My Sister-in-Law Spent Her Summer at a Holiday Resort While We Renovated the House, and Now She Expects to Live in Comfort With Us We suggested pitching in together with my sister-in-law to renovate the family home, but she flatly refused, claiming she didn’t need it. Now she wants to move in with us because her half has no modern comforts—her own fault! The house belonged to my husband’s grandmother, and after she passed, it was split between my husband and his sister. It was old and neglected, but we decided to renovate and make it our home. It’s a semi-detached property with two entrances, so two families could live there comfortably without getting in each other’s way. The garden and outbuildings are shared, and both sides have the same number of rooms. The inheritance was sorted after we married, and everything went smoothly. My mother-in-law immediately declined her share—she was a city person through and through. She told her son and daughter to do as they liked. My husband and my brother-in-law scraped together enough to repair the roof and shore up the foundations. We wanted to keep going, but my sister-in-law threw a tantrum. She wanted nothing to do with this “shabby old cottage.” Her husband just kept his head down—he never argues with her. We planned to move in. The village was close to town, we had a car, and were sick of living in a cramped one-bedroom flat. Building from scratch would’ve cost a fortune. For my sister-in-law, the house was just a holiday destination—she’d pop over in summer to barbecue or relax. She told us not to count on her help. Over four years, we completely renovated our half: bathroom, heating, electrics, new windows, even a conservatory. We took out loans, but it was worth chasing our dream. We worked tirelessly, day and night. All this time, my sister-in-law jetted off on holidays, showing no interest in the house or her share. She lived for pleasure—until she had a baby and went on maternity leave. That was the end of her travels and her cash flow. Suddenly, she remembered her share. With a baby in tow, she wanted space and fresh air for him to run around. By then, our half was finished and we’d let out our old flat. We never touched her side, but it had deteriorated badly over the years. I don’t see how they could have stayed—no heating, outdoor loo, it was unliveable. Even so, she turned up with her suitcase and begged to stay “just a week”—I let her in. Her son is loud, and like her, she does whatever she wants with no regard for anyone else. I work from home, so it drove me mad; I moved in with a friend for a bit, who actually appreciated having someone look after her house while she was away. I ended up staying away almost a month. First at my friend’s, then my mum fell ill and needed care. Honestly, I forgot about my sister-in-law, assuming she’d long since gone home. Imagine my shock when I returned and found her still there, making herself at home. I asked when she planned to leave. “Why would I go anywhere? I have a small child and I’m comfortable here,” she replied. “We’ll take you back to town tomorrow,” I said. “I don’t want to go.” “You haven’t even bothered to clean your side, so back you go—this isn’t a hotel.” “You’ve no right to throw me out! This is my house!” “Your house is on the other side of the wall. Go stay there.” She tried to turn my husband against me, but he also told her she’d outstayed her welcome. She sulked and left. A few hours later, my mother-in-law started ringing: “You had no right to kick her out—it’s her property!” “She could have stayed in her own half, she’s the lady of that house,” my husband said. “With a child? There isn’t even heating or a proper loo! You should have looked after your sister.” My husband finally lost his patience and told his mum everything: how we’d offered to renovate together, how it would have cost less—and she’d refused. Why was everyone blaming us now? We offered to buy her out—she named a price so high we could have bought a brand new house for it. Not a satisfactory solution for us. Now there’s constant tension. My mother-in-law is perpetually offended. Alina is a nuisance. They visit rarely, but when they do it’s noisy parties, petty sabotage, and damages in the garden. We’ve decided to build a fence and completely separate our section. There’s no more compromise—that’s what my sister-in-law wanted.

My sister-in-law spent her holidays at a cosy seaside resort while we were knee-deep in renovating our house, and now she wants to live in comfort without ever having lifted a finger.

When we first inherited the house, we suggested to my sister-in-law that we all chip in to renovate it together, but she flatly refused, claiming she had no need for any of that. Fast forward a few years, and now shes asking to move in with us because her half is barely habitable. But thats hardly our fault!

