My Dads Tenant Think She Owns The House Because She Paid Rent For So Long r/Relationships

[00:00:01] Hey Waffle Gang, I do hope you're well. My name is Mark and today we're checking out some more Reddit Stories. And if you do love a Reddit Story, why not consider hitting the like, subscribe, maybe that notification bell too. And let's crack on with today's first story. Much love guys. Now today's first story comes from Alula from the Entitled People subreddit and says, I pay rent, so I own this house. Thought this would fit here. English is not my maternal language.

[00:00:31] Backstory, my parents used to own a house on a big land. When my older siblings went away for college, the house felt too big for our needs, so my parents decided to sell the house. But not all the land. They built a smaller house on part of the land they didn't sell. A few years after, we moved to a city two hours away and kept the house as a place to go during the summer. My parents decided to rent the house as it was well located and had a really nice view.

[00:00:58] Renting it meant that they could use the money towards the mortgage and taxes. Enter our Karen. Karen and her boyfriend rented the place so she could be closer to her work. From the start, my dad made it clear. The place was for rent and my parents planned on living in that house after retiring. At that time, both of them planned to work for at least another 20 years. They would, of course, notify Karen in advance when they wanted to take back the house so she would have plenty of time to find a new place.

[00:01:26] In return, they asked that she notify them in advance should she wish to move out so they could find a new renter. Her lease also stated that my parents would have some of their things in a locked storage in the basement as well as in a shed on the property. And that they would always call Karen before dropping by to get something out of storage, which was in the basement and connected by the garage so they wouldn't even disturb Karen.

[00:01:50] For a few years, Karen was an okay renter. She paid the rent through a check each month. She smoked inside and didn't take care of the land, but my dad didn't make a fuss about it. Real trouble started after around 12 years.

[00:02:04] Every few months, Karen's checks would bounce. My dad would call her to ask about it. Karen would profusely apologize and rectify the situation. Then it became every other month. Until it was every month. Finally, my dad had had enough and called her about the lease and the rent. During the call, Karen argued that since she'd been paying rent for the past 12 years, the house was now hers. My dad was shocked since that came out of nowhere.

[00:02:33] He tried to explain to her that she was renting the place like they had agreed on since the beginning. Karen went on a bitch fit about how she had paid so much over the years and she was the one living there and taking care of the place, which she was not at all. Therefore, it should be hers. She threatened to take my dad to court. Now, where I live, there are many laws which protect the renter and it can be a real bitch to deal with when you get a nasty renter.

[00:03:02] My dad hired a lawyer to make sure everything was in order. After meeting with Karen, where the lawyer was present, she realized she didn't have much of a case since all paperwork concerning the house was in my dad's name and the original lease clearly stated that it was a rental. My dad offered her to stop renting, should she wish to after the whole debacle, but she wanted to stay in the house. He made her sign a new lease where it stated, again, that this was a rental and that she should not pay or cause trouble again.

[00:03:32] My dad would give her the shortest possible notice of eviction allowed by the law. Karen is still renting the house after almost 20 years. My parents are not close to retiring yet. Do hope it won't turn into a shit show when they decide to take back the house. Edit The question Why did your dad let us sign a new lease? Comes up a lot in the comments. I will say what I answered throughout the comments. I don't have the slightest clue why he would do that.

[00:03:59] As I was a kid much younger when this happened, I wasn't kept in the loop much. It was also not the reaction I would expect my dad to have since he is respectful to others and expects the same in return. I do know the legal actions he took when she threatened to take him to court did protect himself from many future problems that might arise. I do appreciate all the concern and the advice, although I do think my dad had a good reason to keep her as a tenant from hell after everything that went down.

[00:04:27] Now, I agree with some of the commenters saying that, you know, it's a bad idea to let her continue staying after that. And this may be just because I've watched one too many nightmare neighbors, nightmare tenants. But she sounds like she's going to be an absolute pain in the ass to get rid of. And, you know, just extending this isn't a great idea because I think the entitlement will just ramp up over time. She already thinks she owns the place because she's rented it for 12 years.

[00:04:54] What's another six to 10 years going to do? It kind of sounded like your dad just wanted, like, the easiest option to just carry on as is because he just wants to crack on with life, which, you know, I get. But it does sound like it's going to be a nightmare. NT Engineer says, I would have never let her stay. Your dad is just asking for trouble when he wants to move her out. She will fight it and carry it out as long as she can until she gets removed physically and probably will destroy the inside of the house.

