In law Advice

[Bobby McDonell]

Jurisdiction

Texas

My Family believes in helping other members of our family when necessary as a top priority before anything else and that's exactly what we did with my wife's sister and brother-in-law.


For what ever reason, they had to sell their home and we could not help financially so We tried to help them out by offering as part of our home a bedroom, bath, living sets, and and an Office that they could use to operate their medical business.


I thought that it would be fair for all of us to charge them $450 a month for rent and all utilities. My Mortgage is about $2,400 a month and utilities run about $350-$400 a month. That way they weren't rushed into a long term life changing event such as buying a home or renting.


Things have worked well up to this point (13 months) but we need to approach them within the few weeks and ask them to give us a date that they will be willing to rent or buy their on place. They need a place of their own and we would like to have the part of the home back as our place. At this point we all get along well and somewhat function as a single family unit with no issues.


My concern is causing a family rif by doing so. I need advice on how to approach this delicate situation or who to contact for help, not necessarily legal advice.

 

[adjusterjack]

I need advice on how to approach this delicate situation

There's no way to approach it delicately. Get your wife on the same page. Then the two of you sit across the table from them and say something like:

"This arrangement has worked fine but it was meant to be temporary, and we'd like our house back. How much time will you need to make other living arrangements?"

See how simple that is.

Their answer will tell you whether there will be a problem or not.

If there is going to be a problem, understand that they are month to month tenants (if you didn't write a lease) and the Texas landlord tenant statute requires only one month written notice of termination of tenancy.

Texas Property Code Section 91.001 (2021) - Notice for Terminating Certain Tenancies :: 2021 Texas Statutes :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia

You can, of course, give them a greater amount of time.

And if a rift opens up under your feet and swallows you up, it will mean that you shouldn't have gotten into this deal in the first place.

 

[justblue]

My Family believes in helping other members of our family when necessary as a top priority before anything else and that's exactly what we did with my wife's sister and brother-in-law.


For what ever reason, they had to sell their home and we could not help financially so We tried to help them out by offering as part of our home a bedroom, bath, living sets, and and an Office that they could use to operate their medical business.


I thought that it would be fair for all of us to charge them $450 a month for rent and all utilities. My Mortgage is about $2,400 a month and utilities run about $350-$400 a month. That way they weren't rushed into a long term life changing event such as buying a home or renting.


Things have worked well up to this point (13 months) but we need to approach them within the few weeks and ask them to give us a date that they will be willing to rent or buy their on place. They need a place of their own and we would like to have the part of the home back as our place. At this point we all get along well and somewhat function as a single family unit with no issues.


My concern is causing a family rif by doing so. I need advice on how to approach this delicate situation or who to contact for help, not necessarily legal advice.

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