Source: Reddit
I (f28) own a house. I wish I didn’t because I inherited it from my grandmother whom I would prefer to have back. It is an older house in a mature neighborhood in my city. It has a huge yard, a garden, and a detached garage large enough for a couple of cars and an RV.
It also has an in-law suite where I live. I started living there when I started university and I love it. My exit leads to the back yard and my garden.
After the estate was all settled I was left with a little money and a fully paid off house. I am the baby of all the cousins and I was an oops baby. I am 17 years younger than the next youngest. I decided that I would keep living in my area and just take on short term renters to help me cover expenses. I also planned to allow any of my nieces and nephews who went to school in my city to live with me. So far only my one nephew has and he was well behaved and moved out when he finished school. I found a couple that wanted the entire upper floor for one year while they got settled from moving across the country for work.
No big deal. I have three siblings graduating next year and only one might go to school in my city. So I let my property manager set up a one year lease. My city does not have a minimum rental increase. This is important.
So after six months the problems start. The wife got pregnant. And they like the house. They have not found a house they want to buy. They want to keep living here. But they don’t want a roommate.
So one day the husband catches me and says that he has talked to the property manager about renting the entire house and that I might want to start looking elsewhere for a place to live. I check with my guy and yup he wants the whole house. So I talk to my lawyer because I don’t want any problems.
As long as the increase is one year after tenancy and I give three months notice there is literally no limit on the rental increase. So I told my property manager to raise the rent for the ground level 50%. They have five months notice of a rental increase so I am in the clear.
Now I can hear them fighting about having to find a new place. Which I don’t get because I was clear in the lease that it was only for one year. And I gave them a good price because they had excellent credit and rental history. The real estate market in my city isn’t crazy. They should be able to find something to buy in time. Or at the very least somewhere else to rent.
I have talked to my parents about this and they said I’m being sort of mean. I don’t think I am. I have a plan for my home and it does not involve me moving out. I have a garden that I worked with my grandmother my entire life. I have a yard with raspberry bushes my grandfather planted for his kids and grandkids. My dog likes having a yard to play in. I could have told them it’s my home but it’s not their business. Am I A Jerk?
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