How My Mother-in-Law Ended Up Homeless: A Tale of Family Drama, Housing Dilemmas, and In-Law Entitlement in Our Three-Bedroom Flat

Author Emily TaylorReading 5 minViews 4

How My Mother-in-Law Ended Up Sofa Surfing

Im confident theres absolutely no reason why we should be supporting my brother-in-laws family and finding them somewhere to live. Lets set the record straight: Im the proud owner of a three-bedroom flat that we live in and I bought the place in a state so dreadful, the front door was barely hanging on its hinges when I signed the papers. It was little more than a glorified squat, but the price was right, and the rest I tackled one DIY disaster at a time. But that isn’t quite what this story is about.

By the time I met Tom my ever-so-handsome and rather tall husband Id already refurbished two of the rooms and even managed to squeeze in a bit of furniture, so all in all, it had become fairly homely.

Tom was living in rented digs, so a couple of months after we got together, he moved in with me. After the wedding, we turned one of the bedrooms into a nursery, and thenwell, first came our son and then our daughter.

Life, as they say, was peachy that is, until one chilly autumn evening when our little family bliss was interrupted by the arrival of Toms mother. She turned up in a cab with three suitcases and red-rimmed eyes.

Could I possibly stay for a bit? she gulped, dabbing her nose. Your brothers gone and moved his new girlfriend into my flat. Hopefully it all works out and she becomes his wife and they live together in contented, creaky old age. I promise Ill help round the house: walk the kids to school, make supper, everything. Youre all Ive got!

Well, she cried, so we let her in. Gave her the biggest bedroom, too. My mother-in-lawwhod been happily retired for yearslooked after the children like shed promised, but rarely set foot back at her own place because, well, her youngest son was busy nesting there. Hed moved in with his new partner and her two kids (one theirs, one hers from before).

Way back, my brother-in-law married some school sweetheart, which prompted my in-laws to sell their family home. They split the money: they bought themselves a pokey little studio and got the happy couple a decent two-bed. Then the old man took ill and, sadly, popped his clogs.

The brother-in-law and his ex had two kids, broke up soon after, and he left the family flat to his former wife, who now shares it with her new husband and three children. Following the split, our hero crashed back at Mums. Look, I just need somewhere for a bit, he told her. Single againfresh start! Ill sort my own place soon, promise. But it never seemed to quite work out that way, and before long hed moved his newest girlfriend right back in with Mum.

Weekends turned into utter bedlam as mother-in-law would descend on our place, dragging not only her sons kids from his first marriage but the littlies from the second as well. It was less family home, more circus tent.

A year in and wed really had enough. We told my mother-in-law it was time she sorted out her housing problem. Cue a flood of fresh tears, another small act of melodrama.

I had to have a word with the brother-in-law about freeing up his mothers flat. He flatly refused: Ive got kids, my pays rubbish. Theres no way I can afford to rent. Not my fault! What was I supposed to do magic up a mansion?

Things with my mother-in-law became lets say, frosty. I dreaded coming home after work. Eventually, I sat Tom down and told him it was high time he did something about his mums living arrangementsor else I was off to see a lawyer. I wouldnt bluff.

He looked shell-shockedas if Id asked him to rehome the Queen. Butwhere would she go? I cant chuck her onto the street!

I told him, She could always rent herself a nice little studio flat. We can afford it, after all. But my mother-in-law flatly refused to so much as look at one. Instead, she announced that *we* ought to rent a two-bedroom flat for my brother-in-laws entire brood, so she could have her own place back.

I decided Id had quite enough cheek for one lifetime. I told her plainly: either she moved out within a week, or Id personally relocate her belongings to the landing. What other options did I have?

Honestly, why is it meant to be *our* duty to bankroll my brother-in-laws living arrangements? Especially when our only prize for all this generosity is a missing living room and a throbbing headache.

Twenty Years Later, I Recognise My Younger Self in the Boy On the Eve of His Wedding, Arthur Accused Martha of Betrayal—Though She Swore Her Loyalty, He Refused to Listen. Two Decades Later, He Met Her Son, a Living Mirror of His Own Youth… They Shared a Love Straight Out of a Storybook: Passionate, Extraordinary, Enviable. Many Envied Their Bond and Stirred Up Trouble. The Young Couple Were Planning a Wedding That, Sadly, Never Happened. The Night Before the Big Day, Martha Revealed She Was Pregnant. Instead of Joy, She Faced Arthur’s Fury. He Accused Her of Infidelity, Insisting She Couldn’t Possibly Be Pregnant So Soon. With Chilling Finality, He Told Her He Didn’t Believe a Word—But She Went Ahead and Had the Child. Friends Called Him a Fool; Everyone Saw How Deeply Martha Loved Him. But Arthur Stood Firm—The Relationship Collapsed, and the Wedding Was Cancelled. He Suggested an Abortion; She Refused. Martha Waited Until the Last Moment for His Apology, But He Never Called. She Wouldn’t Dial, Either. Arthur Was Certain He Was Right. They Went Their Separate Ways. Martha Faced the Consequences on Her Own. Even When Their Paths Crossed, Arthur Pretended Not to Know Her. He Would Glance Away on the Playground, Determined to Forget. Martha’s Life Was Hard. Being a Single Mum Was Tough, But She Found Happiness. Her Own Dreams Took a Back Seat as She Devoted Herself to Her Little Angel. She Gave Her All to Ensure Her Son Lacked Nothing: Working Multiple Jobs, Building His Future. Chris Thanked Her—He Was Her Rock and Defender. He Went to University, Served in the Army, Found a Job. As He Grew, He Stopped Asking About His Father—He Knew the Truth. As a Child, Martha Told Him Stories, But Did He Believe Them? It Was Clear He Did Not. Chris Was the Image of His Father. At Twenty, He Reminded Martha of the Arthur She’d Fallen For. One Day, Their Paths Crossed: Martha, Arthur, and Chris. The Biological Father Was Struck—The Likeness Impossible to Miss. He Watched in Silence, Unable to Speak. It Was Three Days Later That Arthur Came to Martha and Asked, “Can You Forgive Me?” “It happened long ago…” Martha Whispered. And So, The Tale of ‘Daddy’ Came Alive—For the First Time, Chris Met His Father.

