My eldest brother is renting us out a beat up townhouse that he really needed off his back. Now he says we owe him half of January's rent when we didn't even move in until february. My other brother lived here before and trashed it. We are not very close, (16 years age difference) and my husband keeps telling me he won't pay it. I don't work, so i'm wondering if anyone has ever dealt with this, or knows how I should adress it. ( Everyone else in my family is in some way indebted to him, but I never was until now.)
2007-03-12 03:45:03 · 4 answers · asked by kikumatsu 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
Has your brother said why he believes you owe him half of January's rent? Perhaps he wants it for security or some other reason that might make some sense. You say "he really needed [it] off his back." Would that be because it's beat up and unrentable 'til fixed up or because he's in financial difficulty? Either way it doesn't sound like you are "indebted" to him. With what you've said, you are in a business relationship with him that needs to be better defined. You may even be doing him the favor by paying rent on a trashed townhouse.
Lastly, do you have a written rental agreement? A lot of times people don't bother with something in writing with relatives and I think that's asking for misunderstandings.
You might consider asking your eldest brother to write something up and also let you know why he believes you owe him for January when you moved in in February. No emotions. Just calmly ask for what you need. You are paying rent, right? Just because he owns the property doesn't make you indebted.
Wishing you the best outcome. Kj
2007-03-12 04:14:16 · answer #1 · answered by Kj 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you do not owe him for January's rent if you didnt move in until February. and you are not indebted to him as long as you pay him the rent on time. do not allow him to make you feel as if you owe him more than is due... he sounds like a manipulator and family like that is hard to deal with. If you cannot handle the pressure he is pushing on you, I would suggest finding a new place to rent that would not include 'family' issues.
but no matter what he 'says' you do not owe him anything but what the agreed rent is per month and only the months you live there, not previous months nor months after you move out.
2007-03-12 04:05:18 · answer #2 · answered by livinintheword † 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tell your brother you don't owe him rent for a time when you were not even living there. Then tell your brother as soon as you and your hubby find a new place your moving because you are not going to be able to handle living there if he continues to be that way with you. I'm with your husband on this one. Don't you pay him a dime! If he wants to help you and got you in there, that's one thing but family don't attach strings to helping each other. You either do or you don't! NEVER do business with family! EVER!
2007-03-12 03:55:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You never do business with family. Find another place.
2007-03-12 03:50:20 · answer #4 · answered by Lovebug123 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