Divorced Man Refuses to Host His Ex’s Family for Her Grandmother’s Funeral in a House He Now Owns

A man turned to Reddit for perspective after a tense conflict with his ex-wife left him wondering whether he had been too harsh during an already emotional period.

In his post, he explained that he and his ex-wife divorced earlier this year following long-standing disagreements tied to her family’s relationship with their home. During the marriage, the couple purchased his ex-wife’s grandmother’s house—a property that had been in her family since the 1910s and was widely viewed as the default place for relatives to stay when visiting.

The home was large and had long served as a gathering point for extended family. According to the man, that dynamic continued even after they bought it. Financially, however, the purchase weighed heavily on him. He said the house was largely funded by his premarital savings and inheritance, a factor that later played a major role in the divorce proceedings.

When the divorce was finalized, the court ruled that he owned 90 percent of the home under their postnuptial agreement. His ex-wife reportedly tried several ways to keep the property “in the family,” but she could not afford to buy him out. In the end, he purchased her remaining share and became the primary owner, though the emotional ties to the house lingered.

Tensions flared again shortly after his ex-wife’s grandmother died the day after Christmas following a long illness. The man noted that the grandmother’s declining health had originally prompted the sale of the house, as she needed money for end-of-life care.

A few days later, he was surprised when his ex-wife’s cousin arrived with his family, expecting to stay at the house. He said the cousin and his sister had texted his ex-wife to say they would be staying there, and she told them it was fine.

Frustrated, he called his ex-wife to ask why she had offered a house she no longer owned. She apologized, explaining that she was overwhelmed while handling funeral arrangements. Still, she asked if he would consider hosting them, saying there wasn’t enough space elsewhere.

He refused, telling her that her relatives would need to make other arrangements. His ex-wife pushed back, citing financial struggles and insisting there was plenty of room. She suggested they stay in the finished basement, which had its own amenities. He declined again, after which she became upset and ended the call.

The man then contacted the cousin directly to say that they could not stay in the house. With the funeral approaching, he was left questioning whether his decision had crossed a line.

Reddit commenters largely sided with him, emphasizing that legal ownership mattered. One person pointed out that if the home had been sold to a stranger, the family would not expect that person to host them. Another suggested the issue stemmed from miscommunication, speculating that the ex-wife may not have clearly told her relatives that she no longer owned the house.