The house originally belonged to my husbands grandmother. After she passed away, my husband and his sister inherited it. The house was rather old, but we saw its potential and decided to make it our family home. It was built so that two families could live there quite comfortably, each with a separate entrance. The garden and the back area were shared, and both halves had an equal number of rooms.

The inheritance process went smoothly, especially since my mother-in-law had no interest in country livingshed spent her life in London and had no desire to change. She simply told her son and daughter to do as they pleased with the property.

My husband and his brother-in-law scraped together some money to repair the roof and shore up the foundations. We wanted to continue with the renovations, but my sister-in-law threw a fit. She said she wasnt about to waste her savings on a ramshackle old house out in the countryside. Her husband just hung his head and left the roomhe never argued with her.

We had our hearts set on moving into that house. The village was just a short drive from the city, and we had a car, making commuting to work easy enough. We were tired of squeezing into a one-bedroom flat and had dreamed of a home of our own for years. Building something from scratch would have cost a fortune.

To my sister-in-law, the house was simply a holiday retreatsomewhere to visit in the summer for a barbecue or a spot of relaxation. She made it clear that we shouldnt count on her.

Over the next four years, we poured all our energyand a fair bit of money from a bank loaninto transforming our half of the house. We fitted a new bathroom, installed central heating, rewired the electrics, put in new windows, and even had the conservatory glazed. Work was non-stop; it felt like we never slept, but we were determined to make our dream a reality.

Meanwhile, my sister-in-law was busy holidaying all over the place, never bothering to check in on the house or on us. She lived for her own pleasure and didnt give our project a second thoughtuntil she had a baby and went on maternity leave.

Suddenly, her priorities changed. With a little one in tow, she could no longer swan off on exotic trips, and money was tighter than ever. She remembered her half of the house: not maintained, no warmth, the outdoor toilet still in a sorry state. But it offered a large garden where her son could run about freely, unlike the cramped London flat.

By this point, wed moved in and let out our old flat. We hadnt touched her side of the house, but over the years it had grown damp and musty. I couldnt imagine how she planned to stay there, especially with a child and no heating, but she arrived for a month, suitcase in hand, and immediately started asking to stay with us just for a week. I felt obliged to let her in.

Her little boy was devilishly noisy, just like his mother, who did as she pleased at every turn, never considering anyone else. Since I work remotely, the racket was a real problem, so I moved in with a friend for a while. As luck would have it, she was off travelling, and welcomed someone minding her place.

Circumstances kept me away for nearly a monthfirst staying with my friend for a week, then rushing to care for my mum when she fell ill. My sister-in-law completely slipped my mind; I assumed shed returned home ages ago.

So imagine my shock to find her still lounging about when I returned. She acted as if she owned the place. I asked her when she planned to leave.

Why would I leave? Ive got a small child, and were perfectly settled here, she replied.

I firmly let her know wed take her back to the city the next morning.

I dont want to go, she said.

If you havent even bothered to tidy your own half, youd better go home. This isnt a hotel.

What gives you the right to throw me out? Its my house too! she retorted.

Your house is just next door. Off you go.

She tried to put my husband on her side, but he backed me up, telling her shed overstayed her welcome. She took offence and left sulking. A few hours later, my mother-in-law rang in a huff.

You had no right to send her awayshe owns the place too!

Shes got her own half and can do as she wishes there, my husband pointed out.

But how is she supposed to live there with a child? Theres no heating, the loos outside. You should look after your sister.

That really set my husband off. He explained how wed offered to do up the whole house together, which wouldve saved us all time and money, but she refused. Why should we be blamed now?

We later suggested my sister-in-law sell her half of the house to us. She agreed, but demanded an outrageous priceenough to buy a new home in perfect condition. That wasnt going to work for us.

Tensions are high now. My mother-in-law is constantly sulking, and my sister-in-law is as difficult as ever. They rarely come by, but when they do, its all noisy parties, petty spite, and ruined plants in the garden.

Weve started building a fence to split the garden. There are no more compromises; my sister-in-law made that choice herself.

Life, as weve learned, often comes down to the choices we make and the efforts we put in. Its not fair to expect comforts you never worked for, nor to lay blame where you avoided responsibility. In the end, those who nurture a home with care are the ones who truly belong.