Upon his father’s death, he declined to inherit a home and the three adults along with it. It has no value, and he isn’t going to be responsible for the mooches in that house!
More for Him, Less for Them
Over a decade ago, OP’s (Original Poster) grandparents passed away. They died a few years apart and left the majority of their estate to his father.
Supposedly, OP’s aunts didn’t get much.
All a Ruse
OP’s grandparents inherited their wealth, and there wasn’t a lot left after they died other than the house and some cars. All of this came as a shock because they acted rich and spread money around in a “controlling way” that made OP decide to have little contact with many of them.
He wrote, “I’m pretty out of the loop.”
The Unfortunate Among the Fortunate
Despite starting their lives generously, not everyone in OP’s entire family has done well for themselves, even with completely paid school fees and free-flowing parental money.
Leeches for Life
In fact, one of OP’s aunts and two cousins never moved out of their family home, had no occupations, and relied on relatives their whole lives.
When OP’s father inherited the house, he allowed them to stay and moved in as well, as this was the same time he divorced OP’s mother, and until now, they’re still there.
The Sole Inheritor
Recently, upon sharing this story, OP’s father passed away, leaving everything to his only child, which is OP. With that, OP’s aunt and cousins lawyered up and refused to leave the house.
Worth Nothing to Me
Because the house is older and hasn’t been maintained in the last 15 years or so, OP has no interest in, as he said, a “white elephant filled with squatters.”
He wrote, “Whether they have any right to the house or not, given how long they lived there and claimed to be caring for my grandparents and father, is super confusing. They never lifted a finger for my grandparents, nor for my father, as far as I know.”
Submerged in Debt
The house was also heavily mortgaged by his dad in recent years to cover expenses. If OP decided to keep it, that would be his problem.
He added, “The estate is basically close to worth zero or somewhat in the hole. The only way to keep the house is to take over the very large mortgage Dad racked up.”
The Only Ones With Value
OP then told the lawyers he didn’t want to be part of that and wouldn’t accept the house or anything else from his father’s estate. He only wanted a few sentimental things, such as photos and holiday ornament stuff he made as a kid.
Left Homeless
His decision has caused the estate to liquidate the assets and evict his aunt and two cousins to settle things up.
OP wrote, “They claim to have nowhere to go. Now my phone is being blown up by everybody and sundry telling me I’m ‘cruel’ and ‘unusual’ to put them on the streets.”
Plenty of Preparation Time
However, everything was not sudden; OP’s dad was ill for some time, and his aunt and cousins did nothing to prepare for the outcome and assumed they could stay in the house. They claim that OP’s father allowed them to stay in exchange for caring for him and OP’s grandparents.
OP said, “I have no idea what promises were or weren’t made given the very low contact. As far as I know, nobody still living is mentally or physically disabled.”
Left With a Burden
OP’s aunt and cousins have no resources or anywhere else to live, but surely, there’s a lot they could have done in the last decade to fix that. Although OP feels terrible, he doesn’t want to inherit a debt-ridden house and three grown adults.
Now, he wonders, “Am I the a**hole for letting the bank evict them and sell the house?”
What Redditors Have to Say
People offered their condolences to OP and told him none of that was his responsibility. His aunt and cousins will have to start fending for themselves.
One Redditor wrote, “They’re free to buy the house themselves with all the money they’ve saved on rent for the last decade. Not the a**hole, though. This isn’t your mess to clean up. Sorry about your dad.”
Another person added, “We are sorry for your loss, OP. Since your father passed away, any arrangement they may have made with him is null and invalid, and they have no ownership or claim to the house. As a result, it is their own responsibility that they will be evicted.”
Parasites’ Tactics
From the very start, OP’s aunt and cousins planned to use him to still live in the house for free, which was very well shown when they decided to involve a lawyer.
A commenter wrote, “The fact that they ‘lawyered up’ to not leave and are now crying because OP isn’t going to take on a massive mortgage so they can continue living free is an interesting case of family or squatters working very hard not to work. Relatives messaging OP are free to take on the mortgage and caregiving of soon-to-be entitled squatters. People still have common sense and decency. OP just doesn’t know many in their family.”
An Obvious Trap
Instead of being the usual inheritance, what OP’s being given is a load of obligations he isn’t willing to take.
Someone said, “Not the a**hole. What a mess. I’m sorry. This doesn’t sound like an ‘inheritance.’ It sounds like an attempt to hand you an enormous debt, both emotional and financial.”
Another Redditor wrote, “Not the a**hole. It’s not your responsibility to absorb the cost for the house and them.”
More Than Welcome
Some people suggested OP tell his other relatives they can take his aunt and cousins in if they are so concerned.
A Redditor commented, “Not the a**hole. It was your best move; the estate lawyer needs to deal with it, and you can walk away. Anyone giving you crap about it, respond with, ‘Great, I will let aunt and cousins know you are going to help them.’”
Someone else said, “Not the a**hole. Everybody is expecting you to let the leeches stay like your grandparents and your dad did; let those blaming you take them in.”
Do you think OP shouldn’t have declined his inheritance? What can you say about the matter?
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This post first appeared as He Refused to Inherit a Debt-Ridden House, Forcing His Freeloading, Estranged Aunt and Cousins to Get Evicted. They’re Livid, Saying He’s “Cruel” for Leaving Them “Homeless,” but He Doesn’t Care! on Quote Ambition.
