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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

My 26yo sister won’t move out of my place and it’s making me unhappy everyday

75 replies

Autumntimes · 19/03/2022 18:29

My sister has been living in my place for over a year and a half now. Initially I agreed to her staying with me as she was still in uni and I would like to help my family save money on rent for her. I told her and our parents that she has to move out by last year November as I really want to live by myself and with just my dog. In fact she was so messy that I could no longer tolerate it. I later on told her in various ways that she needed to clean up after herself in common area. She became better but still not ok imo. There are a lot of things that I really disliked which came down to personal preference which I’m not going to go into.

She is also v isolated. She came to my city (keeping this anon) as she wished to find a job here. Not having a single friend here she relied on me to take her out, introduced her to various parts of town, taking her to do various activities. I was happy to do so at first but it became such a responsibility that I stopped doing it altogether, as she would not go anywhere without me! I tried to push her to socialise more to no avail.

The worst thing was, she has a v “aggressive” way with dogs. She believes in punishment based dog training method which I stupidly and really regretfully followed first (as she had a dog before who sadly passed away). I know better now after reading books and hiring trainers. There are multiple things that I had told her not to do, such as scolding my dog, giving him treats right before bed, etc and she just wouldn’t listen sometimes.

It got so bad that sometimes we would just argue about various things like what I mentioned above that we would have shouting matches. Still, she would not move out. I even made it explicitly that she needs to consider my feelings and respect that this is my place and my property. And that I wish to live by myself. She would not listen. She even talked about bringing a dog in my flat!

I have no clue what to do without hurting our relationship. To be honest, it got to a point where I don’t really want to hang out with her anymore. I do so when I feel bad for her not having been outside for weeks cos she would not go outside without me. I start to find her voice annoying. I hate that she would just come into my room without me saying come in (after I explicitly told her not to multiple times). I hate that I have no privacy in my own home. My friends suggested I actively encourage her to move out in a helpful manner, for example helping her to find a new place. I don’t know whether that would work since she has no problem not moving out after I asked her to multiple times over the last few months. She is starting a new job in a few months which would require her to travel for an hour and a half if she were to stay with me. She still would like to stay with me indefinitely! And she is hoping she can work from home full time! The good thing is she actually started to look at the rental market (but I’m not sure how serious she is).

What should I do next and how do I stay sane in the meantime??

OP posts:
Autumntimes · 19/03/2022 23:17

@SpinningTheSeedsOfLove

Can I clarify - are you saying that she will only live on her own in a one-bedroom flat (if not with you)?

Does she refuse to look at house shares, or has she just never tried it?

She’s v against house share. I don’t know why. It could be because she didn’t have a good experience previously. Staying with me means she could save on rent. And she was hoping I could give her the family discount on rent too. To be fair, at this point, I don’t care about the rent anymore. I just want to live alone for a while before I can think about getting another lodger.
OP posts:
Autumntimes · 19/03/2022 23:21

Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to read and comment on my post!!

I really appreciate other ways to resolve this as I just think kicking her out would not be my first plan of action :( I would love to solve this peacefully. I know I need to be firm as both me and all my friends think she needs to learn to stand on her own feet. I just would like to be firm in a different way

OP posts:
Cameleongirl · 19/03/2022 23:32

I agree with @Itsbackagain, you've been pushed into taking on a parental role for a sister who's presumably not that much younger than you. What if she can't find accommodation she likes for months after beginning her new job, you could still be lumbered with her next March!

Give her a firm deadline to move closer to her new place of work and let her sort it out.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 19/03/2022 23:35

I wouldn’t usually say this but since your parents are paying her rent, I would involve them.

It sounds like you own rather than rent so, I would tell both your sister and your parents that you love her very much but living together is damaging your relationship. You want to be able to live alone as originally planned and you don’t want to fight over cleaning and tidying and taking the rubbish out. You are happy to help her find a place and move but she needs to go by 1 May. If she can’t find a place by then, you will write to the council confirming that she is homeless so she will be housed by them but there is, of course, a very long waiting list so she would likely be in a B&B in (cheap area far away from you) for a while. But after a wait, she could get a council house! (That is the point to push - she wouldn’t really homeless, she would eventually get a council house but only because you were nice enough to confirm to the council that she couldn’t live with you).

