'AITA for not letting my 'lazy' cousin and his family stay in my second home?'
"AITAH for not letting my soon to be evicted cousin stay in my lake house?"
I have a cousin I'll call Greg. Greg is a nice guy, but is the laziest person Ive ever met. He's the most anti capitalism, anti trying to achieve anything yourself type of person you can imagine. His long time partner that he calls his wife, but they aren't married, and we don't have common law here, is the same.
They are about to get evicted due to not paying their rent in a couple months because his unemployment ran out and he refuses to get a job at one of the million places around us that are hiring. Unfortunately they do have a kid who I feel bad for.
I have a lake house about 45 minutes outside the city we all live in. Its my pride and joy. I go there on weekends as often as I can, and even go there to just WFH here and there. I typically like to keep it private, but there was one time cousin Greg went there for a birthday party we hosted for my daughter.
So he hits me up the other day telling me this sad story about how he's getting evicted due to falling on hard times and asks if he and his fam can stay at the lake house til they get back on their feet. I flat out don't trust him but felt bad and asked if he could put me in touch with his landlord to see if there's anything we could work out.
He didn't want to give me much info and just kept begging about the lake house. Well he lived somewhere corporate so I called the number, they weren't supposed to share details but after pushing a little the lady told me more than she probably should have and basically said they were the worst tenants she ever witnessed.
I'll spare the details but basically that makes me not trust them in my pride and joy. I told him no and pointed him towards some relief services our city offers. My wife is a softie and says we should at least offer to watch their kid. I offered that but then they sobbed about how they cant be separate from them and kept begging.
My mom is also on my case now. She can't have them in because she lives in a 55+ community, but is saying since they've never done anything wrong to me I should give them the benefit of the doubt since I technically do have room in the 3 bedroom lake house.
Idk though. I just feel like they'd never leave and it'd be the biggest mistake I ever make. AITAH for standing by my guns here?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Electronic_Fox_6383 writes:
"I just feel like they'd never leave and it'd be the biggest mistake I ever make." You stole my comment, lol. If they're unwilling to get jobs, they will never get on their feet. The time to do that was before getting evicted.
If they move in, they will live on your goodwill and charity until you have to kick them out. The relationship will be broken regardless of all your months of help, your beautiful lake home will be trashed. Don't do it. NTA
Electrical_Fix1787 OP responded:
This is exactly my fear. Everything logical in me says don't even think about it. But then there's the slight guilt of having two homes worth over a million, one mostly empty and my cousin family potentially being homeless...deep down though I know its all self inflicted on his part though.
Laquila writes:
That's what he's relying on. To guilt you into giving him a free ride. You worked hard for your homes. He needs to do the same. You wouldn't be helping him, you'd be enabling him to continue being irresponsible. You'd be part of the problem.
chuckinhoutex writes:
Nope- NTA- ywbta if you compromised your cousin and let him stay in a house that was paid for by hard work and capitalism. That would go against his beliefs - you wouldn’t want to do that.
Electrical_Fix1787 OP responded:
Lol I like this answer.
stillAwaysaway writes:
The game plan was the Lake House. They will never leave and they will enroll the child into the school system and they will have another reason not to leave, how cruel to have their child change schools.
They will expect you to get them internet and who is paying the electric bill if they have no job, no money. The Aunt should leave her 55+ and rent where they can live with her. Problem solved. If they get into your lake house they will never leave.
Top-Bit85 writes:
Softies get taken advantage of, and the more realistic among us have to pick up the pieces.