Need a bit of advice
My father owns an old shophouse and he rents the shop out to his friend for a little more than a decade. My father passed away from cancer around a decade ago, I was still very young and my mother single handly has been raising my family and the one collecting rental from my father’s friend.
My mother (age 50’s at that time now 60’s) has been a housewife ever since she was married to my father and is not very educated.
Now that I am older, i realise they(father’s friend) have been giving the rental fee later than the appointed date every month. It gets worse every month, some months they give half the rental, some months give nothing and this has been going on for 6 to 7 years
which leads the accumulated tens thousands. I know covid happened and businesses are affected but this has been happening even before covid. Keep in mind the rental fee has been same for since they started renting.
Time to time they would cook for our family give us free cartons of drinks. I just feel my mum is soft hearted since it’s my father friend. I also don’t know what to do since they watch me since young, I do not want to disrespect the them either.
I tried confronting them but they just tell my mother I am very rude. I do not want to take any legal actions since this matter can be settle internally.
Here are what netizens think:
- Do you really need the money? Some times it is not about dollar and cents. His earlier payments could have tide your mum’s toughest period. Let them enjoy some peace and give them the space.
- Where rental to someone, theres no such thing as pay half or dont pay at all. If the shop still under his name maybe can discuss with them either wants to pull out or sell to them and get some back instead. The thing this they didnt tell ur mum if they have any difficulties for the rental payment and just keep quiet. Thats taking advantage. Did they tell u that they that they can pay half or nothing because they cook for ur family n give free drinks?
- True friends will never take advantage of each other and would observe the spirit behind any agreements. Whilst your dad might have treated them as good friends, they obviously are not on the same page. Moreover, business is business. It’s time you put your foot down and enforce the tenancy agreement. If you don’t, you are sending out the wrong message and as it gets deeper, it gets harder to deal with them.