Family home, elderly parents , stepsister returned to live

[Helpwithfamily]

Hi,

I know I probably should get official legal advice, but thought I would ask here and see if this situation is something that has happened to anyone else.

My mum has been married to her partner for over 20 years and they still live in the family house where I grew up. I have 2 stepsisters, 1 lives independently and seems happy enough, the other one has bounced from job to job and between various cities and countries. Last year my mum had some health issues and around the same time my stepsister returned for a few weeks ‘to help out’ and has never left the family home. My mum isn’t that keen on her, but admits that having someone around probably eases the burden on my stepfather, and of course lovely for my stepfather to be able to spend so much time with his daughter.

The issue is that my stepsister doesn’t work, and now my mum and stepfather are paying all the costs with no signs that she will ever move out (apparently she doesn’t want to share a house with people she doesn’t know and can’t afford to live by herself).

Will my stepsister end up with some rights to stay in the house for a prolonged period of time now that she has been there for 10 months? What if my mum or stepfather end up in a care home, or no longer want her to live with them?

thanks v much for reading and any advice you can offer.

Rights to the house are probably long reach but OTOH getting a 'sticky squatter' who is family out is one of executorship's harder tasks. .

OTOH step sis influencing your Mum's partner to change his will is another issue.

Is the stepsister getting any welfare benefits she might be entitled to?

If they are helping her out financially, then there’s a good chance she would make an Inheritance Act claim on their death.

Yes, this is what I wondered. If she is used to living rent and bills free would this have to continue? Don’t think she claims any benefits as everything g is paid for I think, she possibly gets some extra money from her dad (and mum) although I’m not sure and wouldn’t like to ask.

But, she was only meant to be there for a few weeks. I can’t see that she will ever volunteer to leave (although I appreciate that aspect is probably none of my business)

Yep! Not sure what advice to give regarding the future, but your mum and stepdad should be encouraging her to work and save and to contribute to bills etc.

Couldn’t agree more! But at 40 think she has decided that she is happy there with no need to work a significant amount.