FiL crawling round on work video call

Solidarity OP, this is our set up too (office doubles as a guest room at a pinch). This is the reality of small UK houses, family needs, and the demands of WFH. I don’t understand some of the PPs here - what do they think we should put visitors in, a tent? Not everyone has huge houses (and/or no kids) with spare rooms for guests, but we do still have people who ask/prefer to come stay over rather than stay in a hotel. We do our best.

Bless him...lol....he thought no one could see him.

No, not really. It's exactly my set up. Likewise, if I've a call I make it known (in case they need anything) and would expect adults to behave appropriately. What is so urgent it HAD to be retrieved at that point?

You're not being unreasonable OP. You have to work while your guests are there. I'm sure they're aware of your setup and if they didn't like it they could stay at a hotel. My brothers computer is in his guest room. He isn't working when I stay but if he was I absolutely would get my ass out of there. I wouldn't dream of going in while he's working. Do people have manners anymore?

You should probably have put his bed somewhere else in the whole rest of the house, then, not somewhere he’s kicked out of at daybreak.
You are not being half as hospitable as you clearly think you are.

I voted YANBU but changed my mind when I realized he was a guest staying in the guest room.

You sound joyless. Thats pretty funny.

Was it anything like this viral "in the times of Covid" video, OP?: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=BBC%20online%20interview%20interrupted%20by%20small%20child%20entering%20room%20and%20mother%20rushing%20in%20to%20drag%20her%20out&mid=04F7C3AE6F3CB59A72C104F7C3AE6F3CB59A72C1&ajaxhist=0
😂

That’s cheered me right up. Laughed out loud picturing it.

This is the kind of crap my uncle has pulled and in my opinion comes from a place of thinking all women are skivvies. So annoying

I think you need to make the boundaries clear. So say “It would be lovely to have you stay but im working that day so it will mean you cant access room between X and Y.”

This assumes they are not visiting at your request to help with childcare, etc. In that case, you probably have to be a bit more flexible.

I don’t think you are being unreasonable at all. You gave a heads up. Even if he couldn’t be seen it’s incredibly distracting!

I would have put my thumb over the camera lens.

Simples.

And quicker than navigating to mute and vision off.

Some people keep a blob of blu-tak next to the lens and only remove it when they want to be seen, it blocks hackers too.

I did have a giggle, but yeah I know what you mean. Sometimes I don't mind my dad interrupting if its just a general meeting that I don't need to contribute to, but he does think its just me listening to a pod cast or an audio book which I do if I'm not in any meetings and just want some background noise.

This and you do know you wouldn't be on your computer at all if people in their 70s and older hadn't made it possible. Silly sod!

Why is everyone si hard of understanding on here?

We all have limited rooms. Many of us need an office to WFH in. This often needs to double as a guest room.

It's not a hotel. You can have the entirety of the rest of the house. Leave. The. Room. Stay out.

Perfectly reasonable and normal.

Reminds me of the BBC interview with Professor Robert Kelly that was gate-crashed by his kids 😂

I wouldn't even want to stay in your "office/spare room" if I was classed as a "guest" he's family not a stranger. If my daughter called me a guest, I wouldnt go again.

It probably made a few people’s day. 😂

He might be too far to pop into view. You can test it out.

Set up a Teams call with camera background blurred and commando crawl from the door to his trousers.

Will put your mind at rest hth. If no one on the call reacted, I think you are safe because something like this would be hilarious.

I don't agree at all! Covid was different because there was no option. This situation would earn you a bollocking my company. It looks unprofessional and could compromise confidentiality.

Eh? What doesn't look like a 73 year old?

I feel slightly ambiguous about this but I am 77 and I would definitely respect your privacy when requested and, unless your FIL is suffering with dementia or some other mitigating condition, I can appreciate you not being happy with his behaviour especially if this is the norm when he stays with you which sounds like he often does?
However, when you mentioned that your 'office' doubles for the 'guest room' whenever anyone stays, I couldn't help thinking perhaps you could make or have made a sign that you could hang on the outside of the door to indicate when you are on video calls to politely request 'definitely NO ENTRY please right now' or words to that effect?
Yes, it would be a bit of a faff and you would need to remember to turn the sign around when you're finished with your calls but it might help to avoid this happening again in the future? 😊

Doesn't look like a 73 year old man te.
Like some much younger man who is completely pissed or having a larf with his mates.

Don't believe this is a real incident!!!

just doesn’t feel very welcoming to only give a guest staying for a week privacy at night only

A bit like an old fashioned seaside boarding house. Kicked out at 9.30 and not allowed back in until teatime.