A woman and her husband, both in their 30s, are facing a difficult situation after their family learned about their combined income of £200,000. The information was revealed by their mortgage advisor, who also happens to be a family member. This revelation has led to a significant shift in their family’s behavior.
“Since this info has come out, my family’s behavior towards us has completely changed,” the woman admitted, expressing her and her husband’s discomfort. The family now expects them to foot the bill at every family gathering and makes snide comments about their financial status.
“At all family meals/events since, no one puts their hands in their pockets and we are expected to pay the entire bill,” she explained on Mumsnet. “Snide remarks are made about how we hid the fact we’re ‘rolling in it’, and we’ve been guilt tripped about how we should be helping people in the family out who are struggling…”
Despite their comfortable lifestyle, the couple insists they are far from millionaires. They feel pressured to financially support their family, a burden they believe is unwarranted.
The woman confided that spending time with her family has become a “nightmare” as they are “always expected to pay”. She sought advice on how to navigate this challenging situation.
Responses from other Mumsnet users ranged from blunt to empathetic. One user suggested cutting off the entire family and reporting the mortgage advisor for breaching GDPR. Another user stressed that the couple should not have used a family member for such personal matters and that the advisor should not have shared the information.
Several other users advised the couple to distance themselves from the family, starting by avoiding family meals and other situations where they might be expected to pay. One user noted that the couple’s income is considered high in London, but they are not “rolling in it” compared to the national average.
The situation highlights the sensitive nature of financial privacy and how the sharing of personal information can have unintended consequences. It raises questions about professional boundaries and the responsibilities of those in trusted positions, especially when dealing with family matters.
