"AITA for buying my sister's storage unit?"
So my older sister (35F) told me that a while back I could have my grandparents old dinning set, and I (23F) was planning to move it into my storage unit. I had texted her the other day about how I need a good time to come get that stuff out and want to move it.
My sister had started the conversation with “oh I’m too busy this month, I can’t meet up with you.” I told her no big deal, that I would need a heads up of when to get the dinning set out of it and when to meet up. My sister finally tells me that she has been 4 months behind on the payments and can’t get access right now.
What makes it worse is that she said in 3 days they were going to auction it off and she didn’t know what to do. My sister’s stuff that was sentimental for her was going to be gone and I felt bad. She then brought up that she couldn’t ask either of our parents cause they basically cut her off financially which is understandable.
Anyway, my sister was going on a rant about how no one can help her and decided to step in. I had offered to pay off the storage unit but I would need it in my name. The payment was $360, and I wasn’t about to not hand over a bunch of money and not at least have some ownership of this storage unit.
She agreed and I also went ahead and paid for next month to be on the safe side. I then sent her a message regarding what I need to happen. First I need my sister to pay me back all my money before she is allowed access to her unit, second she has to have cleaned out 10 days before the end of the next month.
I found these terms reasonable and told her them. I haven’t heard a thank you from my sister and only that I was a bad person to tell her that she can’t have access till she pays me back. AITA?
Not long after posting, OP shared an update.
Update/clarification: My sister has a long history of lack of responsibility with her financial actions. She splurges on shopping and recently got a fixer upper house which is rent own. She currently lives with my dad, rent free, and her new house is a hour away. Her only major bills are; car, car insurance and phone.
I love my sister but with all her recent actions and her getting mad that non of us have time or resources to help her fix up her new house, she has alienated us. I’m putting myself through college at the moment and saving for a house with my boyfriend, I don’t have that much money to help my older sister out with stuff like this.
This discussion was over a couple of days and she was ok with my terms of the deal before she signed over the storage unit.
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Budget_Meaning1410 wrote:
Without you, she’d be out a unit and all of the things in it would be gone.
Once she’s paid you back, you can talk about letting her use YOUR unit. NTA.
lilperform wrote:
NTA. You saved her stuff from being auctioned and set fair conditions to protect your money. She should be grateful, not calling you names. You’re not a bank, you’re being responsible after bailing her out tho!!!!!
wandering_aimlessly9 wrote:
I’m going to rock the boat here and say YTA. But hear me out. You told her you would get her caught up if you were also on the unit. She agreed. THEN, after you took care of it…you changed the terms of the agreement. (Or at least that’s what you posted.) You should have given her the terms…all of the terms…before you paid it.
The odds of her being able to come up with that money on such a short notice is almost impossible and you know it. With that said…since you are both on the contract and it’s paid up. She can go in, cut the lock. And take what she wants. You can’t legally stop her. She can cut the lock and take whatever she wants.
Roswyne wrote:
NAH. I see where you're coming from, but the stuff is safe. Sis can take as long as OP is willing to give her to pay what she owes, but she's the one that got the storage locker, knowing full well the monthly cost.
She could have emptied it herself to stop adding to her debt at any time. At this point, OP can pick up their dining set, but will unfortunately be on the hook for future payments until Sis picks up the rest of the stuff, which doesn't look likely.
KalitheBlaze wrote:
You know your sister couldn’t come up with the $360 to pay for the unit herself, so it seems pretty mean to save the day only to demand the same amount of money you already know she doesn’t have. That’s why she’s upset - you’re keeping her in the same bind she was already in, it’s just a different person holding her sentimental things hostage.
Someone who is supposed to actually care about her, which makes it hurt worse. Unless your sister makes a habit of stiffing people she owes money, let her set up a payment plan with you to get access to her stuff. I guess ESH.