Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being greedy?

324 replies

Anon2468 · 28/06/2025 06:55

Trying to cut a long story short. My sister has always been a single parent, the 2 different fathers to her children have never been involved and never assisted financially. My parents have taken a parental role with my sisters children but I can understand slightly why to support her with working etc. they bought a 2nd property to rent to her cheaper than the current market value.

i had 2 children with my partner, and he was my support network with life. We never had childcare or family support due to my parents putting all their time into my sister and her children. My children have lost out on a lot of family things due to this and don’t have a close relationship with my family. They’ve never been on days out with grandparents, yet watch their cousins do this all the time.

due to life stresses, myself and my children’s father separated last year. It was amicable break up to begin with but has become extremely toxic over the year when it came down to managing selling the family home etc. we were not married so I was not entitled to anything financially. I don’t think I slept for 4 months wondering how I would afford to put a roof over my children’s heads etc. but, in the end after a lot of work and stress I’ve managed to purchase a shared ownership property.

my parents went to see the property I am purchasing with me this week, being a new build I wanted other eyes! The entire time we were there, my dad was talking to the woman who I have been dealing with the purchase of the property, wondering how he would go about buying one for my sister. this went on for over an hour and I could barely get a word in to discuss my house - I exchanged back in November 2024 so this isn’t a potential purchase… this is my home.

to clarify, my parents have sat down and discussed with me this week they are wanting to give my sister £160,000 to buy the share of the property for her, so she won’t have a mortgage. And then her universal credit payments will cover her rent side. they have made it clear they cannot afford to do the same for me at this time, but my share will be left in the will.

they asked my opinion on this, and I expressed in 30 years time £160K won’t be worth as much. My sister has gained a mortgage free share of a house with rent paid by universal credit, while il be just getting by month by month. However, I also expressed it’s their money and they can do as they wish but as they’ve asked my opinion they can have it.

Deep down it’s not actually about the money. Last year when I was at rock bottom mentally, not one family member offered to help. I have managed everything completely alone financially and mentally. I’ve tried to express its hurt me when I was struggling, no one helped. Yet now “I’ve got my own place, my sister should have one”. I’ve worked all my life and saved and been good with money. My child’s father pays child maintenance - the bare minimum possible - and so he should! And my parents justify I don’t need help because I have my children’s father. My child’s father has run me down completely, reporting me to police, social services etc for no reason - I wouldn’t say he was my support!, but obviously my parents seem to think I’m lucky compared to my sister so I don’t need any help!

its such an awkward thing inheritance and money. I’ve given them my opinion and left it. But they have concluded I’m greedy and disgusting.

I guess while writing this, I now feel I sound awful! But there has always been favouritism in the family which I have grown up with. I’ve never benefited or expected anything, but when it’s constantly justified to me “you don’t need help” when actually last year I was the lowest possible and did need my family … it hurts!

if I was still in a relationship, and financially stable with a partner I completely understand why my parents would feel the need to help my sister more. I am in the same boat as her, but I’ve actually done something to sort my life and not relied on others to hand it to me on a plate so I don’t understand how they feel it’s fair?

am I being a completely spoilt brat in the matter? Or are my feelings of being hurt justified? I feel this is the icing on the cake for me and I need to take a massive step back from my family.

OP posts:
Venting16 · 30/06/2025 00:54

Regardless as to whether you are more stable or the kids have a present father, when it comes to giving large financial sums parents should not be giving to one child and not the other. And while your sister gets her share now and yours is in the will, by the sounds of things your sister will still benefit from the will which would be a further kick in the teeth.

Just because she made two bad choices in men and proceeded to have children with them does not warrant the mollycoddling by your parents. Have you ever considered that they use her singledom as an excuse to favour her? … just a thought as things aren’t always what they seem.

All in all it is completely unfair on you and sounds like blatant favouritism that has been enabled because no one has addressed their behaviour sooner. If it was addressed and they would need to cover up their favouritism

distancing yourself sounds like the easy option but in practice it’s difficult; especially as you’re already quite isolated now and it takes a lot of negative energy to maintain the distance.

my advice is to speak to them individually and/ or write a letter!
make your feelings known in a clear concise way so that you’re not left being labelled as greedy etc. if you part ways after this then it will be better for your soul as you would have spoken up and got things off your chest.

Well done for being so strong and for achieving all you have thus far! Your kids may not see it now but one day they will be old and wise enough to see who poured into them from waning cups (and who didn’t from their overflowing cups….) Your efforts are not in vain.

Olivesforteatonighty · 30/06/2025 01:34

My heart is breaking for you over the unfairness of this situation. Your parents seem completely oblivious to the hurt they are causing by choosing to help your sister but not you.

I would write them a letter, pointing out the gross unfairness and how hurt and upset you are. Seeing it written down might drive home your point. You have nothing to lose doing this, as things couldn’t get much worse.

CatsnCoffee · 30/06/2025 01:41

I don’t understand why your sister will need rent to be paid by UC if your parents are buying her joint ownership outright. Am I missing something?

