Quote:
Originally Posted by ruesia
I went through a divorce last year that hit me hard financially. I lost pretty much everything. I’ve been slowly rebuilding my life but I’ve been struggling just to make ends meet. My family, who I have had a rough past with, asked if they could help. They were looking at buying a rental property and asked if they bought something near me, if I’d consider renting. I’ve moved 4 times in the last year, having had to change jobs and uproot my life for this divorce, so stability sounded great. We are almost to my move in date, since I had to finish my lease where I am, and my mom shared that she told my sister she could move in too.
Now, I totally don’t want to come across as ungrateful. Or petty. But my sister has a host of issues. She has battled with drug addiction and is an alcoholic. She just had a DUI two weeks ago and totaled a car. She’s lived with my parents— forever. She’s almost 30. She has melt downs and thrown tantrums. And to date, has never paid a bill in her life.
I really need this opportunity for the house but I feel a bit betrayed they’re stipulating I have to take my sister in. Especially since I know I’ll be paying the whole bill. And even if they lowered my rent, I don’t want to live with my sister. She is toxic. It would create much more stress for me.
I don’t want to be ungrateful but I also know there’s no way I can live with my sister. I can’t tolerate the drugs and alcohol and strange men. I just can’t.
So do I back out from this deal?
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you're not ungrateful and they are acting as landlords not giving you anything really. They are making money off your renting the place so it's really not as generous as they probably make it sound. Besides the fact that this is the reason a business relationship with relatives and close friends is always a bad idea. What landlord out there or property manager would be allowed to tell you who you had to take in and force it upon you? Legally this is not even remotely ok. They are using you as a way to 1. have a free renter that avoids them having to take in strangers for the property and 2. I'm guessing avoiding having to take your sister in themselves by dumping her in your lap. Thing is it sounds more like they are the ones benefitting more than anything.
That is of course unless you have no option to rent elsewhere. Are they giving you a cheap price or is it market? If they aren't even discounting that then I question their motives. Do you have no way to rent elsewhere or have you looked yet? There is also the situation I've been through like you after my ex left, I had lost my lease, and had no place to go and no rental history that was good. I ended up in an extended stay hotel for nearly 2 yrs which may sound bad but it was a life saver and I got on my feet because it was an option. I might add this was also with me having become a single dad with two growing teen boys at the time too. It's slightly expensive but... if you have no options and the parents are not discounting your rent it might be good to look into to avoid all the hoopla with the family. Just a thought.