SISTER MOVED IN, NOW WE’RE REGRETTING IT

Dear Coleen

My younger sister is 27 and moved in with us six months ago after breaking up with her boyfriend and losing her job.

My husband and I offered her a room in our house without even thinking about it.

But six months on, we’re starting to regret it.

She’s now found a new job and is going out with her friends for meals, yet she’s never offered us a penny in rent.

It’s not that we need the money, but it’s more we want her to appreciate how easy she has it.

We have two young children and she never helps us out with them, or cooks for us.

She just expects us to cook for her, but we’re getting a bit fed up of it now.

My husband says we should just say nothing and wait for her to move out, but I’m wondering whether I should ask her for money.

Coleen says I think you have every right to say, “Listen, you know you’re not paying rent? Well the least you can do is babysit or do a bit of housework, OK?”

Or maybe just say to her that now she has a new job, she should start saving up to get her own place because she can’t stay with you for ever.

Tell her you’ve loved having her there, and you’re in no way kicking her out, but that she does need to start thinking about where she’s going to go next.

You should always help your family out, of course, but even family members can begin to take advantage – and it looks like that is happening here.

She’s 27, so she’s not a kid.