[00:05:24] She already showed what type of person she is and he should have just continued with the eviction process to get her out of the house. Care Bear Ninja Hair says, unless the lease agreement had strict verbiage that said it was a lease to own. I don't know why she thought she had a case. My second house I ever owned was a lease to own and there was a legal contract that a percentage of my rent went to a trust to build up a down payment over five years. And I could offer to buy the place, which I did.

[00:05:52] I agree with others that he should have ended her lease as soon as legally possible. It sucks so hard that people get screwed over like this. Your dad sounds like a great guy. Another commenter says, it took us a year to get our tenant out when we wanted to move back into our flat. He had lived there for around 15 years and my grandmother had been handling all of it as we lived in another country. Hadn't put the rent up in all of that time. So of course he wasn't going to leave easily. He knew that rent was now 10 times what he was paying.

[00:06:22] When he left, the flat was trashed and my dad had to spend a fortune on legal fees. But OP came in with her update four years later and says this is the update of a post from five years ago. Some people asked for an update in the comments and there have been new developments in the last few months. The timeline. Since the beginning, there was a mutual agreement between Karen and my parents that they would both give a six month's notice before she moved out or my parents would like to take back the house.

[00:06:50] Last week of June, my dad received a phone call from a representative of Karen. Due to financial circumstances, she was giving a month's notice before moving out. My parents were surprised by the short notice but didn't really mind it as they were looking forward to taking back the place. Last week July, Karen was set to move out but she asked for a weak extension as she couldn't find anybody to help her move. My parents agreed. She was now set to move out by August the 3rd. August the 4th.

[00:07:19] With the car all loaded up with essentials, dinnerware and cutlery, small furniture, we left for our first trip to the house. The plan was to look at the state of the place, clean a little bit and take measurements for the remodeling my parents are planning. As we get to the place, we notice a small sign in the driveway to advertise for a garage sale at the house. We figured she forgot to take it down. We were wrong. As we get to the house, we can see boxes and furniture through the windows.

[00:07:47] Cue the shocked Pikachu face as she answered the door. Turns out she hadn't moved yet and meant to call my dad to let him know. But of course, she never did. She clearly didn't expect us to drop by so soon after a supposed moving date. My parents were both extremely pissed, but they gave her an additional week in expectations of payments for the weeks she overstayed. August 18th. My parents received the confirmation that she left the week she was supposed to.

[00:08:16] They had a neighbor drop by to make sure her things were really gone. But we didn't have time to make the trip until a week after. We found the place in a much better shape than we expected. Of course, the place is not in perfect condition, as it clearly has the wear and tear of a place that's been lived in for years. It needs a good cleanup, some fresh paints in most of the rooms and a lot of work on the land.

[00:08:40] There's also plans of remodeling a bit to make an additional room on the first floor so my parents don't have to go up and down the stairs all the time. Turning a new leaf over. So this ends the whole chapter. My parents got the summer house back years before they expected, and although the rental was difficult until the end, she mostly went away without all the trouble we all expected. My parents are happy to take back the place and are looking forward to all the projects they have for it.

[00:09:08] They have been almost every week to clean and sort through the things we have stored there. My dad did a fresh coat of paint in some of the rooms and they are looking for furniture. My brother went once and started to clear up some of the trees to get back the awesome view we used to have from the kitchen. My dad bought an old tractor to help with the yard work and is excited like a little boy with a new shiny toy. Would like to get the place clean and ready to hopefully spend Christmas camping there, as we most likely won't have a lot of furniture yet.

[00:09:38] Boz says, Govzilla says, Make sure they change all the locks. Don't want her letting herself back in at some later date. Opie says, Absolutely sound advice. On our way back home the first day we went, well, the day we actually made it inside the house, my dad dropped one of the locks to the local locksmith. Apparently we needed a specific model that you can't get in all stores.

