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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To remove teen son's Netflix sofa

57 replies

cotswoldsblue · 10/01/2026 20:43

We have family friends with a house in Cornwall and a flat in Plymouth. They use the flat in Plymouth during the week- the dad needs to work Tuesday-Thursday so he comes to Plymouth Monday night and leaves Thursday night, and the mum comes as well so she isn't alone in the Cornwall house. The son, 17, stays full time in the flat in Plymouth where he goes to college. They are spare key holders for my flat as I live in the city, so I go to the flat once a month or so.

There's a large kitchen with a big table, where I'm usually invited to have a cup of tea, and a small sitting room a bit out of the way with two armchairs and a sofa. When the son is alone, he likes to lie on the sofa and watch Netflix on his laptop. It's pretty old and dilapidated, with rips, so he's put cushions and a blanket on it.

The mum wants to get rid of the sofa as it's an eyesore, and add another chair instead- they're not there enough really to warrant the expense of a whole new sofa they don't see or use. I guess occasionally they might invite guests through to the sitting room instead of the kitchen for a cup of tea/drink before dinner, and the sofa looks a bit shabby to do so, but their friends are mostly in Cornwall instead of the city base. That means the son will be sofa less and his only lying down option will be his bedroom, and he likes to keep that screen free to help his sleep. Thinking about it, the mum's well within her rights to get rid of the sofa as it's her house, and I think she's worried about the time the son spends lying down as he's overweight and inactive, but the son is there more often and I guess what he says about not wanting the screen in his room is fair enough, and him not being comfortable wouldn't make him move more. AIBU to raise this or is the mum totally in the right?

OP posts:
RappelChoan · 10/01/2026 20:51

It literally has fuck all to do with you how a different family furnishes their home.

TeenLifeMum · 10/01/2026 20:49

I think it’s about compromising. Or he can suggest a recliner chair.

cotswoldsblue · 10/01/2026 20:48

TeenLifeMum · 10/01/2026 20:45

He can buy a foot stool and use the new chair 🤷🏻‍♀️

True but the mum may not want that in the room, he'd need to store it in his room Tues-Thursday:) not a bad suggestion though!

OP posts:
poolcrew · 10/01/2026 20:47

If you don’t live there I’m not sure why it would matter?

cotswoldsblue · 10/01/2026 20:46

MyLimeZebra · 10/01/2026 20:45

YABU to give it so much thought

There's just a lot of details to explain 😁know is a bit long!

OP posts:
MyLimeZebra · 10/01/2026 20:45

YABU to give it so much thought

TeenLifeMum · 10/01/2026 20:45

He can buy a foot stool and use the new chair 🤷🏻‍♀️