AITA for finally telling my brother-in-law to leave after he’s been mooching off us for a year?
Picture this: you’ve got a freeloader camped out in your home, treating it like a free motel—no rent, no chores, just motorcycle joyrides and mobile games. Then, one careless night, he leaves the gate unlocked, and your 12-year-old dog pays the ultimate price. That’s the gut-wrenching mess one Redditor faced, finally snapping after a year of their brother-in-law’s mooching. From dirty dishes to a devastating loss, this tale’s a slow burn that ends in a fiery eviction.
This guy promised “a few months” but overstayed his welcome by a mile, leaving the Redditor and his wife to pick up the slack—until the dog’s death lit the fuse. Was kicking him out a rage-fueled overstep, or a long-overdue stand? With a wife caught in the middle and a BIL shrugging off tragedy, Reddit’s got plenty to say about this domestic disaster.
‘AITA for finally telling my brother-in-law to leave after he’s been mooching off us for a year?’
Talk about a houseguest from hell! This brother-in-law didn’t just overstay—he turned the Redditor’s home into his personal playground, capped off with a tragedy that’d break anyone’s heart. Dr. Henry Cloud, a boundaries expert, says, “Tolerating disrespect in your own space erodes your peace—and sometimes, tough love is the only fix.” Here, the BIL’s year-long free ride, plus his role in the dog’s death, crossed every line.
Stats paint a grim picture: a 2022 Pew Research study found 18% of U.S. adults have housed a relative long-term, often straining finances and emotions. This guy’s “s**t happens” attitude? A slap in the face to a grieving couple. The wife’s defense might stem from sibling loyalty, but enabling him cost them dearly. Kicking him out wasn’t harsh—it was survival.
Here’s what the community had to contribute:
Reddit’s voices roared a blazing thicket of wrath and woe. Many clasped the Redditor tight—BIL’s a leech, they snarled, his neglect a dog’s doom, not his throne to claim. Some eyed the wife’s veil—shielding a slacker, not her spouse—yet draped him in NTA, a man’s right to rage. Others wove a fiercer thread—toss him to the curb, no tears—while a few howled sharp: wife’s blind, BIL’s gall stains the tale. The din roared fierce: he’s no rogue, just a soul avenging a furry friend’s fall.
Whew, this one’s a gut-punch! From a mooching BIL to a lost pup, this Redditor turned patience into a righteous boot out the door. It’s a raw saga of boundaries, loss, and a marriage teetering on the edge—proof that even family can overstay their welcome. Was it too harsh, or just deserts? Spill your take—how would you handle a freeloader who broke your heart and your home?