![\"Family](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-1556515858.jpg\")
\n\t\tDoes this week\u2019s reader have a right to be angry over her parent\u2019s decision? (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tDoes this week\u2019s reader have a right to be angry over her parent\u2019s decision? (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Key Points<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCreated with AI assistance. Quality assured by Metro editors.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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The transfer of wealth between generations is one of the most contentious issues in modern Britain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With house prices<\/a> having far outstripped wage growth <\/a>over the past two decades, the \u2018Bank of Mum and Dad\u2019 has become a critical pillar of the property market<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n But what happens when that bank decides its vaults are closed?\u00a0<\/p>\n This week\u2019s Money Problem<\/a> comes from Chloe, a 29-year-old renter in Bristol<\/a> who feels betrayed after her parents chose to spend an \u00a3800,000 inheritance on a holiday home rather than helping her onto the property ladder.\u00a0<\/p>\n She asked Metro<\/strong> consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, for her verdict.\u00a0<\/p>\n The problem\u2026<\/p>\n My grandmother recently passed away and left her entire \u00a3800,000 estate to my parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n My parents are already comfortable \u2013 they own their home and have good pensions.\u00a0<\/p>\n I am currently renting<\/a> a tiny flat in Bristol and desperately want to buy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t I asked my parents if they would pass some of the inheritance straight to me for a deposit, but they said they want to use it to buy a holiday home in France<\/a> and \u2018enjoy their retirement.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Is it unreasonable of me to feel completely betrayed? Surely that money would change my life, whereas for them it\u2019s just a luxury?\u00a0<\/p>\n The answer\u2026<\/p>\n Chloe, I get it.\u00a0<\/p>\n You are watching a life-changing sum of money land in the laps of people who are already financially secure.\u00a0<\/p>\n You, on the other hand, feel trapped by the nightmare cycle of forking out thousands of pounds in rent that is paying someone else\u2019s mortgage<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss our Money tips! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n At Metro Money, we’re here to bring you all the latest news and advice on personal finance, cost of living, saving and investing. As part of our vibrant community of highly engaged readers, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories.<\/p>\n Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk<\/strong>\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \nAdd us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\t You\u2019re also living in a world where help from mum and dad is increasingly the norm.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to Savills, less than half of first-time buyers in 2024 bought without a substantial contribution from their parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n But while your feelings are valid, you need to separate your emotional response from what\u2019s actually happened here.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tDo you think it’s fair for Chloe to feel ‘betrayed’?<\/p>\n Yes, it should have at least been a discussionCheck<\/p>\n<\/li>\n No, she’s shouldn’t presume she’s entitled to the moneyCheck<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \t\t\t\t\tSign up to Metro’s The Slice newsletter for your guide to what’s on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways.<\/p>\n Legally, the money belongs entirely to your parents.\u00a0Your grandmother wrote her will and chose to leave her estate to them.\u00a0Had she wanted to skip a generation and leave a deposit directly to you, she would have.\u00a0<\/p>\n Were your parents to change their minds and siphon some off to you, they could use what\u2019s called a Deed of Variation to redirect a portion of the \u00a3800,000 directly to you.\u00a0<\/p>\n For tax purposes, that would be treated as though your grandmother had left it to you in the first place.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, it sounds like they\u2019ve been pretty clear \u2013 they\u2019re not on board with this idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t So, is it unreasonable of you to feel betrayed?\u00a0Yes, I think it is.\u00a0Disappointed? Absolutely. Frustrated? Of course.\u00a0But betrayal implies that a promise was broken or a duty shirked.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Your parents do not have a duty to buy you a house.\u00a0They have raised you and you are now an independent adult.\u00a0The fact that they have received a windfall does not automatically turn that money into your property deposit.\u00a0<\/p>\n You may view their decision to buy a holiday home as a luxury and your need to get onto the ladder a necessity, but it is their luxury to choose.\u00a0<\/p>\n It may sound slightly morbid, but it\u2019s also worth remembering that this money has not \u201cgone\u201d.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMore Metro Money Problems\t\t\t<\/p>\n Assuming your parents don\u2019t spend all of their wealth, you will likely inherit from them eventually.\u00a0My advice is to accept their decision gracefully.<\/p>\n Continuing to harbour resentment over money that was never yours will only poison your relationship with your parents.\u00a0Focus on what you can control.\u00a0<\/p>\n Save what you can, take advantage of government<\/a> schemes to maximise those savings<\/a> (take a look at Lifetime Isas) and consider investing some of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n It will take you time but when the day you get those keys in your hand comes, you\u2019ll have earned it.<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing\u00a0MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Colorful](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2198209782.jpg\")
\n\t\tIn February 2026, the average house price in Bristol was \u00a3347,000 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SEI280784796-2946.png\")
\n\t\tOur Money experts are here to give you the latest tips and insider guides<\/p>\n\n
![\"France,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-1167750630.jpg\")
\n\t\tIn 2024, it was estimated that around 86,000 British households own holiday homes in France (Picture: Getty Images\/Photononstop RF)<\/p>\n
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