Mom is selling her house to retire in Puerto Rico, and her other child says the son-in-law living in her basement suggested they ‘push for eviction’

A mother who plans to retire and return to Puerto Rico next year is moving forward with selling her home, where her daughter’s family lives. However, her son-in-law has reportedly suggested the couple “push for eviction” so they can stay, according to a Reddit post by u/Icy-Union-9791 in r/AmItheAsshole.

The original poster claims the son-in-law has lived in the basement with his wife for years without paying for anything. His wife, the poster’s sister, reportedly relies on the family for childcare. Because she works late, the grandmother apparently handles aftercare pickups while the poster covers school runs. Finding trustworthy care outside the family can be difficult, and some cases make headlines for the worst reasons, like a California nanny accused of shaking a 2-month-old.

The poster says the son-in-law stays home most of the day, citing a back problem, but has lost multiple jobs after failing drug tests. He reportedly smokes marijuana for the pain, though the poster claims he has no diagnosis and has been denied disability benefits three times.

The poster is ready to pay for an eviction if it comes to that

Tensions reportedly boiled over when the mother announced she is putting the house on the market. During the confrontation that followed, the poster told the son-in-law his opinion did not matter and called him useless. He argued that a daughter needs her father, but the poster rejected that, saying he does nothing for the child.

The son-in-law tried to defend himself by pointing to his background, according to the post. The poster shut that down, pointing out that their own father made similar excuses before their mother reportedly kicked him out and raised the children with family help.

The sister has since asked her mother to hold off on the sale, according to an update from the poster, and the mother said no. The sister reportedly says her husband is not a bad person when he doesn’t have to do anything, and admits they are happy with the current arrangement.

The poster has made it clear they will not provide any financial support while the son-in-law remains in the picture, and claims the sister could end up in a shelter or a van without it. The poster also told the sister their relationship will end if she keeps pressuring their mother to keep the house. Strangers online can sometimes be more generous than family, as when the internet raised tens of thousands for an exhausted Red Baron worker.

The son-in-law’s suggestion may rest on how eviction law treats long-term occupants. Even without a written lease, a relative living in a home may be entitled to proper notice and a court-approved eviction process, according to Super Lawyers. Requirements vary by state, and the poster did not say where the family lives, so the possible timeline is unclear.

Because that process can be slow and costly, the poster has offered to cover the mother’s legal fees if it reaches that point. The poster has already apologized to the niece, who overheard the argument without anyone realizing she was nearby. The sister also wants an apology for her husband, which the poster refuses to give, and the poster reportedly plans a one-on-one conversation with the sister about the family’s future.

The account comes solely from the poster, and the son-in-law’s and sister’s side of the story could not be verified.