Helping family can sometimes blur the lines between support and responsibility.

In this story,  a woman let her brother move into her condo after a rough breakup.

Years later, he found stability, spent money on hobbies, but never offered to contribute financially.

When she finally asked for a small monthly payment, it sparked conflict within the family.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for finally charging my sibling rent after 2 years of living with me for free?

I (31F) own a two-bedroom condo.

About two years ago, my brother, Jake (28M), went through a rough breakup.

He lost his apartment. He asked if he could stay with me for a couple of months.

I said yes. I did not charge him rent. I just asked him to split utilities.

I was honestly happy to help. That was two years ago.

This woman did not initially push her brother to pay rent.

For the first year, I did not push anything.

He was job hunting and going through a tough time, so I understood.

About eight months ago, he got a solid job. He is making around 65k.

Things stabilized for him. He bought a new PlayStation.

He started taking weekend trips and even got a gym membership.

But he never once offered to pay rent. He never even brought it up.

Eventually, she asked him to start contributing.

Last month, I sat him down.

I told him I would like him to start contributing $600 a month.

That is less than half of what a room usually rents for in our city.

I also said we could ease into it.

We could do that over a couple of months if he needed time.

Her brother got upset.

He got really upset. He said I was treating family like a tenant.

That I had become cold and transactional.

He called our parents, and they ended up calling me.

They said I was being cruel. They said family should not charge family.

Now, he barely talks to her.

I have not changed my position.

He is still living here. He has not paid anything.

Now, he barely talks to me.

My friends are split. Some say I should have set expectations from the beginning.

Others think I am being too harsh since he is family.

Let’s see how others reacted to this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s another valid point.

This one makes sense, too.

Another person chimes in.

Finally, short and straightforward.

Free rent is great, but it’s not forever.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman whose family says they support her art career, but they still don’t want to pay her for product.