AITA for asking my brother to pay to use the family cabin after he refused to help restore it?
A few years ago, the user's (35M) grandparents pa*sed away, leaving behind an old, run-down lakeside cabin. The parents first offered the property to the user's younger brother, Matt (30M), who loved the place growing up.
However, Matt declined the inheritance after seeing the necessary renovations, which involved significant cost and work.
The user then took ownership, understanding the commitment, but despite requests for help, the user ended up solely financing and completing years of necessary repairs.
Now, when Matt requests a free week-long stay for his family, the user asks for a $500 contribution for utilities and wear and tear, leading to an argument about fairness and family obligation.
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The original poster (OP) is currently in a difficult position, facing criticism from their brother and mother for attempting to recoup some of the costs a*sociated with maintaining a property they solely invested in.
The central conflict is between the OP's desire for fair compensation for their financial and labor investment versus the family's expectation that, as a shared inheritance a*set, it should be available freely to family members.
The debate centers on whether the OP is being greedy by charging a fee for using a property they resurrected, or whether the brother is ent*tled to use the a*set without contributing after refusing the initial responsibility.
Should the OP stand firm on the fee, or is the expectation of free use reasonable given the family connection?
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