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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to say no to my son and partner moving in?

236 replies

OneFunnyPearlTurtle · 23/04/2026 06:49

My adult son and his girlfriend live together and have happy lives and good jobs. Randomly I get a call from them saying they are planning on ditching their current jobs and getting new ones and moving in with us to save money for a deposit to be able to buy their own place. They wouldn’t be able to travel to their current jobs from our house due to longer commutes. They have accumulated their own house full of possessions and pets, they have no children. I was not expecting this at all and am annoyed that they have made a huge decision without discussing it with us first. I feel railroaded into helping them and annoyed that they have made this assumption. My DH has been DS DSD for over half his life has told me no as it is impractical and has left me to have the conversation with them. I want to help them and feel guilty if I consider not helping them, but I have to also consider the huge impact it would have on mine and DH lives. DS has said they will live in the garage and have told us they will pay a token £50 a week in rent so that they can have maximum opportunities to save. I couldn’t bear to have them in the garage but we don’t have a bedroom for them as DH and I need separate bedrooms for health issues. AIBU to say no to their idea? Do I just ignore it as they might be running through the practicalities of various ideas? Are they being CF by assuming they can disrupt our lives? Am I horrible for not wanting this to happen? They want to pay for storage for their house full of possessions which will eat into a huge chunk of their money. I feel awful for wanting to say no to them but I don’t see how this can work day to day and long term. DS GF has a notoriously troublesome family that have said they can’t wait and will be here visiting all the time and I just don’t want all the disruptions. WWYD?

OP posts:
PygmyOwl · 23/04/2026 07:14

I'm all for supporting young adult kids - I'm not someone who thinks they should stand on their feet from age 18 - but this is crazy! If they ditch their jobs what if they can't find new ones (the jobs market is tricky at the moment) - they won't be able to save any money then! Also it sounds like you just don't have space for them.

Would you be able to give them any money towards the house deposit instead? A lot of young people buying property do have help from their parents. That might be a sweetener when you say no (if you can afford it of course).

pilates · 23/04/2026 07:12

I would be saying no sorry this doesn’t work for us and not to give up their jobs until they have new jobs to go to. What a cheek!

Ophir · 23/04/2026 07:08

There is no way I’d let this happen

You need to say it’s not possible as there’s no room. Which is true!

Tell him as soon as possible so they don’t quit jobs etc

SexIsNotNebulous · 23/04/2026 07:08

Bloody hell, I would offer to gift them whatever I could afford towards a deposit but make clear that moving in with you and pets is not going to work.

WhatNoRaisins · 23/04/2026 07:08

That's really presumptions. I can understand always having a potential home for your own children but not their partners.

Londonrach1 · 23/04/2026 07:06

Just say no . Yanbu. How rude of them to decide this without discussing it with you.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 23/04/2026 07:05

So your son told you this was happening and you just went along with it...how about no?

Sophue · 23/04/2026 07:05

You need to stand firm and say no as your life will be totally disrupted.

oldestmumaintheworld · 23/04/2026 07:04

What you say is " It's great that you want to save for a house. Leaving your jobs is not the way to do it. You won't be able to move in with us. We haven't got enough room."
Perhaps start by selling as much of your stuff as you can and move into somewhere smaller and cheaper like a house share and see how you get on."

This is reasonable and will show them you are not trying to be unhelpful. It will tell you how serious they are about saving.
If you can afford to say that you'll chip in once they've saved the first £10,000.

SunnyRedSnail · 23/04/2026 07:03

£50 a week rent? What will that cover??

They're very rude not to have discussed this with you.

I assume they'll be wanting to use the bathroom and kitchen??

Are the pets also moving in?

Personally I'd say no and suggest they rent a studio for a year or two to save.

Motnight · 23/04/2026 06:59

You need to say no, this doesn't work for you. By ditching their jobs they are basically telling you that they are going to be financially relying on you in addition to them living with you. It's ok to say no, they are the unreasonable ones in this situation.