Money and s** changes relationships. That’s what people know, but sometimes, they think they’re going to be different until they figure it out for themselves.

OP had a rental house, so when his brother and his family were hard up, he let them move into his house. What they were paying in rent was basically OP’s break even, so to make up the difference, his brother agreed to do maintenance free of charge.

A few years ago my brother needed help. I let him move into one of my rental properties and we did it all legal. Lease agreement and everything.

Because I was renting to him at a breakeven point we agreed that he was responsible for all the maintenance of the house and yard.

When the hot water heater couldn’t keep up with 6 people, OP told him to go ahead and replace it.

Well he has four kids. And the hot water tank isn’t enough for his family and he wants a new one.

I told him to go ahead.

The brother did, but wanted to take the expense out of his rent.

He then proceeded to take the cost of the hot water tank and installation of of that month’s rent.

I reminded him of our agreement.

He said he wasn’t making improvements to my property for free.

I said that the old hot water tank was fine and he made the decision to replace it.

Not wanting to keep going around and around about it, OP just told him not to make any more big changes without talking to him first.

Big argument and I didn’t want to fight so I said that he was not allowed to make any further changes to the house without my explicit agreement.

So he stopped doing maintenance as a protest.

When OP declined to update the wiring because he couldn’t afford it, his brother stopped doing maintenance in protest.

He started to get behind in the rent, too.

The house itself is not pretty but it is solid. It is old and the wiring in it was not meant for all the modern electronics we have.

He wanted to add a new breaker box and run more outlets. I said no thanks.

I cannot afford that since I’m not making any money on the house. He started getting bitchy about it and the rent started getting paid late.

I tried talking to him but he said that he had to buy some stuff for the house and he was low on cash.

So, when OP had the chance to sell the house and make a pretty penny, he did.

So I sold the house. While the house itself isn’t great it is in an older part of the city and the property itself is a quarter of an acre.

Every time a house sells in the neighborhood it is snapped up by developers and tuned into multi family units. Or one guy built a McMansion on his land.

I know a lot of the developers and I didn’t even need to list the house to have it sold in less than a week.

When his brother was served with eviction papers he told OP he should have offered him the chance to buy the house first.

My brother found out when he was served with an eviction notice. He called me to ask what the heck was going on.

So I told him that the house was causing me headaches and I had an opportunity to make some money and I took it.

He said I should have offered him a chance to buy it.

OP said he didn’t figure he could afford it since he can’t even pay his rent.

I said that he was having trouble making rent. How was he going to qualify for a mortgage.

He said I’m a jerk and that he has the money he was waiting to make me an offer.

I asked him if he had money why he was late on his rent.

His family is split on whether or not OP did the right thing.

He started bad-mouthing me to all our family. A few of them took his side and tried to say I was being a jerk so I offered all of them a chance to clear his debt to me if they wanted to share their opinion.

None of them took me up on the offer.

My parents are on my side and they said I shouldn’t have rented to him in the first place.

I feel bad for my sister-in-law and the kids but I’m not going to spend the rest of my life subsidizing his.

Is Reddit? Let’s find out!

The top comment says the brother should blame himself for taking advantage.

The brother has to face the consequences of his own actions.

This person says OP should be proud for standing up for himself.

While this commenter does think OP could have given him a head’s up.

And this person agrees that last bit was maybe too far.

A cautionary tale, for sure.

When it comes to mixing family and money, just say no.