Also, call your parents and say that the costs are going up - bills, maintenance, insurance etc and therefore the rent is going up on such and such date if your sister hasn’t moved out by then.

Good luck.

MenaiMna · 19/03/2022 23:43

Tell her to use spareroom app to find somewhere else - honestly she could be gone in days. Book someone to change the locks on a date in two or three weeks & tell her that date. (even if you're renting and technically allowed to change the locks; tell her this anyway). Tell her she's not getting back in after that. If she's not working and waiting for a "the job" in September she can barista or wait tables or retail till then. That's how she'll meet new people too. You're in a city so I imagine such jobs are available. She already doesn't care about your feelings so your only obligation is to be polite and be firm. No one else will look after you. Hopefully this will make her grow up and eventually she'll be thankful for the kick up the bum but meanwhile don't hold out much hope!

Booklover3 · 20/03/2022 00:06

She’s got no intention of going unless you force the issue I’m afraid. She sounds like one of life’s takers.

AnnesBrokenSlate · 20/03/2022 00:12

If you don't want to obviously kick her out and you want to try to avoid confrontation, could you say you've promised the room to someone else because she had said she was moving last November or because you thought she'd move when she started her job?

RantyAunty · 20/03/2022 04:42

It's shame it's ended up how it is. I think you'll have to be a little more forceful about it.

Tell your parents you're going to start looking for a place for her. Since they're willing to pay, let them.

Then start looking for room shares or small flats near her new job.
Then show them to her. Tell her you've rented her room out 1 May or something like that and you want to help her find a place.

So you aren't actually kicking her out.
Go with her to the inspections. Yes, it is sort of treating her like a child but if it gets her out of your place and into her own, I'd do it.

BoffinMum · 20/03/2022 04:45

Say you are moving to a smaller home Wink

ZealAndArdour · 20/03/2022 05:19

I think she views you as an extension of her parents and is therefore expecting/demanding the same level of unconditional support/tolerance/forgiveness that might be extended by a parent. But you are not her parent, and you do not owe her that.

She is taking the absolute fucking piss to put it rather impolitely. I think you need to tell your parents that your generous offer to help them out financially has reached its natural conclusion, and they will need to make new arrangements with your sister about her ongoing care/accommodation, whether that be them funding an apartment for her or a plane ticket for her to join them out of the country wherever that may be.

She is not your child and not your problem. Forcing these very firm boundaries and sticking to them now will actually be what safeguards your continued sisterly relationship in the future. It doesn’t sound like she’s very mature or independent, so you will need to be the adult in this situation and stand firm.

Flossyhair · 20/03/2022 05:31

People will treat you as you allow them to do so. Give her notice to get out - it's NOT on her terms.

How she manages herself as an adult is not your problem. She doesn't get a say in this and she certainly doesnt get to be the boss of you and decide how long she lives with you.

Because no matter what she tells you about needing extra time to live with you, she has no intentions of moving out.

If you cant stand up to her for yourself, do it for your poor dog before he has to suffer any more of her crap dog training dominance techniques.

Give her a date and tell her that unless she actively seeks out accommodation (with your help if she prefers), then she can be directed to the nearest hostel.

Because if you don't, you are stuck with someone that shows you no respect of your personal space and boundaries. Your relationship is already damaged and there is certainly no respect either. I wouldnt dream of treating my family like that.

As I say, what you will allow will continue.

gingerhills · 20/03/2022 05:36

I'd approach this in a 'no blame' way.

Start by saying you love her and want your loving sisterly relationship to continue, and that you feel it is being severely harmed by you living together.

Tell her you find the mess unbearable and the way she treats the dog intolerable but that's not because her way of living is wrong,. it's just incompatible with yours. Tell her you feel responsible for her social life and that has become a burden to you. Tell her you chose to live alone so you could have that freedom, and be able to occasionally have friends stay over. That you want your chosen way of life back.

Also tell her that you want her to flourish in the city, to stand on her own feet, make her own friends and life, that this is a vital process of becoming an adult: you did it and it was beneficial and you know it will be for her too. Choosing her own flat, decor, house rules, levels of organisation and cleanliness etc. All her own.

