When you move back in with your parents, it is a good thing to help out with rent or other things to help you learn financial responsibility, but some parents take advantage of these situations.

What would you do if you moved in with your father, and he charged you excessive rent, made you pay for food and bills, and even had you sign for various loans that he couldn’t afford?

That is what happened to the young man in this story, and now he wants to move into an apartment with some friends, but he knows that if he does, his father will lose his home (which will also impact his younger siblings).

It is clear that his Dad is taking advantage of him, and as long as he lives there, that will never stop. He needs to get out while he can, but it won’t be easy. Read through the full story and see what you think.

WIBTAH If I leaft and made my father and siblings homeless

Well, I’m not really sure how to start this. I (22M) live with my father, (42) and three of my younger brothers.

Let’s get to know the people in this story.

There ages aren’t to important I don’t think. But the youngest is 8 and the other two are about 11 and 13. I have spent the past 4 years living with my dad.

I grew up in my mom’s care and saw him sometimes. Kinda varied and not to relevant here. I felt trapped at my mother’s so I signed a loan and took off to uni as soon as I could.

It is good that he is in a better place, even if it isn’t perfect.

Horrible choice. My mental health was poor enough that I was at risk of not surviving it. On top of that, I had online classes only, and couldn’t bring myself to even try to attend. Long story short, I left the city with no degree, a loan to pay, wanting to die, and a mother who said I can’t come home.

So, I went to dad. I got healthy enough to work, to live, but there quickly became a pattern with staying with him. He always needed money for something. His truck, food, rent, you name it I paid for it.

Dad has some serious money problems.

He paid to though, so I ignored it. Then the moving. Every year we moved. Couldn’t afford to not. Around a year in, my brother(21) moved in with us. But he had the same issue. Money was always needed.

But I bent easier, so it wad still mostly me. He didn’t last long though. Took off about a year after that. No notice. Dad had no truck, I signed a loan for one. Dad had no phone, I signed another loan.

No internet, same thing. He couldn’t sign it. His ex wife (not my mom, a drug addict apparently) kept his name and won’t sign papers. Which means her bills are his. Can’t sign anything without paying her stuff. Ok, he’ll pay me back eventually. Right?

He is being financially taken advantage of.

Remember that loan I talked about? I stopped paying it to pay for our rent. It went to collections and my mother gets letters now since her husband signed it for me.

This is around the time I start to figure out something is wrong. I work full time, have no car, no full license, no bills of my own besides my rent. But no money. Ever. No savings, nothing.

His dad is really taking advantage of him and trying to control him.

Maybe this is pointless to explain. But I thought some kind of context might help. Also that felt really nice to write out even if it’s really not that much of what I went through.

On to my current situation. We moved again. Into a town this time. We lived in the bush before this, which meant Dad was the only way into town.

I said no to giving him cigarette money. He refuses to drive me to work. Now that we live in town, however, that’s fine because I can bike. But it just proved my point. I need out.

Dad is unreliable, unstable, and someone who will never stop taking. Get out now.

My buddies are thinking of renting in town between 3 of us. I pay 800$ a month now. It would be $600 with the new place. No kids, no more bills for other people.

But, my dad can’t afford this place on his own. He lost his job last month. He still doesn’t have one. Even with a good one. there is no way he could pay it.

His dad’s needs are not his problem.

It’s about 1800 before any extras. I have about a month before I’d have to choose.

Would I be a bad son for leaving? The kids don’t deserve it, but I can’t take it anymore.

WIBTA?

No way. At some point, he has to get out of there. His dad is clearly never going to change, and there will always be a reason that he feels like he ‘needs’ to stay. Instead, he should get out now.

Let’s see what the people in the comments think about his situation.

His credit is only going to get worse, which takes years to rebuild.

This is the sad reality of his situation, though.

Here is someone who wants to remind him that he is not responsible for his father (or his younger siblings).

This commenter says he should run out of there, and I agree with him.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a mom who thinks her daughter should have planned a whole two-week vacation around her needs.

Calling CPS for his younger siblings is a good idea, but it isn’t easy.

He needs to get out of this situation right away for his own mental health and financial future. His dad is financially abusing him, and this type of thing can be impactful for years.