How would you interpret this?

[User884721]

Newish neighbours asked ds17 to feed their cat while they're away. He looks after a few pets on the street. Fine, no problem with them asking him, all fine.

They left this morning and sent him many WhatsApp messages with instructions about the cat and the burglar alarm. Also fine.

Final message said-

FYI- Many of our home appliances, including all tvs and fridges, are WiFi controlled and we can see if they have been operated in our absence.

All of their messages have been quite business-like, but this one is something else?

Are they assuming ds will raid their fridge and watch their tv? Is it reasonable to assume a teenager might do this and warn them they will get caught? Are they trying to be jokey about it?

Or are they assuming the worst about ds and he should never help them again?

Ds feels like they don't trust him and they will be watching him through the camera the whole time.

I've said I'll go with him this evening and we'll decide what to do after that.

Dh thinks he'll go round and feed the cat and Sellotape a photocopy of his bum over their fridge-cam.

We know all about their super-fancy fridge too, they told us in great detail about it at a neighbour's barbecue recently.

I'm leaning towards this message-

Hi neighbours, X's mum here. After your last message he feels a bit uncomfortable being in your home alone. I will feed the cat myself today and tomorrow but you will need to arrange someone else after that.

And I really want to add "ds would never dream of opening your fridge or watching your tv and he's hurt that you might think that about him" but maybe that's too much. If they're being light-hearted about it.

Doesn't sound very light-hearted though?

Is it reasonable to worry that a teenager might invite all his pals round to your empty house to drink your beer and watch the football and warn him off in advance?

Twats. Let them sort something out themselves and don't offer again for anything.

They don't know him. It's a bit clumsily put, but teenagers having parties in empty houses is a thing, and he does have a key....

No, keep out of it. He's 17, it's a good life lesson to let him navigate this himself.

Are they paying him???

I think feed them this time and then, when they're back, he should tell them that he won't do it again because he felt they didn't trust him.

I'd message back "what are you trying to say? I'm feeding your pet, not moving in? I do understand appropriate boundaries but thanks for the heads up."

I would go with crinkle77 and leave him too it. If neighbours were so concerned they should pay for a professional car sitter to go round.

Perfect reply! Idiots.

I had to note that for the cleaners, if something you own could potentially record someone, you should be making them aware.

TBF I'd have had a nosey in the fridge, so its handy to know you're under surveillance. I certainly wouldnt be sending any arsey messages back.

Is the fridge like face time and it takes a little snapshot every time you open it 😂

Definitely ask them why they felt the need to say that - then depending on the answer go for the jugular. I’d be absolutely livid. They can cough up a fucking fortune for professional sitters in future.
And please please tape an arse picture on the camera- genius!

I'm only involved because he's showed me the messages, told me he feels uncomfortable and asked me what he should do.

Maybe they are just making him aware. But he knew he'd be filmed, they have video doorbells and some sort of intercom thing so they can talk to the cat when they're away. He has instructions about all of these.

It was just the picking out of the fridge and tv that has bugged him.

Cat needs feeding at 7.30pm exactly.

He's decided he'll go by himself. He's worried they might not like it if I go with him into their house which is fair enough.

But he's going to say no if they ask him again.

I still think it's a shitty message to send a young lad. You either trust him or you don't. Don't employ him (yes they're paying him) then suggest he's going to have all his friends round to drink your beer.

I’d reply “no worries, I’ll tell the cat not to use the fridge or tv”.

They’re either untrusting control freaks (in this case, never work for them again), or they’re nervously paranoid that they need to inform you in case of some complex GDPR regulation that they don’ fully understand.

It's very fancy. It has a camera inside so you can look inside your fridge when you're in the supermarket.

We played with one in the Samsung store a while back. They're the only people I know who actually have one.

We also played with the WiFi controlled cat feeder. Maybe they should just buy one of those.

Yes this is MN after all. They probably thought they's better SAFEGUARD him from the interactive fridge and tv.

I’d still ask them why they felt the need, I’m so cross on his behalf, if this was my ds he’d be really hurt.

This is perfect and i was going to say something similar 😂
He could have a lot of fun with it actually…. ‘Hi neighbour, your cat is fed as you will see from the videos you have set up. You really mustn’t worry about the fridge and TV as I know how vicious they are and I wouldn’t want to get bitten by one.’

Are they paying enough to have that attitude tho.

£5 a day. 2 visits. No laten that 8.30am, ideally 7.30am, and 7.30pm. So not really. A professional would cost them a whole lot more.

Does anyone remember scrumping?

Yeah for that price they wouldn't have My services again.

£5 a day?! He's ridiculously undercharging!!

Lol. your husband is funny

It's very fancy. It has a camera inside so you can look inside your fridge when you're in the supermarket.

I think I'd be getting the Lego minifigs out and staging a series of tableau in the fridge for their entertainment, getting increasingly risqué as the week progresses.