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Selling inherited house when sibling living in it

428 replies

Dutchhouse14 · 16/10/2026 11:50

Our DM passed away a few months ago and her will divides everything equally between me and my 2 siblings.
Im the sole executor.
Dsis ,mid 50s, has always lived at home, never moved out. Towards the end of mums life she became her carer.
She works limited hours although she has increased these with overtime since mum passed away but full time contracts are non existent in her sector.
Shes used to pay a small amount of housekeeping but this stopped when she was made redundant from full time work about 10 years ago.
DMs house is in a bad state of repair, none of us can afford to maintain it . Me and my other sibling want to sell.
But DSis is resisting ,not replying to texts, avoiding phones calls, went out when estates agents came round for valuations etc
She has limited income and savings but could get a small mortgage and with proceeds of sale she could get a 1 bed flat.
My other sibling agrees we need to sell but doesn't want to upset dsis and is generally very good at avoidance! They are happy to give Dsis a much bigger share ie 50% I would prefer 40% which i think is realistic for dsis to buy somewhere.
So ive become the wicked witch of the West in Dsis eyes and shes taking it all out on me, well basically stopped talking to me.
WIBU to put the house on the market?
Probate has been granted.
Anyone know what the legal situation is?
I dont want to fall out with Dsis, I love her, but she seems filled with resentment for me and frankly has said some very hurtful things.
Ive always been there for her but shes never ever reciprocated or supported me when ive needed it.
Although I live with DH and DC, the money would really help my future, my pension etc and I dont want to give my share to Dsis, which is what I think she really wants as shes used to being in charge of DMs money , always lived here so I think basically considers everything as hers.
Just dont know how to move things forward or if im being unreasonable selling the house and wanting my share

OP posts:
clarissadavenport · Today 12:20

AsbestosExpert · Today 09:48

You are over thinking your responsibilities as an executor, I've been one twice, and yes, you have a duty to the beneficiaries to follow the will (you can also vary that will with agreement of the beneficiaries).

But you don't have to rush things through, two months is too soon to be doing this to your DSIS, you have 2 years before the estate would need registering as a trust, so I'd be giving her 6 months before pushing ahead with anything.

You may find it easier to engage a solicitor and defer your responsibilities to them to play bad cop.

You should keep the house registered in the deceased persons name, if the will did not specify sale of the house then if you register it in you three's names you have dispersed that asset, this gives your sister more rights, not less, and would put the onus on you and your DB to pay for the process for an order for sale yourselves, rather than it coming from the estate and therefore dividing equally.

But I do thing you are rushing with this.

I agree. A lot of the current unpleasantness could have been avoided by not bringing up having to sell the house one month after the death.

SirenScream · Today 12:13

Having read your posts op I regard your sister as a freeloader, I wouldn't have any sympathy for her.

Teddybear23 · Today 12:11

AmethystDeceiver · 16/10/2026 12:27

I'm in a minority but I would not force a sale, or if it has to be sold I would give your sister a larger share. She did all of the caring for you mum it sounds like, and your inheritance is her home. Unless you were at risk of serious financial ruin I would let it go. She's your sister, it's a recent loss, and her life will be totally upended. What's 'fair' isn't always what's best

But she also lived there rent free!

Teddybear23 · Today 12:09

As executor you MUST carry out the instructions in the Will. If your sister isn’t happy then I’m afraid she should have discussed with your mum before she died. She’s lived there rent free for years so if you were to add up the missing rent surely it means she’s already had more than her third.

AlexandraCarrington · Today 11:32

Sister would be best advised to sit tight at least until her housung needs are sorted .

Until she has sorted her housing needs. No-one else can do it for her. She is the only one who knows what assets and income she has.

They are far from.sorted at present as OP has not said where she is to live while a sale is ongoing.

How should OP know? It's not her reponsibility to provide sister with somewhere to live.

Sister can do what everyone else does - look for new property while old one is on the market, assuming she wants to buy. Or look for somewhere to rent. She could be looking and taking financial advice now.

FKAT · Today 11:31

I wish people would stop talking about able-bodied women of sound mind who happen to be in their 50s as if they are children and have no agency or autonomy.

