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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

MIL and wedding

289 replies

tartantrewsweddingblues · 17/03/2019 20:27

I’m really unsure how to write this post because I don’t want to come across as grabby but this has been playing on my mind and I’d like opinions rather than telling me what to do because I’m keeping my mouth firmly shut!

My BIL (DH’s brother) and SIL got married last year and in the lead up to getting married decided that they wanted to move house. All good. It transpired that MIL told them she would give them a £10,000 to help with their deposit. So far sooooo none of my business.

DP and I are getting married in July and we have two children. DP came home and told me that MIL has told him she’ll give us the same amount. I said that was lovely of her...DP seemed a bit nervous about something and I asked him to spill the beans. He said that she had told him the £10,000 would be given to us when we move house.

We aren’t moving house. We have no plans to move house. We are happy in the house we’re in. DP has told her this and she has said if she gave it to BIL for a house move then we will get it for the same reason.

I know a gift is a gesture she doesn’t have to provide but I feel a bit annoyed at the fact that she has put restrictions and constraints on it.

Before anyone asks, she’s well off and has not contributed in anyway to the wedding which will only have 13 guests. My parents have paid for the meal and have offered us money (without strings) as a gift.

I’ve said to my husband that we need to refuse the gift. I won’t be held to ransom for any sum of money and certainly won’t uproot myself for it. The house we live in is lovely and we don’t need to move.

Does anyone else find this strange? I won’t be broaching this with her but it has kind of clouded my feelings about her.

OP posts:
woollyheart · 21/03/2019 11:49

She may not have the money any more - that is true. If so, it is very cruel to promise it, but only with conditions that make it useless and insulting.

FlagranceDirect · 21/03/2019 12:20

My dad has just given him 10k ‘to do with as he wishes’ - OP this in my opinion, is how it should be done

I think this is possibly a generational divide in attitudes.
I would never just give my dc a large cash amount to 'do with as they wish' It was too hard come by for that. I'm happy to help with house deposit and weddings at the times they are "needed". But to just hand over ten grand and say 'fill your boots' isn't a sensible way to treat hard earned cash.

What happens if and when dear bro wants to buy a house? Wouldn't that ten grand be more useful at that time? At which point it's most likely spent. Does he then get another cash injection? And you the same? I'd try to equal it out over time, but never just hand it over for unspecified spending.

So I really don't think that's the way to do it.

Sophiesdog11 · 21/03/2019 13:14

She may not have the money any more - that is true.

But Op has said the MIL does have the money, or at least did when her DH helped with his fathers estate!

Op, I feel for you both and don’t think you are entitled and grabby. I have been in exact position, except with larger amounts.

Apart from paying for my wedding (but also DBs, before mine, as his wife was from abroad) I never had a penny off DPs, even when buying my first house at a young age. Not one penny. Worked hard, bought houses alone then with DH.

DB has worked 2 years of the 43 he has been out of school. He openly admits that he thinks the world owes him a living - or rather the Govt and parents, who gave him monthly money all of their lives, despite mum denying it to me.

When DB’s wife managed to secure a mortgage to buy their rented house, from her wealthy employers, they asked mum for the deposit, in region of 50k. All the family knew, cousins etc except me. (Our dad had been dead quite a few years then, not sure he would have given them it)

I found out by accident about 4yrs later when mum was ill and I was managing finances (I live closer, but still 2 hrs away, and obvs helped more even though DB didn’t work ☹️).

I was devastated - it wasn’t about money at all, as you say, it just felt that DB was favoured over me, definitely by mum. Plus the secrecy - my cousins felt awful knowing that I didn’t know, but didn’t feel able to tell me.

I went NC for a short time, but by then mum had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I couldn’t just walk away. I knew I couldn’t live with myself after losing her if I did.

I did get offered the deposit money in her last months, and decided to accept it, partly to pass to my DC and partly to stop my brother from gloating when she died. But I reckon he probably had at least another 20k off our parents.

I have since been told by a cousin that he wrote to her just after I found out about the deposit, insisting he deserved everything and that he would take her to change her will when he next visited!

