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Woman Considers Taking Husband’s Family To Court For Racking Up A Huge Bill And Not Paying It
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Woman Considers Taking Husband’s Family To Court For Racking Up A Huge Bill And Not Paying It

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In theory, helping someone in need should bring gratitude, not punishment. Yet, reality isn’t always so simple sometimes, the very people you assist can turn into your biggest headache.

As you might already have guessed, today we will be uncovering a story just about that. Specifically, about a couple who helped out one of their family members in a tight spot, only to find themselves contemplating small claims court not long after.

More info: Reddit

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    Sometimes, when you lend a helping hand, instead of gratitude, people choose to take a far less appreciative path

    Image credits: bearfotos / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    A man’s aunt ends up needing a place to stay after she gets kicked out of the places she stayed at before, so he and his wife offer to take her and her adult kids in

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    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    At first, the situation was alright, until the first bill came and it was double the amount it used to be

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    Image credits: DC Studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Then, the aunt refused to pay her part, despite her family being the whole reason why the bill was so high

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    Image credits: senivpetro / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    This continued for some time, until one day she and her kids decided to flee the home, again without paying their share

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    Image credits: alidrian / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    She also blocked the man and his wife on every possible channel, making it impossible for them to reach out about the money she owed

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    Image credits: ZebraPsychological65

    So, the man’s wife ended up considering taking the aunt to small claims court, both for a financial and a moral reason, but wondered if that would be too harsh

    The OP’s husband’s aunt and her 3 kids got into a pretty rough spot. They were kicked out of their grandmother’s house and the woman’s ex’s place too. So, the couple decided to let them stay with their family. Everything seemed fine at first, but as the OP herself pointed out, it always does. 

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    Upon the aunt’s family moving in, it was decided that the bills would be split in half – after all, there were 4 people in each family. Before the guests moved in, their electricity was $160, gas was $50-$60, and water was $60-$70 a month. 

    After their move-in, the costs jumped drastically. The electric bill became $348, water became $100, and gas became $70-$80. At first, they were baffled by such an increase, but they wrote it off to more people living under one roof. The problem arose when the aunt refused to pay her family’s part. Not having money for it wasn’t the issue here – she spent large amounts of it on anything but groceries or necessities.

    One day, the family left home for eight days due to a health emergency. When they returned, the guests were acting strangely, and the next morning, they noticed that they were trying to flee without being noticed, again without paying their share of the bill. That month, the costs were even higher – solely the electricity was $695. Turns out, running the AC at 60 and having lights turned on all day and night costs a pretty penny. 

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    Image credits: wayhomestudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    After moving away, they blocked the family on every possible channel, so there was nothing left but for the OP to threaten to take them to small claims court. These types of courts deal with private disputes that do not involve large amounts of money. They can hear cases like small personal injury claims, debt collection, property damage, and landlord/tenant claims.

    Yet, some people on MoneySavingForum advise against taking family members to it. They say that the whole situation might be way too much stress to be worth it and might damage the relationship even further (granted, in this case, there’s not much of it left to destroy). Some netizens under the post also noted that the process of getting the money back might be a rather difficult one.  

    At the same time, the OP herself noted she wants to go to court not only because of the overly expensive electric bill; it would be for every single unpaid bill, which accounts for a couple of thousand dollars. And it’s not even fully about money, but about receiving a legal document proving that the aunt’s family was at fault. They not only took advantage of their money, they took advantage of their kindness. 

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    After all, suing someone to get a moral victory isn’t an unknown phenomenon. Whether it’s a spouse who took years of your life or a family member who used you, it’s normal to feel hurt and want legal repercussions for them, even if it’s a bit unreasonable. Even though in this case it’s quite reasonable, isn’t it? 

    What would you do in the OP’s case? Share your ideas in the comments!

    Netizens didn’t think it was too harsh given all the circumstances but warned her that the process might be harder than it looks

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    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

    Read less »
    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    Read less »

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    What do you think ?
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    Surly Scot
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Anyone is moving into your home, family or not, a rental agreement should be signed. Don't ever let anyone move in without signing one, or you're just setting yourself up for headaches.

    AK
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP said "rent." Most leases forbid long term guests. Unless there was permission from the landlord, I wouldn't take them to court for fear of my landlord finding out and taking me to court.

    Debbie
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does she have a gambling or d**g addiction? Stealing her sons paycheck, getting money from her bf and the disability check, and not paying for groceries/utilities... where is the money going to? I feel sad for the son that his paycheck is stolen. It was only mentioned briefly... but it's theft.

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people have Dollar Tree addictions. Or even Thrift Store addictions. I can tell you how many times I’ve seen people wasting tons of money on C**p bc “It’s only $5.” Or the think they can buy it from the thrift store and resell it. So they end up with a hoarder’s house of all this junk they don’t need. My mother was like that. She’d blow tons of money at Dollar Tree on absolute drivel.

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    Surly Scot
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Anyone is moving into your home, family or not, a rental agreement should be signed. Don't ever let anyone move in without signing one, or you're just setting yourself up for headaches.

    AK
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP said "rent." Most leases forbid long term guests. Unless there was permission from the landlord, I wouldn't take them to court for fear of my landlord finding out and taking me to court.

    Debbie
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does she have a gambling or d**g addiction? Stealing her sons paycheck, getting money from her bf and the disability check, and not paying for groceries/utilities... where is the money going to? I feel sad for the son that his paycheck is stolen. It was only mentioned briefly... but it's theft.

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people have Dollar Tree addictions. Or even Thrift Store addictions. I can tell you how many times I’ve seen people wasting tons of money on C**p bc “It’s only $5.” Or the think they can buy it from the thrift store and resell it. So they end up with a hoarder’s house of all this junk they don’t need. My mother was like that. She’d blow tons of money at Dollar Tree on absolute drivel.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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