Aluna · Today 11:18

Exactly this scenario happened in a house near me. The long and short of it was that the siblings had to go to court to secure an Order of Sale and they won, so the house was sold eventually. The judge considered that the resident sibling did not have sufficient funds to buy the other two out, but would have sufficient funds from the sale to buy themselves a property.

NovemberMorn · Today 11:07

The house, though in need of repair, will stand another year whilst you all have time to grieve and allow your sister to come to terms with the fact that she will have to move eventually.

You certainly don't deserve to be shouted out by your sister, and your brother should be more supportive. At the end of the day, you are trying to do what's right.
Your sister is very scared right now, her whole life is being disrupted. That's why I think giving her time to adjust will help everyone.

SamphiretheTervosaur · Today 10:58

Savvyshopper17 · Yesterday 19:36

The sibling living their can pay for the bills and basic maintenance, she still works and claims benefits

And they are to rely upon that, are they?

When she has low income and is not talking to them? They remain legally obligated

The situation is that the resident sister is effectively emotionally blackmailing the other 2

NovemberMorn · Today 10:45

DuggansBakery · Yesterday 23:35

I’d see it differently. The Dsis is in a house that needs expensive upkeep and maintenance. It’s also not her sole house. A bit of carrot and stick needed … the OP has to execute the will, and might get the other sibling on board to help find an alternative place to live. Of course this would need to be done sympathetically and with patience, but if the Dsis is resistant, she needs to be guided towards a solution.

You talk about her as if she is a donkey.😮

yellowrosesontable · Today 10:44

My sympathy to you on the loss of your DM, it’s still fairly recent.

the housing market isn’t very busy, I would suggest putting the house on he market in January, this gives your DSis some time to get used to the idea and try to enjoy Christmas, also time to heal your relationship.

Littlecrake · Today 10:21

She’s grifted off her mum her whole adult life and then blocked her from having proper professional care. She hasn’t maintained the home she’s lived in for practically free and she’s been living of her mums pension instead of her own redundancy money. But the OP is unkind, apparently.
fwiw I think that the costs associated with care (loss of income, higher bills) plus the social cost should be recognised by siblings who do substantially less care but so should the 3 decade free ride. The house is now owned by 3 people in accordance with the will and one person shouldn’t be allowed to just squat in it because she did 2 years of care for a women who should have had professional carers. I would give her until May so she’s had a full year and then force a sale. If the db wants to facilitate her staying then between them they could buy out OP 1/6 each and have a 50:50 interest in the house. If I was the OP I’d let it go for £240 and get £40k from each sibling leaving them with £140k equity each. If db isn’t interested then he’ll have to buckle up to get it sold.

