📝 AITA for not treating my aunt like a child?

By Petty-Penelope • Score: 0 • April 22, 2025 12:45 AM


TLDR backstory is my aunt lives at the farm we purchased from my grandfather's estate. She's caused enough drama we don't even feel welcome visting overnight to enjoy the country quiet. She has a "credit" with us of 25k and the original agreement was we would take 1k per month from it to cover part of the mortgage. I've been covering the rest. When the agreement was made she'd promised the "everyone's welcome" vibe of the place would remain intact, and we tried to stick to our promise even if she broke hers.

With the economy changing having the second property/needing so much cash at any moment is adding risk. My spouse is also having a hard time paying every month for a relative who is so disrespectful towards him. I gave her three options:

  1. Leave in 90 days. She gets her full remaining balance
  2. Stay. Have the full payment deducted. We will revisit the arrangement in a year. She will still get the remainder if she vacates during that time, but obviously depleting faster after the deadline.
  3. Take on a roommate(s) to help cover the difference or even short term rental like air B&B

She claimed we're unfair, putting her in a bind, 90 days isn't possibly enough time, etc. After a ton of drama and verbal abuse towards me, I compromised. We offered for her to sell the farm truck and trailer so she would have more time. They're worth 3k-5k and she can use that to cover some of the extra months she claimed to need. The end of that call wasn't even a "thanks" but she said she had a buyer coming to look at the truck next week. I told her that's fine, have them contact when they reached an agreement because the vehicle and trailer are registered to my LLC.

It's been radio silence since then. I expected avoidance as part of typical addict behavior. My plan let the time roll off and begin taking the full payment after the deadline. If she draws down to where it's just enough for eviction or the market heats up, then I'll become more active. I don't see any point stirring drama and more abuse when we have a year's payments of cash in hand. She's an adult aware of her deadline, has my phone if she has questions, and the payment is below market rent so we aren't ripping her off. Hubs says IWBTA if I don't send her regular reminders of the deadline and consequences of missing it. He thinks it's "taking advantage" to let the consequences of her avoidance play out.

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