u/Embarrassed_Dust9365

I (33M) live in a house that my cousin (31M) and I originally planned to buy together. During the process, I couldn’t get my name on it, but we agreed we’d basically co-own it, and we’ve been splitting payments ever since.
We’ve had two female cats here for a long time. About three years ago, my cousin started dating this guy (26M), and when he moved in, the cats were already part of the house. For a while now, he’s been pushing to get a dog, but honestly he’s not responsible and doesn’t even clean up after himself. About a year ago we talked about it and agreed we’d only get a dog if he kept his grades up (we’re both back in college), showed he could be more responsible, we moved into a better house for a dog, and he finished his program. A couple days ago I was suddenly told we’re getting a dog. Not really a conversation, just that it was happening. At first I thought they were joking, but it turned out to be real. So I talked to my cousin and told him straight up that if I’m not being treated like a co-owner and I don’t get a say in decisions like this, then I don’t see why I should be paying for house repairs or handling yard work and trash. He said he could reimburse me for what I’ve put in, which honestly surprised me, but I’m okay with it because it’s fair.
At the same time, I still live here and pay to be here, so I feel like I still have a say in what affects my space. I’ve got some expensive shoes, and I live in a partially finished basement where I can’t even put a door because it’d be a fire hazard, so I’m not exactly comfortable with a dog just roaming around. We talked and agreed on some rules if the dog ends up being a problem, but I went ahead and wrote everything down as a contract. My cousin’s boyfriend has a habit of “forgetting” things he agreed to and blaming it on bad memory, so I just want something in writing to keep things clear and protect my stuff. AITA?