We did PoA not long before she died, so I knew the solicitor had her original will at that point, but I did wonder if DB would produce a new will, right up until we walked into the solicitors office. As it was we (DH and I) did everything regarding her house and estate. DB was a joint executor but true to form, did nothing.

We have 2 young adults and aim to treat them as equally as possible, although one is currently at uni, youngest may not go, so there is potentially a discrepancy there. We are feeding money into their ISAs to use for house deposits, so in theory they will have the same from us, regardless of when they buy.

At least you have been made aware of the money given to your BIL, so your DH can make his own decision about continuing to support his mum in the future. I wish I had known earlier but think my mum was threatened by DB not to tell us, as he knew that if she gave me the same it would reduce his eventual inheritance. Pure greed.

WhereYouLeftIt · 21/03/2019 14:18

Just caught up with your updates, tartantrewsweddingblues Sad. I am sorry.

But, it's all in the open now. You think your husband "feels like a weight has been lifted" - that's a positive from this shitshow. I would wonder if he's spent his life trying to make his mum love him like she loves his brother; being the dutiful son, helping her out etc. And now he's maybe realised that he can't make her love him and that the fault is hers and not his. Because it is.

I think you are doing the right thing to step back from her. Not because she won't give you money, it was never about that. But because the relationship you and he thought that you had with her - well, it never really existed. It was an illusion. The relationship you actually had was a use-used relationship, and you no longer want to be used.

WhereYouLeftIt · 21/03/2019 14:19

user-used. (Must proofread better.)

tartantrewsweddingblues · 21/03/2019 20:54

MIL phoned me tonight. I debated whether to answer it but I thought it best to be open.

She said DH had told her I wouldn’t be picking her up on Friday and that I was aware of all the amounts given to BIL and the fact that DH has never had a penny.

I said to her that my loyalty lies with DH. I explained that in all the years we were together we haven’t asked for a bean from her or late fil. I said that I am appalled that she would treat her sons so differently and that I can’t imagine treating my own children like that. She said that it was never her intention to treat them differently but DH and I always seemed so settled and BIL needed it more.

I said to her that has tried to exert control over where we live and that we had worked hard for the house we’re in and won’t be moving soon so her offer of a gift is an empty one.

I did ask her why she will only give the gift on the proviso that we Move and she couldn’t give me an answer.

We left the conversation with me telling her that she’d better phone BIL or SIL for her lift.

OP posts:
cstaff · 21/03/2019 21:02

Well done OP. Nicely played. She can go find herself another dil to drive her shopping on Friday and see how far she gets. I reckon though that she needs you more than you need her. It will be interesting to see how long she stays away. Hope your dh is ok - has to be harder on him as it is his mum we are talking about.

Modestandatinybitsexy · 21/03/2019 21:27

Glad you got it out in the open. I hope your comments have helped her realise how unequal her treatment has been. Not sure if anything will come of it but at least you each know where you stand now.

Chocolateisfab · 21/03/2019 21:30

Well bloody done op!!

Jubba · 21/03/2019 21:31

My granny was like this. If she gave to one. She gave to all. Sometimes. Yep the money had restrictions. I never felt like she loved us any less. I think it’s all very strange

RandomMess · 21/03/2019 21:32

I hope your DH is ok, it's so hard when you find out you've been played like a fool ThanksThanksThanksThanks

Wonderbag · 21/03/2019 21:56

Well done. You handled that just right

Iloveacurry · 21/03/2019 21:59

Well done

hellsbellsmelons · 22/03/2019 08:45

Nicely done OP.
She knows there is no reason for this awful favouritism.
I hope your DH is OK as well.

Sophiesdog11 · 22/03/2019 08:57

It sounds like the MIL, like my mum, truly just feels she is giving to the most disadvantaged, and you don’t need the same as you are ‘so settled’. But insisting you can’t have the money to pay down your mortgage is bonkers, cruel and definitely shows you are second best to her.

My mum actually said, when I found out about the house deposit, that I was never offered anything as I didn’t ask! Same as Op and DH - we worked hard and paid our way, why would we ask. But she could still have offered.