Kelly1969 · Today 10:01

Dutchhouse14 · Today 05:07

Got a third of way through posts, thank you to everyone who replied.
I am a bit concerned about the legalities of being an executor as its my legal duty to disperse the the estate according to the will.
I have got probate, was going to do an assent to transfer deeds into our 3 names but solicitor I contacted about assent said if going to sell keep in deceased name and sell as an executor as easier and cheaper.
Im not heartless, I love my sister, I would never make her homeless but I do want to sell and so does Dbro, but as usual im left with all the heavy lifting.
I actually think it would be nicervl for her to buy somewhere smaller and more manageable in good condition. My parents never really maintained the house in the 50 years they lived there as no surplus money, it would be worth at 25% more if they had, it needs full renovation.
Dsis has never done any maintenance and tbh barely any cleaning either.
Im happy to give her more, ie approx 40/30/30 and more if she cant get a mortgage or needs more for 1 bed flat.
The PP who said shes failed to launch is right. She's lived with minimum costs for all her life, paid £100-200 housekeeping for 30 years then got made redundant and totally lived off mums pension, all housing,bills and food paid for. mum even paid for her car.
Before she was made redundant she did have substantial savings, theres no evidence to say shes spent any of it . She will not disclose her savings,other than to say she hasnt spent any of her redundancy money.
She was a carer for 5 ish years the last 2 years were very tough, mum should have been in a nursing home really but DSIs refused, i don't think this was entirely altruistic, when asked she did say if she wasn't living there and housing not a worry she would have preferred mum to be in a care home, so if im honest her caring for mum was as much to keep a roof over her head than for any altruistic reason and towards the end probably not in mums best interests. She didn't want to use mums money for carers. I had to arrange OH to come out and get a hoist ,special chair so mum wasn't just in bed, dsis had accepted she had to stay in bed. The hoist really needs 2 carers to move mum, sister refused and said she'd do it herself, we were both hoist trained but i live 50 miles away and work full time so obviously not there every day. DBro lives 3 miles away but not as involved as me.
Dbro does want the house to be sold, he just wants me to sort everything and have all the difficult conversations, as usual! But he is happier for Dsis to have a bigger share, as am I but I want dsis to use her savings and try and get a mortgage first.
A month or so after DM died I did say we need to decide about the house what do you think we should do and she said im going to live there.
I raised concerns about condition,running costs etc but she just brushed them off, shes blind to condition of house tbh.
Shes not really happy about sharing out mums possessions, sentimental value only but id like some of them. Shes denying all knowledge about some jewellery, family photographs etc and refused to let me have dad's wedding ring when she was estranged from him and Dbro didnt want it she still told me I couldnt have it.
I know shes grieving, we all are, I phone/ message to check in on her ,never once does she ask about me and never has. She's said some very hurtful things to me and im her punchbag.
Im going through a rocky patch with DH, so its not just pension im worried about tbh there's a lot going on. DH wants to retire soon and cant afford it, still have 3DC at home including 2 with sen so if im honest the money would really help us.
Ive always had to pay my way and also juggle caring responsibilities. Despite being in her 50s, in many ways Dsis has remained like a teenager , but the last few years have been tough on her and I do know if mum went into a care home they may have been not much left but equally dsis would have had to pay rent and bills and buy her own food etc.
Im a bit worried if we delay things she will expect to stay in the house forever . I will obviously support her through the process but it will be overwhelming for her.
Shes changed all bills into her name and I said about house insurance and she said she would do it and now has.
Mum wouldn't have wanted us to fall out or for dsis to be homeless but she did leave everything to be split equally ,although the will was old she could have changed it anytime up to 5 years ago.

It’s generous of you to offer her a bigger share but I would make it conditional on her disclosing her savings?
She has only been able to save cos she was living off your DM intended the family home.
She chose to be carer to benefit from staying in the home, to your DMs detriment, so really she SHOULDN’T benefit from that aspect at all.

rookiemere · Today 09:56

@AsbestosExpertI think part of the urgency is because the property needs repairs and as things stand, each sibling is equally liable for costs. A friend had a similar situation ( without the caring) as her SIL refused to moved from deceased DFs house, then when it was finally sold a whole bunch of unnecessary cosmetic changes were taken off the value.

I feel it’s a bit of a grey area. My Dcousin is in a similar situation, her useless DB lost his job abandoned his teenage DCs and has moved in with their DM who is subsidising him. She has actually altered the will so he gets the house when she dies, DCousin is a bit salty about it. However she lives in mainland and they live in NI, so usless as Dcousin is he is the one in situ if she falls or needs to go into hospital. Having had a year of DPs an hour away refusing to get in the level of help they needed and basically having to go up and down every time they had a hospital appointment or needed to go in hospital, I couldn’t get a new full time job and in fact almost had a breakdown so the OP has been spared that by Dsis being in the house, and if the DM had gone into a home or had 2-3 paid carers a day there would be no inheritance to discuss, so morally whatever Dsis motivation I feel she has earned something more than 1/3.

