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Hi everyone. When my mom was alive, I bought her a house. Even though it was her house, I paid everything. It was legally, my house that she lived in. A few years later, I got engaged. Even though I would continue to keep my mom in this house she thought it would best to legally put it in her name. As she was divorced and didn't think it would be fair to lose her home if I got a divorce. We got married and had a daughter. My mom became unhealthy. She asked me if she wanted to put the house back in my name or leave it for my daughter. I said leave it for my daughter. She did and died almost three years after this talk. I act shocked as I didn't want my husband to know I agreed to this. Legally, there was no way "we" could benefit from this house or the sale of it. Only my daughter. Say we sold it (the house was paid off), the money would go into a trust for my daughter.
Since we had our own home, we never lived there. Eventually, my SIL asks if she can live there with my niece. I really didn't want her to. As it goes, they eventually move in and pay very minimal rent. All of which (besides taxes) we put aside for our daughter. About two years ago, SIL moves out. Niece still wants to live there. I ask her to move out in 90 days. My husband I fight over this. He says because my daughter is still a minor she can not benefit. We eventually settle on niece having a monthly lease and paying market rent. It was agreed on she could leave any time she wanted and we could evict her any time we wanted as it was a monthly lease. Also, that our daughter would want to move there or sell it upon turning 18.
Our daughter will be turning 18. Niece asked my daughter to sell the house to her. Not only this, she said "It's not fair. You have this house and your parents house when they die. I don't have any house. With your rent money, you have enough for a down payment". She also told my daughter that she would "accept" being her roommate. I told my daughter to turn down the offer. I also advised her if she wishes to rent out her house, she should evict her cousin and find a new tenant.
My husband and niece think I'm being unfair. My daughter feels bad for niece. However, I don't want the house I bought going to her for basically nothing. I know at this point I can't reveal it was legally ever my house. When I do bring up I basically paid the house off (Husband knows I "helped" my mom financially), I am called petty.
Your lack of honesty with your husband about the house doesn’t bode well for your marriage. Also, “As it goes, they eventually move in and pay very minimal rent. “ how does this happen? You need to sit down with husband and daughter and be honest about the situation and make a plan from there. Regardless, the niece shouldn’t bully you all into doing something you don’t want.
Your lack of honesty with your husband about the house doesn’t bode well for your marriage. Also, “As it goes, they eventually move in and pay very minimal rent. “ how does this happen? You need to sit down with husband and daughter and be honest about the situation and make a plan from there. Regardless, the niece shouldn’t bully you all into doing something you don’t want.
It happens when they're family. It happens when they're a single mom.
The house was titled and purchased by your funds. Husband during tax time had NO knowledge of this asset.
The asset is now fully paid for and still titled in your name.
It is an equity that is being leased to another adult . Doesn't matter if its a relative. Its an adult.
The laws of that state supersede your tenant/renter contract. So I wouldn't go down that path of thinking you can kick them out at will . Or they can just high tail it out of there without financial ramifications.
The house is to be transferred deed to YOUR daughter at some point in her adult life. Once that happens It will fall upon her to decide how to manage that property. If she resides in it, thats her choice. If she sells it, its her choice. The Niece is a resident according to your post. Follow the landlord tenant guidelines in that scenario for proper removal.
The question whether you are being "unfair" to the niece is Moot. Contracts in and of themselves are Fair to the person holding the asset. The niece has zero say in this asset acquisition or your decision to gift it to your daughter. She is not in this equation to determine Who gets the property. Legally anyway.
Not only this, she said "It's not fair. You have this house and your parents house when they die. I don't have any house. With your rent money, you have enough for a down payment". She also told my daughter that she would "accept" being her roommate. I told my daughter to turn down the offer. I also advised her if she wishes to rent out her house, she should evict her cousin and find a new tenant.
Wow, the nerve of her. The niece should be upset with her own parents for not looking out for her, not at you or your daughter. (Not that her parents owe her a house, college, or anything else they worked for.)
I wouldn't like the roommate agreement, either, because if the niece is making demands now, expect her behavior to get worse. Like not paying rent, or intimidating your daughter into something.
Our daughter will be turning 18. Niece asked my daughter to sell the house to her. Not only this, she said "It's not fair. You have this house and your parents house when they die. I don't have any house. With your rent money, you have enough for a down payment". She also told my daughter that she would "accept" being her roommate. I told my daughter to turn down the offer. I also advised her if she wishes to rent out her house, she should evict her cousin and find a new tenant.
Need outside opinions.
The type of attitude you are getting from niece is an aggravation that I wouldn't want to put up with. I'd try to tactfully get her out of the picture. I am guessing she will try to make this difficult and your daughter is only 18 so she may not be able to handle this right.
As a side note I think you should make your husband aware of the facts.
The niece is being greedy and selfish. She has no claim on the house since you paid for it, not her parents. The house was left to your daughter. It is your daughter's house. Who cares if it's "not fair" that your daughter will have a house to live in and a rental house at some point? That is not your niece's business, and you don't owe your niece a house, nor does your daughter. Does your niece inspect the possessions of every relative to make sure they don't have something she doesn't have? Does she make demands like this of other relatives? Unlike others, I'm not really bothered that you didn't tell your husband about the ownership of the house since you probably had very good reasons.
I am guessing that you are not in the US (please correct me if I am wrong), so the culture and traditions might be different, which you may want to take into account. But in the end, it's not your niece's place to demand anything. It's not her house. No one in her immediate family paid for it. Your mother left it to your daughter. I'd evict the niece right now because having her as a tenant in the house will likely become a liability or some other sort of problem in the future.
I agree with everything said by Chaofan in post #9 above.
Is your sister-in-law the sister of your husband, and the niece is your husband's niece by blood and is your niece-in-law, not your niece by blood? If so that means with the niece being one of his own family members rather than one of your own family members your husband feels he has a vested interest in being an influence to his niece and her future assets and well-being rather than that of his own daughter.
I think it's time you stop withholding your secret from your husband and daughter, you have created a tangled web of deceit and it's all going to come out in the wash eventually. Wouldn't it be better for you if it was you who initiates and is in control of how it all comes out in the wash? Own up to the facts and be honest with your husband and your daughter about the true original ownership of the house and your financial investments in it.
I think the house is now a millstone causing troubles for your family, it's no longer a good investment for you or your daughter and may drive a wedge between you and your husband. My personal opinion is that it would be wisest for the house to be in your daughter's name and for your daughter to put the house on the market and sell it at full market value to whoever is the highest bidder for it regardless of who the bidder is so daughter can be over and done with it. Don't let your daughter be bullied by her cousin. Your daughter needs to look out for her own best future interests and goals first and foremost.
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