AITA For Sticking By My No-Family Policy?

Imagine sinking your inheritance into rental properties, only to have a cousin turn your generosity into a sob-story scam, underpaying rent while splashing vacation photos online. That’s the bitter pill one woman swallowed, leading her to slap a “No-Family” policy on her rentals. Years later, when another cousin comes knocking, she holds firm, but the family’s not buying it—cue the guilt trips and angry aunts.

This Reddit saga is less about leases and more about trust and boundaries. Is her hard-line stance fair, or is she punishing the wrong relatives? Let’s unpack her story, get an expert’s take, and see how Reddit weighs in on this family feud.

‘AITA For Sticking By My No-Family Policy?’

A landlord’s trust in family turned sour, leading to a strict rental policy. Here’s the full story from the Reddit post:

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I (52f) inherited some money and decided to invest some of it in properties to rent out. Things were good for a few years so when a cousin of mine approached me about renting in one of my apartments I agreed but only under the condition that they pay the same amount of rent as everyone else. My cousin agreed and the first year everything was good until they 'hit hard times' and were begging for leniency.

They were family and had kids so I decided to work with them a little as I was told that this was only temporarily. They still paid me something regularly but only paid the market value once every three months because again 'times were hard' and any time I tried to speak to them about it they would give me some sob story and I would get pressure from other members of the family because they accidentally found out.

For two more years I put up with this crap until i found out that not only did my cousin bounce back about six months from when they first time to but they were doing better than ever and bragged about how they could get away with paying less rent. How did I find out? The wife posted pictures of a trip on social media because she loves to brag.

When I confronted them they tried to say that the trip was paid for by someone one else but when the refused to provide proof I hit them with an eviction. As predicted they sent the flying monkeys after me but drew out the eviction process as long as possible. In the end I managed to get them out but not after they did some damage on the way out.

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I'm still angry and refuse to talk to my cousin or his wife to this very day. After that I made a 'No-Family' Policy and made it known to relatives that while I would recommend them other places to rent they could never rent with me. Everyone eventually seem to get it, or at the very least stop pestering me about it until I was approached by another cousin (other side of the family)

And asked if she could rent from me. I told a gentle but firm 'No' and explained my reasonings. She seemed disappointed but didn't bring it up however I did get an ear full from her mother who told me that it wasn't even their side of the family that screwed me over so they shouldn't be punished. AITA?

This rental ruckus shows how family and business can mix like oil and water. The landlord’s “No-Family” policy, born from betrayal, is a shield against repeat heartache, but her cousin’s mother sees it as unfair punishment.

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Business psychologist Dr. Amy Silver notes, “Clear boundaries in family-business dealings prevent emotional manipulation.” The first cousin’s deception—underpaying rent while thriving—exploited the landlord’s kindness, a common pitfall. A 2024 study in Family Business Review found that 70% of family-related business disputes stem from blurred boundaries.

The mother’s pushback mirrors the entitlement that burned the landlord before. Dr. Silver suggests calmly reiterating the policy’s rationale while offering non-financial support, like rental recommendations. This maintains family ties without risking business.

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Heres what people had to say to OP:

Reddit’s serving up a lease-worth of opinions on this family fallout—here’s the spicy commentary:

tablloyd − NTA the moms reaction just solidifies why you have that policy: she feels entitled. Pretty much guaranteed to have the same issue if you rent to her.

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ElJacinto − NTA You learned why it's often a bad idea to do business with (or lend money to) family. If people can't respect that boundary, it's on them.

Kythorian − NTA never, never do business with family. Business of any kind. Don’t give them loans, don’t sell them stuff or buy stuff from them. None of it is ever worth it. If you want to just give a family member money as a gift, fine, but as soon as it becomes about a loan or a business of any kind, it will just cause problems.

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AlertPotato − NTA - 'The rental process between me and a potential tenant is just that, between me and the potential tenant. The fact that you are involving yourself in something that is frankly none of your business, is exactly why I have this no family policy in place. I'm sorry your daughter is disappointed, but you are exhibiting exactly the behavior that contributed to this policy in the first place.'

Princess_Zeta − NTA, I can relate to your sentiments, sometimes if you give family an inch they take a mile. That's why I don't like involving family when it comes to certain things such as business or money.

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Jenny_86753o9 − NTA...doing business with family almost never ends well!

GrandAholeio − NTA, land lording can suck if you’re not heartless, every good deed often seems to be punished and putting family in just creates conflict of interest that make it problematic.

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sammotico − NTA you were once burned and now twice shy. shame for the second cousin in the picture but rules often happen because some other j**off ruins it for the rest.

jammy913 − NTA. You got burned and learned. Anyone who has a problem with it can contact the leech who made you take on that view.

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Freddyt58 − NTA simply becuase as the property owner you can set criteria for your tenants, if one of your criteria is that they must have Atleast an “arms length” relationship to you, that’s more than understandable.

These takes are as firm as a signed lease, cheering her boundaries while eyeing the family’s entitlement. Can a compromise soften the edges, or is her policy the only way to keep the peace?

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This tale of a betrayed landlord and a hard-won policy shows how fast family can complicate business. She’s not wrong to protect her investments, but the family’s pushback hints at deeper expectations. A clear conversation might ease the tension without bending her rules. Have you ever had to set tough boundaries with family? What would you do in her shoes? Share your thoughts below!

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