Once I found out, comments made over the years fell into place eg she once insisted that she pay for a meal as she ‘owed us’. She knew she had done wrong, but felt unable or unwilling to change it.

Unfortunately if you do get something now Op, it will probably feel like tainted money. Mine certainly did and our view of my mum changed considerably. Not just mine, but my DH and kids. The latter were old enough to understand and see how much it affected me (and our own family for a while).

They both know I will strive to treat them as equally as possible. I will not count every penny eg when having a meal out with one or other, but certainly larger amounts will be same.

notacooldad · 22/03/2019 09:06

If you think what your MIL is doing is bad it is not as vadour situation.
My mum and dad bought my Dsis a house for £110k.
Sister has never worked a day in her life. Mum told me and other sister that it was an early inheritance and she ( mum) knew me and sister wouldnt mind!
Astounded doesn't come into it!!!

Sophiesdog11 · 22/03/2019 09:21

notacooldad

Nothing astounds me any more, having seen how my mum and DB acted.

Mum was having respite in a home when I found out about the deposit money. I called at her home to drop something off before travelling back that day and made 2 phone calls from her landline to cousins (who told me they already knew!)

When she came out of the home a few weeks later, accompanied by DB as I refused to go, she rang me and insisted I pay her £5.62 to cover the phone calls. I still remember the exact amount.

He had had about 70/80k, yet she asked me for just over £5.

Astounded didn’t come close - and no I didnt pay it!

averythinline · 22/03/2019 10:03

I'm glad you said something to her - however expect her to completely rework it to everyone else....

If she does offer money I would take it and use it to pay off a bit of mortgage or put it in accounts/savings for DC .....

Either way you both need to think what sort of level of support you are happy to give

Lollypop701 · 22/03/2019 23:10

Op my heartfelt sympathy to you and your dh. Your mil sounds awful and thoughtless.

SandyY2K · 22/03/2019 23:59

I did ask her why she will only give the gift on the proviso that we Move and she couldn’t give me an answer.

Because there is simply no sensible answer she could give.

We left the conversation with me telling her that she’d better phone BIL or SIL for her lift.

Excellent! I bet she's already regretting it.

BitOfFun · 23/03/2019 01:33

You've done absolutely the right thing. Why be treated like a mug?

Weenurse · 23/03/2019 01:46

💐

Spudina · 23/03/2019 02:26

Nicely played OP.

FlagranceDirect · 23/03/2019 04:20

This is a thread that could only be played out in the last decade. I think I can quite confidently say that anybody on here who is over 60 years old would never have had a penny from their parents unless their parents were landed gentry.

My parents didn't have any money, we paid for our own wedding and saved our own money for the deposit on a house. My parents felt bad that they could not contribute, but neither could my in laws for similar reasons. i.e they had no money.

Now I'm reading that somebody is pissed off that they didn't get the ten grand they were expecting. My mil paid ten grand for her 38 year old daughter's massive wedding, but nothing at all for ours.
Her reason was that we could afford it, but her daughter couldn't.

Meh. Don't give a bugger.

Families feuding over money. I find it disgraceful. My mil helps my sil out with her financial problems all the time. She's a nightmare, getting into all sorts of debt. Her mother helps her out. None of our business. My husband's mother has given his sister tens of thousands of pounds to support her. That does not mean she's dissing us. It means that she's helping her daughter out of a hole.

My mil has six children. She helps the ones who need helping.
We don't need help so we don't ask. And we don't begrudge it, nor dwell on it if she gives money to others.

What sort of human being would withdraw emotional and practical support, to an elderly parent, simply because they didn't cough up enough money to justify your attention.

Money means nothing. Nothing at all. You either love your parent enough to be there, and help them out, or you don't. If you don't want to support your parent, are pissed off with them, have issues with them, hate them, they've abused you in some way, then don't help them.

But, really, don't make it about how much money they've given you.

FlagranceDirect · 23/03/2019 04:26

Well bloody done op!!

I'm not so sure. Arguing that you haven't been given as much cash as
you think you deserve is never a good look.

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