“I don’t want any other daughter-in-law, do as you please!” – said the mother to her son. When Mark finished university, he decided it was the perfect time to marry his first high school sweetheart, Molly! Molly was beautiful, but more than that, she was kind and intelligent. At the time, she was writing her master’s thesis. The young couple agreed to wed as soon as she finished her studies. Mark decided to break the news of the wedding to his mother, but she didn’t have good news for her son. His mother declared that he would marry Amanda from next door or nobody else. Then she asked what mattered more: his career or his love? His mother dreamed of seeing her son grow into a man of success. Amanda was from a well-off family and had fancied Mark for ages, but his heart was set on Molly, whose background was far from prosperous. Molly’s mother had a bad reputation… What would people say? “I don’t need any other daughter-in-law, do as you please!” – said the mother to her son. Mark tried long and hard to persuade his mother, but she refused to budge. Finally, she said if he married Molly, she would disown him. Mark got cold feet. He continued dating Molly for another six months, but their relationship fizzled out. In the end, he married Amanda. She truly loved him, but they decided against having a wedding celebration. Mark didn’t want Molly seeing any wedding photos. Since Amanda came from a wealthy family, Mark moved into her parents’ grand house. Her parents also helped boost his career. But he was never happy. Mark didn’t want children. When Amanda realised she’d never convince him to start a family, she filed for divorce herself. By then, Mark was forty and Amanda thirty-eight. She remarried, had a child, and finally found real happiness. Mark dreamed of marrying Molly, tried searching for her, but to no avail – it was as though she’d vanished. Later, he learned she was gone. An acquaintance told him that after they broke up, she’d married the first man she met, who turned out to be a brute. He beat her to death. After this, Mark moved back into his parents’ old flat and began drinking himself into oblivion. He would constantly look at Molly’s photo and could never forgive his mother. — Your requested title, adapted for English culture: “I Won’t Accept Any Other Daughter-in-Law, So Do What You Want!” – A Mother’s Ultimatum That Changed Her Son’s Life Forever

You’re Robbing My Son Blind—He Can’t Even Afford a Lightbulb On Sunday morning, I was curled up under a blanket on the sofa. My husband had gone off to his mother’s to supposedly change a lightbulb, but that, of course, wasn’t the real reason she summoned her son: “Son, did you forget that it’s Igor’s birthday today?” My husband is a real spendthrift—his wages barely last a few days. Luckily, he hands over money for the bills and groceries, and the rest goes on new games and whatever else he wants for them. I don’t mind, because I’d rather he indulge his hobbies than spend his time drinking in a garage or clubbing. Plus, I once read that the first forty years of childhood are the hardest for anyone. I’m not telling you this to get your sympathy, but to explain why my husband’s pockets are always empty. I don’t have those problems. I even manage to save a bit and often lend him money when he’s in a pinch. But I always refuse if he wants cash for his mother or other relatives. Of course, I’d remembered it was Igor’s birthday, so I’d bought a present a week ago. Before he left, I handed my husband the gift and settled in to watch a film. I didn’t go with him, as my in-laws and I share a mutual dislike. They seem to think I don’t love him because I refuse to let him spend money on them or babysit their kids. Once, I agreed to mind his sister’s children for an hour, but they left them with me for half the day, making me late for work. I had the nerve to say I wasn’t happy about it, so his mother and sister called me shameless and rude. After that, every request to babysit got a no from me. I didn’t mind if my husband wanted to look after his nephews, since I quite liked playing with them myself. Not long after he left, my husband turned up again—with his whole family in tow, kids and all. His mother breezed right through the house, coat still on, and declared: “We’ve decided that for Igor’s birthday, he should get a tablet—the one he picked. It’s worth £400. So you owe me £200 for your share. Pay up.” Now, I might have bought the boy a tablet, just not such an expensive one. Naturally, I didn’t give her a penny. Even my husband started having a go at me for being stingy. So I grabbed the laptop, called Igor over, and within five minutes we’d picked out a gadget he actually liked and bought it. He ran off, thrilled, to his mum, who’d been sulking in the hallway. My husband’s sister always had sticky fingers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if something had gone missing. His mother didn’t appreciate my thoughtful gesture and instead flared up again. “No one asked you to do that! You were supposed to give us the money. You’re with my son who’s always like a beggar—he can’t even afford a lightbulb. Now give me £200, you know it’s his money.” She even reached for my handbag on the bedside table. I glared at my husband and hissed, “You have three minutes to get them out.” He grabbed his mother and dragged her out of the house. Three minutes—that’s all it took. That’s why, in my view, it’s better my husband spends his wages on games—before, his mother just took everything anyway. Better he enjoys himself than have those leeches snatch it all. Right now, I’m thinking I should have just married an orphan!