AsbestosExpert · Today 09:48

Dutchhouse14 · Today 05:07

Got a third of way through posts, thank you to everyone who replied.
I am a bit concerned about the legalities of being an executor as its my legal duty to disperse the the estate according to the will.
I have got probate, was going to do an assent to transfer deeds into our 3 names but solicitor I contacted about assent said if going to sell keep in deceased name and sell as an executor as easier and cheaper.
Im not heartless, I love my sister, I would never make her homeless but I do want to sell and so does Dbro, but as usual im left with all the heavy lifting.
I actually think it would be nicervl for her to buy somewhere smaller and more manageable in good condition. My parents never really maintained the house in the 50 years they lived there as no surplus money, it would be worth at 25% more if they had, it needs full renovation.
Dsis has never done any maintenance and tbh barely any cleaning either.
Im happy to give her more, ie approx 40/30/30 and more if she cant get a mortgage or needs more for 1 bed flat.
The PP who said shes failed to launch is right. She's lived with minimum costs for all her life, paid £100-200 housekeeping for 30 years then got made redundant and totally lived off mums pension, all housing,bills and food paid for. mum even paid for her car.
Before she was made redundant she did have substantial savings, theres no evidence to say shes spent any of it . She will not disclose her savings,other than to say she hasnt spent any of her redundancy money.
She was a carer for 5 ish years the last 2 years were very tough, mum should have been in a nursing home really but DSIs refused, i don't think this was entirely altruistic, when asked she did say if she wasn't living there and housing not a worry she would have preferred mum to be in a care home, so if im honest her caring for mum was as much to keep a roof over her head than for any altruistic reason and towards the end probably not in mums best interests. She didn't want to use mums money for carers. I had to arrange OH to come out and get a hoist ,special chair so mum wasn't just in bed, dsis had accepted she had to stay in bed. The hoist really needs 2 carers to move mum, sister refused and said she'd do it herself, we were both hoist trained but i live 50 miles away and work full time so obviously not there every day. DBro lives 3 miles away but not as involved as me.
Dbro does want the house to be sold, he just wants me to sort everything and have all the difficult conversations, as usual! But he is happier for Dsis to have a bigger share, as am I but I want dsis to use her savings and try and get a mortgage first.
A month or so after DM died I did say we need to decide about the house what do you think we should do and she said im going to live there.
I raised concerns about condition,running costs etc but she just brushed them off, shes blind to condition of house tbh.
Shes not really happy about sharing out mums possessions, sentimental value only but id like some of them. Shes denying all knowledge about some jewellery, family photographs etc and refused to let me have dad's wedding ring when she was estranged from him and Dbro didnt want it she still told me I couldnt have it.
I know shes grieving, we all are, I phone/ message to check in on her ,never once does she ask about me and never has. She's said some very hurtful things to me and im her punchbag.
Im going through a rocky patch with DH, so its not just pension im worried about tbh there's a lot going on. DH wants to retire soon and cant afford it, still have 3DC at home including 2 with sen so if im honest the money would really help us.
Ive always had to pay my way and also juggle caring responsibilities. Despite being in her 50s, in many ways Dsis has remained like a teenager , but the last few years have been tough on her and I do know if mum went into a care home they may have been not much left but equally dsis would have had to pay rent and bills and buy her own food etc.
Im a bit worried if we delay things she will expect to stay in the house forever . I will obviously support her through the process but it will be overwhelming for her.
Shes changed all bills into her name and I said about house insurance and she said she would do it and now has.
Mum wouldn't have wanted us to fall out or for dsis to be homeless but she did leave everything to be split equally ,although the will was old she could have changed it anytime up to 5 years ago.

You are over thinking your responsibilities as an executor, I've been one twice, and yes, you have a duty to the beneficiaries to follow the will (you can also vary that will with agreement of the beneficiaries).

But you don't have to rush things through, two months is too soon to be doing this to your DSIS, you have 2 years before the estate would need registering as a trust, so I'd be giving her 6 months before pushing ahead with anything.

You may find it easier to engage a solicitor and defer your responsibilities to them to play bad cop.

You should keep the house registered in the deceased persons name, if the will did not specify sale of the house then if you register it in you three's names you have dispersed that asset, this gives your sister more rights, not less, and would put the onus on you and your DB to pay for the process for an order for sale yourselves, rather than it coming from the estate and therefore dividing equally.

But I do thing you are rushing with this.

SharkPants · Today 09:45

somekindof · 16/10/2026 12:08

You could also go to mediation or family therapy/relationship counselling. All three of you. Having a place to all be heard and understand each others perspectives would help as you navigate the next steps. Direct to legal forcing her out of the house could permanently damage the relationship.
Obviously she will have to leave the house, but this is a huge emotional upheaval for her. It’s not about the money.

