AIBU to think it's a bit cheeky to want our house (when we're not even in it)?

100 percent - My niece broke similar when she was here and the 1st thing her mother and father said to us was how much we owe you - will pay for it- Why do you think that's a bad thing ? If its broken you offer to pay simples
So what if he has "designer" cats - they need feeding and i presume that is one reason he agreed for you to stay

So cheeky! I'd be firmly in the no camp here unless it was an immediate family member! And I don't think they would even ask.

Well you describe them as "good friends" - are they? Or are they people you are just somehow acquainted to but not fully comfortable with?

Anyone who I'd describe as a "good friend" I'd be happy to let stay in my house.

Yes, who plans a trip without sorting accommodation. I expect if OP was going away a month later their trip would also be a month later. 🤔

You could offer this, if you’re comfortable to. I probably would.

not appropriate for them to ask, at all

You don't even have to do this! Why are people so apologetic about things that they've every right to say!

"We don't feel comfortable doing that, so you'll have to get an Air B&B this time."

You can add that you'd be happy to host them next time they're around, if you are, but the bit in quotes really is enough!

Oh Hell no

I'd be happy for good friends or family to have the run of my home if they were visiting where I live.

When I was growing up we often used to swap houses with family friends so that we could go on holiday - was a good way to go on holiday with minimal expenditure. Personally I don't see the problem with it. This thread is making me realise that I shouldn't suggest the same idea to any of my friends though 😅

I think it's fine. I think you're being weird about it. You say they are good friends, for God's sake!

If they already had a plan in place to visit the city on those specific days, then surely they already have somewhere lined up to stay?

It doesn't add up to me. I think this was always the plan - find out when you're on holiday, say they were planning on visiting at the exact same time, hope to have your house for free.

I do have to say that I have been living for some time in a big tourist destination where accomodation is very pricey and I've been contacted by people I haven't seen in many years who weren't friends about staying. There were even asks for my so and so will be in town, can you put them up. So if you think they're the kind of people that staying at yours might open the door to requests for free lodging for their relatives or friends, best to say no.

I wouldn’t agree to it. Too much hassle beforehand getting everything sorted, clean and tidy (not to mention the pants drawer worry). Just tell them sorry, no, it would worry you too much getting it respectable beforehand.

Don’t hold back. Say what you think🤣🤣

A couple of close friends I’d say yes to without hesitation and they’d do the same for us. But that’s literally just our oldest friends who are like family and are godparents to our children. No way I’d want anyone else staying in our house while we weren’t there.

Depends on the friend! The friends I would let stay are so generous they wouldn’t ask or if they did they would offer to pay us instead of a hotel - I would offer them beds in a heartbeat as they would do the same for me.

The friends who ask to stay to save money probably aren’t planning on paying towards utilities for them time and are probably the type who will turn up with a £5 box of chocolates if anything at all (ie takers). These types if I let stay I would likely directly ask for money towards utilities in advance.

As PPs have said - completely different if you’d offered, but extremely cheeky to ask! And they would definitely snoop!

Our MiL has petsit at ours before and brought her sister for company a couple of times, and I'd let my mum do it, but I think that's about it.

I am a very private person, home is my safe space, I struggle with having people in it, but I don't think that's unreasonable.

Very good friends, I wouldn't mind at all, they wouldn't need to hint, I would offer. I would probably leave one room locked with anything very valuable, sentimental or private though, especially if they have dc, but other than that they would be welcome. The only thing i would expect is to come home to a clean house.

I recently went away for a week and my own parents stayed in our house to have a holiday themselves and look after our pets.

I was very uncomfortable with them being there and they're my own parents!

Nope - I wouldn't be doing that.

It's perfectly legitimate to say something is unkind. You may not consider it so, but you don't get to police whether I think or say it.

She’d have been personally liable if they had an accident while she was there too. It’s called Occupier’s Liability. But only if there was negligence in how the facilities were maintained. And the law allows for contributory negligence if the injured person was partly at fault.

It depends which friends- my best friend who I use to share a flat with no problem but a new friend maybe not.

Depends on how good the friends are - i would always offer our place without anyone asking if we were away and they were here( we live near a beach) but they are very very very good friends etc.

The cheeky, tight bastards