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AIBU?

To tell them to find their own way to the airport in a foreign country

770 replies

EspressoMonkey · 20/01/2013 09:30

First of all, sorry, long story and first world problem.

DH, DCs and i live abroad for DH's job. We live in a rented house close to DH's work as it is not really easy for foreigners to buy property where he works. I miss England and our lovely home there, so last year DH bought me a Ski Chalet as a birthday present / thank you for leaving your family and job in England to follow me around the world, present. He insisted it was my chalet, i could decorate it how i wanted etc, do what i wanted with it.

The chalet is in a fabulous ski resort and to me it is very much our home. We spend most weekends there, we do not rent it out as a holiday chalet.

Last year MIL asked whether HSIL and her uni flat mates could visit for a weeks snowboarding holiday. I was reluctant to agree. DH's does not really know his HSis and when she has visited us in other homes she has been very messy (straightens hair over sink leaving behind lots of hair etc etc) and she never helps out at all. Reluctantly i agreed, MIL insisted her friends were nice and they would help out and babysit DCs in exchange for free board.

HSIL and her friends booked plane tickets which meant they landed late at night with no way of getting to the chalet so DH drove a 6 hour round trip to collect them from the airport.

They have been here all week and as i guessed, have been hard work. They have done nothing to help out around the house, not bothered to help with dinner or clean away afterwards, not helped with DCs or bothed to even buy me a bunch if flowers or some chocs to say thank you for having them. We all eat together but they talk amongst themselves and make little conversation.

On Wednesday DH was called back to work with a crisis, leaving DCs, myself and HSIL and her friends. Since then they have been worse, going out at night and getting drunk and returning at 2/3am and waking DCs and i with their noise. Last night things worsened. DCs and i were woken at 3am, i could hear male voices and smelt cigarette smoke. Our house is strictly non smoking, especially as we have a baby. I went into the lounge and interrupted the party. I asked the young men to stop smoking in my home and to please leave as i didn't know who they were. The young men were local lads and were very apologetic for smoking and waking us and explained they didn't know it was a private home. As they left one of HSIL's friends, under her breath, called me a snotty cow. I turned around and politely challeneged her on her comment. She repeated it and called me an old hag too (34 BTW, she is 20).

I went back to bed fuming and in tears. This morning i woke them all up at 8.00am. They are due to fly back home tonight and i assume were expecting DH or me to take them to the airport. I explained that because DH was not here and because we had had a lot of snow lately and the minibus was snowed in, they could make their own way back to the airport via public transport. I was not driving them 6 hours round trip. They had 12 hours to get back to the airport themselves. The journey is a bus and two train rides and takes a total of 3.5 / 4 hours. An hour later i heard the door bang and went to their rooms. They have left and take all their stuff. They have not said good bye. The room where the two girls were sleeping has been trashed. Make up; lipstick, foundation and other stuff has been smeared into my beautiful new White Company bed sheets. It doesn't look like an accident as it is on all the pillows, duvet and sheet.

I phoned DH at work and told him what had happened. It was a broken line and DH was v. busy at work so i know he wasn't really aware of the whole story as it was hardto talk. But he questioned whether i had checked they had money to get to the airport and whether the trains were running. I hadn't. I have checked since and the trains are running. But have i done the right thing? AIBU?

OP posts:
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Mimishimi · 20/01/2013 11:26

YABU - only in that you should have kicked them out at the first hint of rudeness. Take photos and let your MIL know they are never welcome again.

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LIZS · 20/01/2013 11:27

How rude , not only their behaviour while staying but to leave like that. Definitely say that they are sadly not welcome to visit again but you would appreciate any contribution towards their stay (did you cater for them ?)

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diddl · 20/01/2013 11:29

I´d send MIL a bill.

And put photos on FB

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Viviennemary · 20/01/2013 11:33

Good idea to take photographs. They sound dreadful. They deserve to be reported for criminal damage to Interpol. That would put the frighteners on them.

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Flatbread · 20/01/2013 11:38

Yanbu.

I would detail what was said, highlighting the boys late at night, smoking, snotty cow and old hag comments.

Mention the no respect, no help as well.

And leave it at that. No point asking for compensation, it just dilutes the message and will make you sound a bit precious.

I think you have done really well so far. Perfect mix between reasonableness and being firm Flowers

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KhallDrogo · 20/01/2013 11:39

Send the sister an email and a bill, she is an adult after all. Surely she is the one that needs to respond to you and apologise

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diddl · 20/01/2013 11:46

Blimey-your husband is thoughtful-asking if they had money.

Wouldn´t have occurred to me.

Does his sister know what her friends did?

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DeafLeopard · 20/01/2013 11:47

What nasty freeloaders. I would have chucked them out at 3am for their rude comments.

YANBU

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Groovee · 20/01/2013 11:48

If they'd done this in a hotel then they would have been billed by the manger. I'd keep MIL out of it except to tell her not to ask for anyone again and bill SIL and her friends to be paid by a set date for replacement sheets and teach them a lesson.

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diddl · 20/01/2013 11:54

But people who do this sort of thing aren´t likely to pay up, are they?

This why I suggested MIL-especially as she instigated it?

Maybe she´ll stop enabling!

I mean a 20yr old couldn´t/didn´t even ask her own brother??
(If I´ve read correctly)

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SpicyPear · 20/01/2013 11:55

YANBU. What disgustingly rude and entitled little cows they were. At that age I definitely knew how to behave in a respectful way and would have been on absolute best behaviour. If they wanted a boozy week they should have found appropriate rental accommodation, not in a house with young children!

