– What other relative? You know we always take the kids to the seaside in August, – Julia complained.
– How would we manage without you?! – Julia, the sister-in-law, dramatically waved her hands. – We can now go to the seaside and relax every year.
Larissa forced a smile in response. The seaside cottage had been hers for about five years.
She inherited it from her grandmother, who had lived on the English coast for the last twenty years of her life.
Larissa chose not to sell the property. Instead, she took out a loan to renovate the house so she could rent it out and earn some passive income.
However, the news of Larissa receiving the property quickly spread among the family.
They started calling her, asking if they could stay in the seaside house, thus saving on rental costs.
Of course, their requests conflicted with her plans, but she was hesitant to refuse her relatives and reluctantly let them stay.
This continued for about two years until Larissa decided it was time to wean her cheeky relatives off the free accommodation.
It was easier for her to deny her own family than her husband’s relatives.
As summer approached, aunts, uncles, and cousins began calling Larissa again.
They all wanted to know when they could stay in the cottage, hoping it would be right after the previous guests left.
Julia, as usual, was the first to try booking for her family in August.
– It won’t work, a relative’s staying there all summer, – Larissa lied to her sister-in-law.
– What about us? Why did you let someone stay so long? You know we always come to the seaside in August with the kids, – Julia grumbled.
– I can’t just kick them out, – Larissa replied.
– Talk to her and see if she can stay elsewhere in August, – Julia suggested. – We really need it! Simon’s got allergies, and the doctor recommended spending summers by the sea. Larissa, you have a son, you should understand.
Realizing her boldness wasn’t working, Julia decided to play on Larissa’s sympathy.
– Fine, I’ll talk to her, – Larissa conceded, later informing her sister-in-law that she could bring the kids in August.
Larissa resolved it would be the last time she’d let family stay at the seaside house.
In August, Julia and her family arrived on the English coast. However, within a week, Julia called Larissa about an incident.
The eldest son left the tap running in the bathroom. Three hours later, they discovered the entire house was flooded.
The wallpaper, flooring, some appliances, and furniture were damaged.
Larissa was in shock and couldn’t immediately grasp who was responsible for repairs and compensation.
– When do you plan on fixing your home? – Julia inquired. – Are you flying over?
– Yes, I’ll be there soon, – Larissa whispered, buying a ticket and flying out three days later.
The seaside house greeted her with peeling wallpaper and warped flooring.
The fridge, TV, and stove were all broken, and the furniture had swollen with water.
Julia’s family wasn’t in the house. They had rented another place for a couple of days.
Larissa realized the repair costs would be significant.
– Let Julia pay, – her husband Michael suggested. – She should have kept an eye on her son.
It took Larissa two days to muster the courage to call her sister-in-law for a serious talk.
– Julia, repair costs and appliances will be about twenty thousand pounds. Are you willing to cover the damage caused by your son? – Larissa asked.
– No way. Why should I? Simon didn’t do it on purpose, – Julia responded, surprised. – Isn’t it petty to demand money from a child?
– I’m not asking him; I’m asking you, – Larissa clarified.
– I won’t pay anything. Enjoy your house, – Julia snapped and hung up.
Half an hour later, Larissa’s mother-in-law rang, breathing heavily and objecting:
– How dare you ask your nephew for money?!
– I’m not asking him; I’m asking your daughter, – Larissa explained, realizing her mother-in-law was defending Julia. – Do you even know how much damage she caused?
– I know! – the mother-in-law snapped. – But that doesn’t justify you! You can’t treat your husband’s family like this!
Seeing no point in continuing the conversation, Larissa took another bank loan and repaired the house.
The following summer, relatives started calling again, asking to stay in the seaside cottage.
– Five hundred pounds a day, – Larissa set the rate.
– But we’re family, – the freeloading relatives protested. – First, you demanded money from a nephew, and now us?
– If you want to stay for free, reimburse me for the repairs I paid for, – Larissa stated firmly. – There’s nothing more to discuss.
None of the relatives wanted to part with their hard-earned money.
It was easier for them to label Larissa as a penny-pincher obsessed with money than admit they’d been using her home without paying.
The news of Larissa demanding rent spread among the relatives, who promptly condemned her.
– How shameless to charge rent, – Julia was the most upset, now unable to visit the seaside every year.
Of course, some stopped associating with Larissa because she had the seaside cottage.
But there were still those willing to pay for their stay on the English coast. Larissa charged them a reasonable rate and made it clear they would have to cover any damages.