I feel for you being in this difficult situation.

Edited

I agree with this.
I feel for you all here.
You clearly love and care for your sister.
She has no family of her own and losing your mum must have made her feel dreadfully alone. The home is probably a huge comfort to her, so it possibly isn't about the money for her.
You all need a discussion and a forum to speak and have someone to moderate.
Grief, money and family; You're probably all pretty raw, whatever happens though, don't let this be the cause of a sibling rift. That would be so sad.

Kelly1969 · Today 09:39

This situation seems to happen a lot, and absolutely you should sell and everyone should get their 1/3 like your DM intended.
i do get that she was DMs carer but that doesn’t override your right to your inheritance.
Presuming you have keys, arrange the valuation visit when you’re there, I would have done that anyway as you knew she was resistant to selling.

Dollymylove · Today 09:38

The sister will not be cast out onto the streets penniless. She will have one third of the proceeds of a property. I dont know how much she will inherit but surely enough to rent a small flat. She will need to get a job to support herself

Seajaye · Today 09:34

AlexandraCarrington · Yesterday 22:25

I think you're being a bit unreasonable to make your sister - who cared for your mother for five years until her death - homeless

Why would she be homeless?

She will only be homeless if the executor seeks a court order to evict her , the court will then consider the counterclaim by the sister.

Sister would be best advised to sit tight at least until her housung needs are sorted . They are far from.sorted at present as OP has not said where she is to live while a sale is ongoing. It is not unusual fir a sale of a house needing work to take at least 6 months.

Silverbirchleaf · Today 09:25

Ethelspagetti · Today 08:52

Agreed.

Agreed x 2.

CatSquirrelDuck · Today 09:17

From your updates, I think you will need to go to court and get an order to sell the house.

Seems your mum was aware enough to know it would be difficult when she passed and made you executor for a reason: she knew you would do what she asked in the will, her will, and that was to ensure each of her children got their fair share of her estate.

While I'm sympathetic that your sister failed to launch, she has spent most of her life taking advantage of your mum and living off of her, to the point she wasn't given the proper care she actually needed the last 5 years of her life. The NHS doesn't suggest carers lightly, especially when they have a live in family member doing care, and they suggested 3. Your sister refused ... not to benefit your mum ... but to not spend the money that she, your sister, was living off of. Shameful.

Go to court. Get the order. And tell your sister the house will be sold and the assets split. As the executor, I'd also tell her she needs to produce the items and mementos that you've asked for for the siblings to split fairly.

Tell your brother that if he truly feels your sister should have more for 'caring' for your mother for the last 5 years, and ignoring the previous decades of living off of her and taking advantage, then he can give her his share.

Ethelspagetti · Today 08:52

RandomUserName12345 · 16/10/2026 11:53

Seek legal advice.

Sell house.

Divide money into 3. You get 1/3.

What your 2 siblings do with the 2/3 isn't up to you.

Agreed.

Zerosleep · Today 08:45

Can you get an evaluation and ask your sister to buy you and your brother out of your share of the house? Appreciate what you have said about her work and condition of the house but at least you have offered?

Gengha · Today 08:35

OneoftheWeddingPeople · Today 08:01

The legalities are you can do what you want with your share but as an executor you are legally obliged to follow the will you can’t unilaterally decide to redistribute shares left to anyone else.

The beneficiaries can agree to vary their shares though

AllIwantForChrismasIsAKitchenAidStandMixer · Today 08:33

Gloriia · 16/10/2026 11:59

Your dm should've seen this was going to happen and left the whole thing to her dd living there as you and your other dsis have your own homes.

As she didn't all you can do is get legal advice and get it on the market if you dont want to let her carry on living there. Such a shame for everyone involved that it's come to this.

Sorry about your dm Flowers

i would be furious if I was the op and my mum had done this. Why should the sister get everything just because she never got her shit together?

My FIL is going to be in a similar situation when his mum dies - his brother has been living with her after he made a series of very poor financial decisions. It’s tough imo.