Woman asks if she's wrong to raise rent on family expecting baby so they'll move out.
AITA for literally wanting to live in and keep my own house?
I (f28) own a house. I wish I didn't because I inherited it from my grandmother whom I would prefer to have back. It is an older house in a mature neighborhood in my city. It has a huge yard, a garden, and a detached garage large enough for a couple of cars and an RV.
It also has an in-law suite where I live. I started living there when I started university and I love it. My exit leads to the back yard and my garden.
After the estate was all settled I was left with a little money and a fully paid off house. I am the baby of all the cousins and I was an oops baby. I am 17 years younger than the next youngest. I decided that I would keep living in my area and just take on short term renters to help me cover expenses.
I also planned to allow any of my nieces and nephews who went to school in my city live with me. So far only my one nephew has and he was well behaved and moved out when he finished school. I found a couple that wanted the entire upper floor for one year while they got settled from moving across the country for work.
No big deal. I have three siblings graduating the next year and only one might go to school in my city. So I let my property manager set up a one year lease. My city does not have a minimum rental increase. This is important.
So after six months the problems start. The wife got pregnant. And they like the house. They have not found a house they want to buy. They want to keep living here. But they don't want a roommate.
So one day the husband catches me and says that he has talked to the property manager about renting the entire house and that I might want to start looking elsewhere for a place to live. I check with my guy and yup he wants the whole house.
So I talk to my lawyer because I don't want any problems. As long as the increase is one year after tenancy and I give three months notice there is literally no limit on the rental increase. So I tell my property manager to raise the rent for the ground level 50%. They have five months notice of a rental increase so I am in the clear.
Now I can hear them fighting about having to find a new place. Which I don't get because I was clear in the lease that it was only for one year. And I gave them a good price because they had excellent credit and rental history. The real estate market in my city isn't crazy. They should be able to find something to buy in time. Or at the very least somewhere else to rent.
I have talked to my parents about this and they said I'm being sort of mean. I don't think I am. I have a plan for my home and it does not involve me moving out. I have a garden that I worked with my grandmother my entire life.
I have a yard with raspberry bushes my grandfather planted for his kids and grandkids. My dog likes having a yard to play in. I could have told them it's my home but it's not their business.
AITA?
Q&A
HeartpineFloors asks:
Your relatives want you to leave a property you own…because they LIKE it and want you gone? Is this right?! NTA Wow.
No. They think I should let the tenants stay until they find a place they like. But that might mean that I can't let anyone live with me while they go to school.
blackbirdbluebird17 asks:
INFO: What do you intend to do if they agree to the 50% increase and choose to stay another year, or indefinitely?
It will go month to month. And I can increase it again with three months notice.
Radix2309 says:
And that really is simpler than just telling the manager to say no?
Also I have to say the rental laws of your jurisdiction sound like a nightmare. Unlimited increase in rent at any time with 3 months notice is absurd.
It's one of the reasons I want the house available for the kids in my family studying in my city.
Comments:
NTA. When the husband told you to start looking, he told you exactly what he’d do if the roles were reversed. He’d kick you to the curb. You can get rid of them with no guilt. Also, the fact that she’s pregnant is of no importance here. She can manage her stress by herself. Not your problem.
NTA and for y'all renters who don't understand
1. If you own a property and still living there, you absolutely DO NOT want the other renters to know you own the place. That's a nightmare and headache. Op did right by creating distance with a PM.
2. With COVID, LLs are spooked about ppl overstaying. Op referred to their lawyer and the LAWYER said to go the route of increasing rent so dramatically. Op wants them out with no chance of a judge saying blah blah homeless blah blah. They aren't getting evicted. They can stay, just have to pay more.
3. OP doesn't owe the tenants the knowledge that they own the place. If they told the husband, no a situation is created that OP cannot avoid since they are living in the same place. You ever had a roommate or fam you're angry with but can't avoid? Imagine that.