[00:10:07] He absolutely wanted to get the locks changed ASAP. On a brighter note, the house is in a quiet village and everybody has that looking out for each other mentality. My dad has a rather good relationship with all the neighbors. Some of them used to call him even when the house was rented if they noticed something out of the ordinary. Jewel Split says, Turned out nicely. Before any more painting, maybe consider an ozone machine to clean up all the cigarette smell. Opie says,

[00:10:36] I think that's why my dad only started on a few rooms, such as the spare bedroom and small office that had cleaner walls. We can clearly see which room she used by the color and state of the walls. So we waited before doing any work on those. I'll suggest it to him. But chances are he's already planning to rent a machine or pay for that kind of cleaning. Reddit's got my head messed up. Well, not just Reddit, those programs I watch as well, because they got me thinking, oh, this isn't the end of this.

[00:11:03] I was half expecting on that garage sale for her to be selling stuff from the house that didn't belong to her. I would love to know what was going through her mind in that initial post when she said, no, sort of, I own the house now because I've paid rent for long enough. But in the end, at the moment, seems to have ended quite well. But what do you guys make of this situation? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below. And let's move on to another story.

[00:11:31] Now, our next story comes from the true off my chest. So I read it from Bad Dream Mad, who says, my boss hinted me to sleep with her. And I, 31, still don't know how to feel, how it happened, and why she wants this. She is 47, married, and I've been working with her for three years. And until last week, our relationship was very good, but strictly professional. The most that had happened between us is a kiss on the cheek when she greets me in the morning,

[00:12:01] as she does with almost everyone. She and I spent a lot of time together, as over time, she made me her right hand, taking me to meetings and meals very often, sometimes just us. I've met her husband, 51, and we get along very well. For what I've seen, they have a good life and a great marriage, and I can't understand where this came from. She asked me to have lunch with her, as we always do. At this time, she kept looking at me, asking about intimate details about me,

[00:12:30] all ending in her saying, she's always been interested in me. At first, considering me kind and cute, like a puppy she was taking care of. But over time, she started to look at me as a man. She had felt this attraction, as we spent time together, and now wanted to go deeper into this. I've always seen her as a mentor and a friend, nothing more. I owe her so much. She helped me to get this job, taught me a lot, always given me advice, and I'm very grateful to her. And because of all this,

[00:13:00] I'm afraid of any answer I could give to her. If I say no, I'm not sure our relationship will become bitter. She could resent me, or things could become uncomfortable. And I'm not comfortable with cheating. I can't say yes. Even if she told me she'd already solved it, and it wouldn't be a problem. She told me she'd give me time to think about it. And since then, she kept behaving as always. But it just feels so different now. Sorry if I had any mistakes writing this. English is not my first language. Now firstly,

[00:13:30] absolutely do not sleep with her. I think you already know this. And I think secondly, your relationship is going to change whatever happens here. Whatever choice you was to make, your relationship would change. And because she's your boss, and I'm just throwing this out there, I can't think of a decent way to do this, is if it's possible to get that, what she said in writing, in case she uses it against you in your workplace, tries to switch it around on you, or something like that. You know, you shouldn't have to do this kind of shit, but I think it's better to protect yourself,

[00:14:00] because I think this could easily be switched around on you as well, which is, you know, shit. But Lemon Bear says, don't shit where you eat. It's going to end badly. Rude Dog says, I second that. If you haven't already, brush up your resume, and find a new job. Knifey Wifey says, email or text message you're about it, so you have physical evidence. Ask something like, did you really mean what you said at lunch?

[00:14:27] Once she reiterates that she would like a romantic relationship with her, politely decline, emphasizing that it would be unprofessional, and you want to maintain the excellent working relationship you have worked hard to build with her. No matter what she says to convince you, stick to your initial answer. No thank you. I'm not interested in anything but a professional relationship with you. If she tries to punish you in any way, use the emails and text messages to prove what is actually going on. Opie says, I'll do this, just in case.

[00:14:57] Dangerous Warthog says, I also think you can add, how a woman cheated on you in the past, and it destroyed you emotionally and mentally, and you'd never be able to do this to someone else. If she asks questions, you just say that you don't want to relive the trauma by talking about it. It's just a ploy to help her understand that you really can't have a romantic relationship with her, on top of the mentor she has become. Good luck. You're in a tough spot. So, sometime later,

[00:15:27] Opie did come in with the update, and said reading the comments had helped a lot into understanding lots of things. First of all, it was hard to me to even think about being sexually harassed by my boss. I couldn't comprehend I was being a victim because I didn't feel like that. But so many of you pointing it made me realize about it. After thinking a lot that night, I decided to do what most people told me, start collecting evidence about the situation and her behavior, to have something I can use to protect myself.