Can you get her excited about the prospect of launching herself into her own independent life? What part of the city does she want to move to? What sort of flat does she want etc? What decor? Help her look.

Merrymouse · 20/03/2022 05:54

As PP said, why can’t she stay with your parents if she isn’t working?

Footle · 20/03/2022 06:11

Why are posters telling you to lie to get her to leave? That's not honest and it's not going to be effective.
She has to leave because you want to live alone.

Polyanthus2 · 20/03/2022 06:39

Fly her to your parents

WildfirePonie · 20/03/2022 07:10

Pack her bags and throw her out.
Then change the locks.

Tough love.

Merrymouse · 20/03/2022 08:20

I don’t think throwing her out on the street is an option, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason why your parents can’t take practical responsibility for her.

From what you are saying her long term plan is to work from home from your house, and not engage with the outside world. They should be able to see that this is not fair on you and not healthy for her.

WildfirePonie · 20/03/2022 10:57

Doesn't look like she's going to leave of her own free will though.

Bite the bullet and do it OP.

Your parents can pick up her tab, and you can enjoy your own space.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/03/2022 11:17

@Autumntimes

Sadly, if I kicked her out now, she would demand more money from our parents for rent as she would either live with me, or live by herself. She lived in one bed flats pretty much most of her undergrad time. I swear that’s one of the key reasons why she wanted to stay with me so she wouldn’t have to spend £1k+ on rent
@Autumntimes - so let her ask your parents for more rent.

This really isn’t your issue. I’d have to have a very good relationship to live with my sibling apart from in family home.

My SIL sometimes lived with her DB as their parents bought a flat that was for both of them. But if he moved out or away from home (parents live other side of country) or someone else moved in then he had to sleep on sofa bed as he was a student. He now comes up to London once or twice a month for work and still sleeps on sofa bed but that’s because they have a young son.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/03/2022 11:21

She could get a studio or cheap 1 bedroom flat but it might be a bit out of London.

Another option, could do it as buy to let or otherwise, would your parents consider buying a flat and letting your sister live there, as an investment?

PinaColada123456 · 20/03/2022 11:44

Why don't you want to kick her out? Why can't you woman up like an adult and tell her to leave? Why be so weak and such a wet lettuce? Just TELL her she HAS to be out by a certain date and you mean it. Discussion closed.

Jaxhog · 20/03/2022 12:00

She’s v against house share.

But this is what she has with you! Maybe she's afraid that a nonfamilial housemate wouldn't be so tolerant.

BoristalkedaboutBruno22 · 20/03/2022 12:35

September isn’t a “few months” away, that’s six months dossing about in your flat. Tell her and your parents (who are enabling this) That the situation is untenable, what is she doing for money between now and September? Get her a job? She won’t do it on Her own. Get her into a house share, she doesn’t sound like she could live alone well.

Your parents being overseas is causing some of this issue and her behaviour but be clear that you are not parenting her.

Mix56 · 20/03/2022 18:46

She is clearly an educated person, shes doing a Masters. She us playing you for a mug
She doesn't want a flat share because its easier to leach off you & she has no responsibilities.
She needs an intermediary job, she cant lounge about for 6 months doing nothing. If she gets a job she will meet people.
She should be looking oir a flat share for the same reason. Ideally in the new town where her job starts in September.

She must NOT get a dog, who is going to look after her dog while she is at work? You ?
She needs a stern talking to, its a problem that is not going to go away so you might as well bite the bullet asap

EthelTheAardvark · 22/03/2022 10:54

I had another chat with her just now. She said she wants to stay with me for a bit more after she start her job to feel it out where she could move to next. I told her I did not have that luxury when I first started and I’m happy to help her to house hunt. That did not go well

We all know how that would go if you let her stay till she's started her job.. A couple of months after she starts the new job you ask her about her plans to move, and you're told she's not sure it's the job for her, she needs to stay till she's worked that out - then she will need stay till her probation period comes to an end, then till she sees whether she can get a promotion, and on and on and on.

I get it that you don't want to throw her out, but she needs to know both that you don't want to do it but ultimately you will if she doesn't sort herself out quickly.

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