only wants to give his sister somewhere to stay because she really needs it, but he didn't expect to have to monitor dishes and give bill reminders every day. He agreed to take in his 22-year-old sister after problems with her roommate. They never set a date for her to leave, although she mentioned she was already looking for somewhere else to stay, so he didn't expect the agreement to last so long. At the beginning, she contributed to groceries, and they spent time together. Now, 7 months into the arrangement, she does not help with anything unless her brother asks her to. She leaves dishes around, uses his belongings without asking, and needs reminders to pay the bills.   

Naturally, the older brother started building frustration after having to ask for basic consideration. Sharing someone else's home means paying attention to how your habits affect them. Helping with house chores and paying bills is also something you must consider because it's a place you are also using. The brother talked with her about it, and nothing changed. The sister continued making living in his house more and more unbearable, so he gave her one month to move out. Their parents even dared to call their son selfish, but they didn't offer the sister a place to stay in their house. The only one who helped the sister and waited for her for 7 months was the brother.   

Advertisement
  • An older brother grows frustrated as his younger sister's temporary stay in his house stretches to 7 months.
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

    An older brother grows frustrated as his younger sister's temporary stay in his house stretches to 7 months.

    Not actual story subjects.

  • AITA for telling my parents I don't want my younger sister living with me anymore?

    I'm 26M and my sister is 22F. She moved in with me about 7 months ago after things got bad with her roommate.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • I agreed because I figured it would only be temporary. We never really discussed an exact date for her leaving, but she told me she was already looking for another place.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • At first it was fine. She helped with groceries and we'd hang out sometimes.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • Over the last few months though, I feel like I've slowly become her caretaker.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • She doesn't clean unless I ask. She leaves dishes around, uses my stuff without asking, and I've had to remind her several times about bills. She also
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • stays up extremely late and wakes me up when she comes into the kitchen at 2 or 3am.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • I've talked to her about it multiple times, but nothing really changes.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • Last week I told her I think she needs to move out within the next month.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • The older brother gives her one month to move out, but she cries and their parents call him selfish.
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

    The older brother gives her one month to move out, but she cries and their parents call him selfish.

    Picture does not depict real parties.

  • She started crying and said she thought I actually wanted to help her. She said she can't afford a place right now and that I'm putting her in a terrible position.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • My parents are angry with me too. They say she's my sister and that I should be willing to let her stay until she's financially stable.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • I told them I'm not kicking her out tomorrow. I'm giving her a month to figure something out.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • Now my sister says I'm treating her like a burden and my parents keep telling me I'm being selfish.
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • I feel guilty because I know she's struggling, but I'm starting to resent having someone else in my home. AITA for deciding that one month is enough?
    via Fine_Refrigerator216
  • A woman cleaning a house, representing the younger sister who only cleans when asked.
    via Unsplash+ (Vitaly Gariev)

    A woman cleaning a house, representing the younger sister who only cleans when asked.

    Model representation. 

  • Shoesietart Be honest with your sister and your family. You're sick of her lazy a not cleaning up after herself, mooching off you, and not paying her bills. You've discussed it numerous times and nothing has changed. She can stay with your parents.
    via Shoesietart
  • evaporated NTA. You are a grown adult and don't need the headache or drama of a dirty roommate. Your family is trying to guilt-trip you because they don't want to deal with her.
    via evaporated
  • Macncheeseonmyknee She has no money so even if you gave her 3 months she's not going to move. Just pass the child back to her parents
    via Macncheeseonmyknee
  • Human_Character2895 NTA. Firstly, she's an adult. Secondly, you're not her parent. She's complaining that you're treating her like a burden, tell her she's correct, and that she has been acting like a burden. Things could have been different if she had been a respectful roommate.
    via Human_Character2895
  • TheZZ9 NTA If parents are complaining then she can move back in with them.
    via TheZZ9

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

family drama siblings family boundaries living with family older brother house chores financial problems
Scroll Down For The Next Article