MyLittleNest · 30/06/2025 02:33

I felt very sad reading this, especially that you would even pose such a question. Your parents sounds incredibly caught up in their devotion to your sister and downright unkind and even cold-hearted toward you.

You sound like a responsible, now single mum, who has gone through a lot and accomplished a lot without a lot of support. Some financial support would have gone a long way for you and your children and your peace of mind. Emotional support would have probably gone just as far.

I urge you not to let their words take heart. I would also urge you to distance yourself from people, even family, who are determined to hold you to a higher standard than your sister and then punish you for asking for help.

Focus on this next chapter with your children and limit your interaction with anyone who is not able to stand by you when you need someone the most.

jandalsinsummer · 30/06/2025 02:33

Anon2468 · 28/06/2025 08:12

It doesn’t. The money is going from my dad’s bank account, into a property. Universal credit isn’t means tested on how much property you own. It’s based on cash. I’ve been through the entire process of this with HMRC and being reported for fraud with similar. It was concluded after a 2 hour compliance interview and a lot of investigation what I have done is legit. They wouldn’t have closed the case on me if it was fraudulent and my universal credit claim has remained open.

I’m slightly confused by this, clearly there is a 16+k max cash assets where you get nothing. So I assume you sold your previously owned family home then put the money quickly into your HA home and they turned a blind eye/ignored/there is some exemption? If you scrimped and saved 160k then for a lot of time you would have been over the 16k and should have got nothing. Otherwise everyone could be saving for a house surely? I’m also confused why your sister needs a house just like yours when she already has one provided by your parents! I feel very out of touch! Presumably sister will be your new neighbour too? That will be fun!

Jumpers4goalposts · 30/06/2025 04:45

I’ve bit YANBU but and it’s a big but… the posts are all about what you want your parents to do for you and what they don’t do for you compared to what they do for your sister. My question is what do you do for your parents in comparison to what your sister does for your parents?

Newnamehiwhodis · 30/06/2025 04:52

YANBU. I’d be hurt too. :(

Newnamehiwhodis · 30/06/2025 04:53

I think what really bothers me here is that you asked them to go support you and tell you if it was a good idea, etc, and he spent the whole time getting info for your sister.

Heart17 · 30/06/2025 05:21

You have all the right to be angry. This is not fair!

Havetheweekendoffreports · 30/06/2025 05:50

If you scrimped and saved 160k then for a lot of time you would have been over the 16k and should have got nothing. Otherwise everyone could be saving for a house surely?

yes correct

and the op has been decidedly sketchy about the years when she was accumulating these savings and how she presented that to DWP and HMRC. You can’t keep on saying for years… “oh I’m saving for a house, I’m saving for a house so let me smash through the £16k savings limit pretty please”

We won’t get clarity on this. Guaranteed

Havetheweekendoffreports · 30/06/2025 06:07

The op has clarified that her father has formalised a legal rental agreement with her sister because In the past her sister has failed to pay rent… and he wants to ensure he has legal redress if she doesn‘t pay him in future.

Doesn’t exactly sound like he’s indulging her like a spoilt princess on the basis that he would seek legal redress against her if she didn’t pay him rent!!

BusWankers · 30/06/2025 06:26

Havetheweekendoffreports · 30/06/2025 06:07

The op has clarified that her father has formalised a legal rental agreement with her sister because In the past her sister has failed to pay rent… and he wants to ensure he has legal redress if she doesn‘t pay him in future.

Doesn’t exactly sound like he’s indulging her like a spoilt princess on the basis that he would seek legal redress against her if she didn’t pay him rent!!

I'll bet he wouldn't..

Havetheweekendoffreports · 30/06/2025 06:32

BusWankers · 30/06/2025 06:26

I'll bet he wouldn't..

Me neither

But fact he has in place - would indicate he doesn’t let her rough ride over him.

Havetheweekendoffreports · 30/06/2025 06:34

Either way

months, years when the op was accumulating these vast savings and still getting UC where she would have been committing fraud.

You can’t keep saying to DWP… “oh I’m saving for a house, I’m saving for a house” as an explanation why one year you have £60k in savings, the next £80k, the next £100k…..”

Nerlin9812 · 30/06/2025 06:48

Your sister is so heavily reliant on her parents what is she going to do when they pass away? Sounds like they’ve created a dependant monster here . Is there a reason why she’s treated differently? Was there a difficult birth with her so they’ve over compensated? That type of thing ?

Isthisreasonable · 30/06/2025 07:18

My (ex) ILs were like that. We were given £500 when we got married on the understanding that it paid for the entirety of the honeymoon as they wanted to tell people that they paid for it but were vague about what we did (i.e. "we paid for them to honeymoon in France", rather than "we paid for a weekend in Normandy").

