My spoilt and lazy new stepmother is spending my inheritance from my late mum

DEAR DEIDRE: MY mum died of cancer when I was a child and now my lazy new stepmother is spending my inheritance.

I’m 22 and lost my mum when I was eight.

Until two years ago, it was just me and Dad, and he worked really hard to give me a good life.

But then he met another woman – his first relationship since Mum – and she moved in with us last year.

She’s 39 and quit her job in sales and is now living off my dad’s income.

She’s started talking about completely redecorating our home and has even been speaking to expensive interior designers.

Dad raised me to be sensible with money, but she is rinsing his bank account dry.

I’m now wondering if I should ask my dad to put our house into my name to stop her getting her hands on it.

It would kill me to lose the home my mother died in. How can I stop her?

Dad, 49, is madly in love and has asked her to marry him.

He seems blind to the fact that this woman is lazy and spoilt and has no respect for my mum’s memory.

My team and I are working safely from home but we are here to help you as always.

Send an email to [email protected].

Every problem gets a personal reply, usually within 24 hours weekdays.

You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page.

Follow me on Twitter @deardeidre.

DEIDRE SAYS: Nobody can replace your mum. But your dad is entitled to a life too, and loves this new woman.

It will take time for you to accept this.

The thought of her changing your home from the one you grew up in must sting.

You need to talk to your father about your feelings and tell him how worried you are.

Perhaps you also need to talk to your stepmother about this, and get some reassurance from her.

Being a stepfamily is often very complicated and problematic.

The organisation Family Lives (familylives.org.uk, 0808 800 2222) can help.