[00:15:56] Over those first days, I had some texts with her, saying what she wanted, but something just felt off. I didn't feel comfortable. I owe so much to this woman that I couldn't just do this without giving her at least a chance to come clear about this. I asked her if we could talk, just the two of us. Just in case I had my phone recording audio, I stayed on, her office, after our job. In her words, it would be a better place to have privacy. I told her I thought about her offer.

[00:16:26] She was curious about my answer, but something felt weird. I decided to be completely honest with her, so I told her that, with all the respect she deserved, I was declining her offer. When she asked why, and if I didn't consider her attractive, I told her that, before all this situation, I could only see her as a mentor and a friend, that I admire, respect, and I'm very grateful to her, and I just couldn't. I told her that, the fact that she is a married woman, even if she says that shouldn't be a problem,

[00:16:56] makes me too uncomfortable. But I respect her, and myself a lot, to be a part of an affair. That, in other circumstances, if she wasn't married, I'd be glad to accept her invitation, but for our sake, and the sake of our job relationship, I must say no. At first, she seemed to be calm. She accepted my answer, and promised me that there would not be any problem between us. But she slowly started to break down, until she was crying a lot. She seemed so hurt, so heartbroken,

[00:17:24] I didn't know what to do, except for hugging her tight, and trying to calm her. After she calmed down a little, she told me everything. Some weeks ago, she found that her husband was cheating on her. It was the fourth time. She told me about their marriage, that for both of them, separation and divorce are not an option. They love each other, and the idea of being a part is too much for them. They tried it after the second time he cheated, and both it felt miserable. So, she ends up forgiving him,

[00:17:54] giving him another chance, and they live happy, until he cheats again. She told me that, over the years, he'd been the best husband she could ask for. But after the last time, she was so tired of all this, she was about to end things with him. But they talked, and decided to give her last chance at their marriage. That's when her husband convinced her, to have her own affair. In order to save their marriage, they wanted to open it. That's why she proposed it. It was like a way, to make things fair between them. She explained to me,

[00:18:23] that she decided to ask me, as I was the only one she could trust enough, to ask for something like that. And she hoped that, after all we've done together, I could at least think about it, without creating a problem, or telling anyone. But after I told her I wanted to talk, she started to have lots of doubts, and regrets about asking me. Because she believed I was about to say yes. And after I said no, she was so relieved, and immediately felt heartbroken. She said she loved her husband, and after all, she couldn't do this to him.

[00:18:53] She felt so guilty for accepting this idea. For accepting all the ideas, that would follow after doing it. And the thing that hurt her the most, is that she realized, she wasn't able to do this to him. But he had done it more than once to her. I consoled her for hours. When we were done talking, and left to our homes, it was almost midnight. She thanked me for everything, for consoling her, for the trust, for being a gentleman, and promised me that everything will be fine. And said she was happy, I ended up being loyal,

[00:19:22] and a good friend. After that, the weekend was very quiet. And today, she seemed to be way better. She told me everything is okay. They're talking, and I don't have anything to worry about. Jay Boosh says, what an oddly positive turn of events, more things considered. OP says, yes, but I still feel bad for her. She'd been carrying a lot. Porsomra says, yes, it is sad. She is fortunate that you're a good person, and friend OP. Strange Rizla says,

[00:19:52] she needs therapy, plus, now look at you. You're basically the good guy. I love how life sometimes can be fair. You decided to not do it, and hearing her say that, she wanted you to decline, and now thinks more highly of you is incredible. I don't know why, but I'm happy for you. Wish you good luck, and a happy life. Stay strong. And whilst many people were saying, you know, it's a positive ending for OP, there was many people still calling out, you know, this was still sexual harassment towards the OP.

[00:20:22] She should never have put him in that position to begin with. And some people suspecting that, you know, there's going to be another update down the road, where she's going to try it on again with OP at some point down the line, which just puts another whole twist on things, doesn't it? But what do you guys make of this situation? What would you do in OP's position at this point? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below. Now, just a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting involved in today's stories.

[00:20:52] Your love, your support, your time, always means the absolute world to me. So thank you so, so much. And hopefully I'll see you in the next one. Take care and much love.