Sometimes, even a mother runs out of patience.
A 75-year-old mother from Pavia, Italy, recently obtained a court order to evict her two grown sons, whom she described as “parasites” in court documents, CNN reported.
The men, aged 40 and 42, were accused of living in the family apartment without contributing financially or assisting with household chores, according to the outlet.
The mother, a retiree whose pension solely covered household expenses, filed a complaint against her sons in the Tribunal of Pavia district court, leading to the recent ruling by Judge Simona Caterbi.
The judge stated that adult children do not possess an unconditional right to remain in their parents’ home against their will, solely based on familial ties.
The “bamboccioni” or big babies, as the court called them, have until Dec. 18 to vacate the premises.
Caterbi’s decision emphasized that once children reach a certain age, parents are no longer obligated to provide indefinite support.
Similar instances of “mammoni” have surfaced in Italy’s legal system in recent years.
In 2020, the Italian Supreme Court ruled against a 35-year-old man who, despite holding a part-time music teaching job, expected ongoing financial assistance from his parents, arguing that his income was insufficient.
The evictions pick up on a tendency for adults in Italy to leave their parental homes at the average age of 30, CNN said, citing Eurostat 2022 data. That’s in stark contrast to countries such as Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, where young adults typically embark on independent living by the age of 21.
The sons might still appeal, according to local media.
Family members suing one another over real estate matters can be rather common, though not necessarily over evictions.
Last week, a family feud involving the head of Engel Burman Group exploded after Scott Burman, 44, sued his father, Jan Burman, for $14 million.
Scott alleges that Steven Krieger — Jan’s top lieutenant — became jealous of the son’s success and started driving a wedge between the family members.
Scott claims he was cast aside when the leaders of Engel Burman morphed the company into B2K Development.
He said that he sourced and managed hundreds of millions of dollars of the firm’s business, even investing at least $5 million of his own money, while revamping and rebranding the company.
As a result, Scott ascended through the firm’s ranks, according to the complaint, and was named president of the construction division in January 2014.
Scott’s success, however, rubbed Krieger the wrong way, according to the lawsuit. It said Krieger was “threatened” by Scott and worried about his own diminished role in the company, leading Krieger to “meddle” in Scott’s projects. Krieger did not comment on the lawsuit.
Despite Krieger’s involvement leading to cost overruns, missed deadlines and personal financial exposure, Jan still approached Scott about taking on a major leadership role at the firm, according to the lawsuit. Krieger allegedly opposed the succession plan.
— Ted Glanzer