SIL (whose household income was comfortably 3x ours) had big chunks of the wedding paid for and was also gifted a house deposit.

thepariscrimefiles · 30/06/2025 07:28

JJMama · 29/06/2025 18:18

I could have written this OP. My parents always supported my daughter. When her marriage broke up they put her and her kids up. When mine went the same way my mother told me I’d made my bed and had to lie in it.

They’ve never given me anything, financially or otherwise I. I had to rent after my relationship broke up with my MIL giving me the deposit! I had two babies one was 6 weeks old.

Now it’s just my mother (dad never made a will), she expects me to run around after her. Like you say it’s not about the money but the total lack of thought or support when needed…! I could cite tonnes of similar situations where they’ve just left me.

Have two children of my own and can’t remotely fathom not supporting them, or treating one differently to the other. Utterly perplexing and hurtful. YANBU at all.

You should just step back and stop running round after your mum. Your story isn't uncommon on here. It's often the 'golden child' that gets all the help, financial and help with their kids, but the 'scapegoat' child that is expected to do all the caring/support for their aged parents.

Just say no and mean it.

proudmummyof3boys · 30/06/2025 07:40

If they own the property your sister is in now can't they just gift her that and gift you the money!?

thepariscrimefiles · 30/06/2025 07:40

Tapsthemic · 29/06/2025 20:52

OP my DM is similar to your DF, in that she believes it’s the man who should be providing. So my DSis and I live a pretty regular/frugal life (1 camping holiday a year, regular state school for this kids, 1 clapped out family car), but my DB gets significant financial help, where he, his wife & kids live like celebrities (4 holidays a year, private schools, 2 nice cars, personal trainers and designer clothes) all subsidised by my mum. It enrages me and my DSis so much! I can’t imagine treating my kids so differently.

Edited

Does your mum also believe that daughters should provide any care/support needed when she grows old? That often seems to be the pattern, the 'golden child' son who gets all the financial help and support and the 'scapegoat' daughters that get nothing but are expected to step up and provide care.

If that is the dynamic in your family, you and your sister should absolutely step back and let your brother deal with them.

thepariscrimefiles · 30/06/2025 07:44

CatsnCoffee · 30/06/2025 01:41

I don’t understand why your sister will need rent to be paid by UC if your parents are buying her joint ownership outright. Am I missing something?

It sounds like OP's parents are paying for her sister's share of the joint ownership outright but her sister will be charged rent for the proportion owned by the housing association.

Wayk · 30/06/2025 07:58

My heart breaks for you. There is a lot more to this than money. It is the lack of care when times got tough for you. You do not feel valued and no child should be made feel that way. Even if they helped sis with childcare they could have included your children on days out:holidays and asked you or your sister to tag along to help if needed. Be kind to yourself. You certainly are not greedy.

Tapsthemic · 30/06/2025 07:59

llizzie · 30/06/2025 00:36

Your post has made me think that perhaps your DM is 'basking' in the success of your DB and is actually helping herself by being part of a seemingly successful life of her DS?

Is that a possibility do you think? It is not unknown by any means. It is grossly unfair as well.

I don't mean to be cruel or lack understanding, to anyone. I am wondering if something similar, sort of almost reverse is happening in the OP's life, in that your DP want to be 'praised' for the help they are giving to one and not the other?

Yes my DM definitely basks in my DB’s success. Giving money to him makes her feel good, and she often boasts about how successful he is (to me and my DSis). She gets funny about my job, as I’m the main earner, but I had to get a job with security because I’ve never had the safety net my DB has.

I agree that the OP’s parents seem to have taken on the role of her DSis’ partner in a way, it must hurt a lot, I can totally empathise.

Tapsthemic · 30/06/2025 08:57

thepariscrimefiles · 30/06/2025 07:40

Does your mum also believe that daughters should provide any care/support needed when she grows old? That often seems to be the pattern, the 'golden child' son who gets all the financial help and support and the 'scapegoat' daughters that get nothing but are expected to step up and provide care.

If that is the dynamic in your family, you and your sister should absolutely step back and let your brother deal with them.

You’ve nailed it - absolutely she does - and that it’s the women who are responsible for making plans, etc, so when my DB makes zero effort or ghosts my DM (as he often does), it’s his wife’s fault.

I’ve had a lot of therapy and the penny dropped when I realised why I decided to live away from my family in my 20s. I was considering moving closer to them a few years ago, but so glad I listened to my gut.

Nettie1964 · 30/06/2025 09:04

The golden child and the scapegoat. They aren't being fair, I feel awful for you. There is probably nothing you can do about it. I hope when the time comes your sister will be the 1 looking after your ageing parents, after all she will have the time, you will be at work.

Dogladycrazy · 30/06/2025 09:33

OP I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this, it sounds absolutely awful. None of it is fair or equal and I agree with others who have said you need to think about stepping back from your parents for your own sanity and well being. Some parents can be toxic and bring nothing but upset into your life, be it wittingly or unwittingly, but if this is the case, protect yourself and your children. Maybe a spell of distance will make them realise they’ve hurt you. If not….. it’s their loss. You are strong and you’ve got this. Sending love ❤️ xx