Carer slammed as “slimy” for inheriting client’s home – but is he in the wrong?

A 28-year-old caregiver has come under fire online after revealing that an elderly client left him a $200,000 house in his will – and he intends to keep it.

The unnamed man took to Reddit’s popular forum Am I The A**hole? (AITA) to ask whether he was in the wrong for accepting the inheritance. In the post, he explained that he had worked as a part-time carer for the older man over three years, helping with groceries, medical appointments, and simply providing company when no one else was around.

“He had no one else,” the caregiver wrote. “His kids live across the country and had maybe visited him twice. I was there every day.”

According to the Reddit user, the man’s children were now threatening legal action to contest the will, claiming their father had been manipulated.

“They say I put an old lonely man under some sort of spell,” he wrote. “But honestly? Where were they when he was struggling? They couldn’t even pick up the phone to call him on holidays.”

The house, estimated to be worth around $200,000, would be life-changing for the caregiver. Still, the backlash has been intense, with many commenters accusing him of unethical behaviour and even suggesting his actions could constitute elder abuse.

“Where I live, this is illegal,” one Reddit user wrote. “Caregivers cannot inherit from clients. The law exists to prevent exactly this sort of thing.”

Others warned that the will could be challenged in court, particularly if the caregiver was in a position of influence. In many jurisdictions, laws presume undue influence when a caregiver benefits substantially from a client’s estate.

“There’s a good chance this could go to court,” one commenter advised. “You should get a lawyer immediately and stop communicating with the children.”

However, not everyone sided against the caregiver. Many Redditors pointed out that estranged children have little legal or moral ground to stand on when they have long abandoned a family member.

“If someone spends every day with you and makes sure you’re okay when no one else does, of course you might leave them something,” one wrote. “Family is about connection, not just blood.”

Others encouraged the carer to seek legal advice but reassured him that he was not necessarily in the wrong.

“You did a job, yes. But you also gave him companionship. That counts for a lot.”

Still, some users took a more nuanced view, reminding the caregiver that he couldn’t possibly know the full story of the family’s history.

“There’s a reason his kids didn’t call,” one user wrote. “People aren’t always alone in old age because of bad luck. Sometimes it’s because of the way they treated others earlier in life.”

In Australia, inheritance disputes are not uncommon, and when a person leaves their estate to someone outside the immediate family, wills are often contested. Courts generally consider factors such as the nature of the relationship, the level of dependency, and whether there was any undue pressure or manipulation.

If the family proceeds with legal action, the courts will likely examine the conditions under which the will was written. If the older man was of sound mind and made the decision freely, the will may stand. However, if there is evidence of coercion or exploitation, the caregiver could lose everything — and even face professional consequences.

For now, the young carer is trying not to let the family’s “drama” affect him, though he admitted the situation has been emotionally exhausting.

Whether he’s seen as a loyal companion or someone who overstepped a professional boundary, one thing is certain: this inheritance has sparked a fierce debate about what we owe the people who care for us when no one else will.