A woman has sparked discourse online after sharing why she decided to charge her family for staying over during Christmas.
In a post shared to the “Am I the A**hole” forum on Reddit, a woman revealed why she planned to charge her relatives after their previous visit left her home in chaos. She explained that she recently purchased her “dream home,” a four-bedroom house with a sprawling backyard and a pool, an upgrade she’s deeply proud of.
As someone who lives alone, she noted that she enjoys keeping her home in pristine condition. However, her sister, husband, and their three children recently asked if they could stay with her for Christmas. She was initially open to the idea, writing: “They live out of state and wanted to spend the holidays with our family without paying for a hotel.”
But memories of their last visit made her apprehensive.
“They stayed with me for a weekend last year, and it was a disaster,” she recalled. “The kids destroyed my sofa with markers and spilled juice on my rug, which I had to replace. My sister brushed it off, saying, ‘Kids are kids,’ and didn’t offer to pay for the damage.”
The ordeal cost her more than $500 in replacements, as she added: “Her husband barely helped with cleaning or watching the kids. I felt like a maid in my own house.”
As a result, the woman decided to set boundaries to protect her space and sanity. While she agreed to let her sister’s family stay at her home, she introduced a “house guest agreement” outlining specific conditions. The agreement required her sister to pay a $100 cleaning fee upfront, immediately cover any damages, and contribute $50 per night for utilities, citing the increased heating and water costs during the winter.
Although she viewed the terms as reasonable, her sister did not.
“She called me greedy and said I was treating my family like ‘Airbnb guests,’” the woman wrote, adding that her sister accused her of ruining the holiday spirit. The disagreement escalated, with their parents siding against her and labeling her “cold-hearted.”
Her sister argued that she was prioritizing money over family, leaving the family divided. The woman wrote: “I think I’m being fair by setting boundaries, but maybe I’ve taken it too far? I don’t know, please help.”
In the comment section, commenters were quick to chime in, with one Reddit user recommending that she refuse their visit altogether.
“Better if you said no,” the commenter wrote. “Regardless of how much money you charge, the kids probably won’t be any better behaved. The husband won’t be any less lazy, and neither of them will be better parents. You’ll be on edge the whole time, and they’ll be resentful.”
“Just say no, dude,” another person agreed. “I mean, she’s gonna be pissy whether you say no or present her with a contract that — come on — you definitely knew was going to piss her off. Just choose the easier option of ‘no’ and move on.”
Others supported her decision, suggesting her sister’s family stay with their parents who sided against her.
“I think it’s better to ask them to stay with your mom or an Airbnb,” someone else said. “If they didn’t respect your home before, they’re not going to do it now.”