I tend to think it's best to deal with MIL as she arranged it and the HSIL is an adult in age only. I don't agree that you shouldn't mention money. Whether you can afford replacements is compeletely irrelevant, you ahould be compensated. I also wouldn't be worried about staying on good terms with these users.

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comingintomyown · 20/01/2013 11:55

What did you say in your email?

I wouldnt ask for money for the sheets it will just escalate the issue when in fact life is short and I would just forget about it immediately. As you said first world problem and not a huge one at that

YANBU to let them get to the airport themselves though they sound awful

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diddl · 20/01/2013 12:01

Not ask for money??

No wonder people do this then-stuff magically gets replaced with no inconvenience/consequence to them.

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Branleuse · 20/01/2013 12:01

YANBU. I am astounded. How horrible.

I wouldnt ask for money though, i would take it as a lesson learnt, and perfect excuse for never allowing anyone else to stay there, so possibly in that respectl, the money was worth it. Id also want to just put it behind me and not have a family feud over it or upset your MIL who will probably already be feeling humiliated and let down by her daughter.

Im a bit surprised that youd call her half sister if they have the same mum though. Are you sure your dh doesnt just see her as his little sister?

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ratspeaker · 20/01/2013 12:02

I wouldn't bill MIL, SIL is an adult and should take responsibility for her own behaviour.
What I would do though is email MIL and say please don't ask us to host SIL again, the mess, late night parties and rudeness are more than we are prepared to accept.
Put it down to experience and never have the ungrateful, entitled, sponger in your home again.

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lisianthus · 20/01/2013 12:03

YANBU. Kungfupanda's suggestion is absolutely spot on. And bugger the reasoning that if you have a chalet you can afford to pay for the sheets. If those ghastly young women can afford the flights to you for a freeloading holiday, the costs of skiing gear and skiing and the boozy night they seem to have had, they can fish about and find the cash for the sheets. They can spend the money they saved by not buying you a thank-you present.

And your MIL should be involved in this. She was the one who talked you into it by holding out her daughter and her friends as helpful, respectful houseguests. At the very least MIL should be reading her daughter the riot act for making a liar out of MIL and pressuring her daughter into apologising and replacing your sheets. If MIL is any sort of decent person, she would want to be involved to put things right after what her daughter and her awful friends out you through.

Finally, don't take any comments about creating a "rift in the family" on board. If anyone would be responsible for that it would be your HSIL. Any member of your family who expects you to suck up being insulted and intimidated in your own home has serious problems with their priorities.

Wine and [chocolates] for you!

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EspressoMonkey · 20/01/2013 12:16

UPDATE:

Just left home for our trip to the park and found a bottle of wine with a note attached on the doorstep. Note reads "Apology for trouble and hurt last night. We want to help clean your pool tonight after our work. Apology."

Handwriting and grammar errors suggest the note and wine are from the boys who were here last night. Did not think to check on the pool as it is out of use ATM as DH needs to fix problem with water chemical imbalance. Nipped down to the basement and there is no mess but there are three bottles of champagne floating in the pool. Think they are DH's champagne, but not certain. Presuming the mess has been cleaned up already by the pool filters???

DH is not back until tomorrow so not keen to let these boys in tonight plus there is no mess to clean up.

No news from MIL or HSIL. Did not ask MIL for any compensation for the bedding or send her the photos (not able to download them anyway without DH's help).

Kungfupanda you are very good with words, i love your suggestions.

OP posts:
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HecateWhoopass · 20/01/2013 12:21

Decent lads.

Shame the women you were good enough to put up are not so decent.

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KatyTheCleaningLady · 20/01/2013 12:22

On the plus side, you have met some really lovely locals! When they arrive, tell them the pool is tidied up and express your appreciation for their being so thoughtful.

It sounds like they met some people who invited them back to "their" chalet where they were offered "their" champagne to drink.

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Celticlassie · 20/01/2013 12:22

How nice that the boys did that! It's a sad state of affairs when total strangers are more considerate than your own family.

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conantg · 20/01/2013 12:23

So these local lads have a conscience and some manners. Useful further evidence for you, too - take a photograph of their apology to show MIL if there is any question of her not believing you.

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LIZS · 20/01/2013 12:26

What time are they due home ?

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Numberlock · 20/01/2013 12:27

That's a lovely gesture from the guys and hopefully has restored your faith in humanity somewhat.

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Loquace · 20/01/2013 12:27

Telling that unsolicoted apology and offers to put right come from total strangers .....and not the family member (plus mate).

Interesting contrast in terms of attitude.

I have had people take the piss becuase we live in Italy, and they forget that yes they are on holiday, bit our life is still trundling on. But even the worst of them has never managed that degree of entitlement, foul manners and toddler style deliberate destructivness.

And the intimidation? I have no words, other than I am really sorry you have been through the mill as a result of doingbsomebody a massive favour.

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Lavenderhoney · 20/01/2013 12:30

What nice young men. Agree they must have been horrified to find it was your chalet, your drink, your life. When they come be really lovely and explain. They sound like they will be looking out for you in a nice way in the future.

Drinking all your champagne. I would be incandescent. Have those girls nicked anything, like jewellery? Unhelpful is not a good description. Cut and paste what you wrote on here. Plus the pool drama. Add cost of champagne to their bill.

To load pics - save them onto your pc. Go to your email, click attachments and find the pics in the place you saved them. Click ok, and they will load - you might have to do it one at a time.

You have to tell your mil, and then let your dh deal with it. Don't be so nice. And don't have them back. Ever. Even accompanied by mil.

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