Finding affordable housing is difficult enough, but imagine finally settling into a home you love, only to learn that your landlords want it back for a family member.

That’s the situation one tenant is facing after her landlords decided to offer their rental property to their newly engaged child and future spouse. The tenant has been living there for years, paying considerably less than the going rental rate, and now she’s being asked to find somewhere else to live.

The landlords’ adult child shared the situation in a Reddit post, admitted feeling terrible about the decision, and wondered whether accepting the family’s offer would be unfair to the tenant.

mehrpouya h oMc C1ZjBAQ unsplash — Photo by Mehrpouya H on Unsplash

The parents want to help their child get a fresh start

According to the Reddit post, the newly engaged couple has been struggling to find affordable housing. Rental prices in their area are extremely high, and even exploring loan options hasn’t helped them find a suitable place.

Seeing their difficulties, the poster’s parents offered them a small rental house located on the family property. The couple would still pay rent, but the arrangement would allow them to save money toward eventually getting a place of their own.

There was just one problem. Someone was already living there.

When the mother told the tenant she had three months to move out, the news didn’t go over well.

“She was very sad and so upset,” the poster explained, adding that the tenant didn’t know where she would go or how she could afford another place.

The family’s decision has left the poster feeling guilty, especially knowing how difficult it could be for the tenant to find comparable housing.

Reddit users largely sided with the family

Despite the poster’s concerns, many Reddit commenters believed the parents were within their rights to prioritize helping their child, as long as they followed applicable rental laws.

Several pointed out that the tenant had benefited from unusually affordable rent for years and that the arrangement couldn’t necessarily continue forever.

“Your parents have already made that decision,” one commenter wrote, encouraging the poster to accept the help being offered.

Others felt the three-month notice period gave the tenant time to begin searching for another home.

A difficult decision with no easy outcome

For the newly engaged couple, moving into the rental could provide some much-needed financial breathing room. For the tenant, however, leaving means giving up a home she loves and facing a rental market where comparable housing may cost considerably more.

Ultimately, the parents own the property and want to use it to help their child. Still, the tenant’s disappointment is understandable, especially after years of paying below-market rent.

The discussion raises a difficult question for landlords and renters: When a property owner needs a rental home for family, how much responsibility do they have to the tenant who’s already living there?