...to think this is a bit cheeky or do I need to relax a bit?

[NotActuallyAMum]

A work colleague of mine did me a favour recently – saved us about £50 – so as a thank you I offered him a couple of nights in our static caravan. I said that if he goes straight there after work on a Friday he’ll be there by about half 6 then if he leaves around the same time on Sunday he’ll have 2 full days there. I warned him that we wouldn’t be moving our belongings out of the way because there’ll still be plenty of room for the two of them. He took me up on the offer, which I was pleased about – I wanted to return the favour

I’ve just seen that he’s booked the Friday and Monday of that weekend off work, presumably to spend 4 nights at our caravan instead of the 2 that I offered. Additionally, someone else who works here sees a lot of this person out of work – the two of them and their wives spend a lot of time together and I’ve noticed that he has also booked the Friday and Monday off work, making me think that they are planning on going too

I could be wrong of course but it seems too much of a coincidence for there to be any other explanation. Isn’t this a bit cheeky?

... the response was 'Oh never mind. Could you leave the key somewhere and let us know where we can get it'

Forgive me, but I'm still laughing over that - the sheer balls of some of these people is incredible. Funny thing is, they're often the very first to take offence if something which doesn't quite suit happens to THEM

Taking extra friends wouldn't bother me at all but extra nights would be quite cheeky in my book.

The writing had been on the wall the year earlier when they came and once arrived asked if we would host a BBQ for some of their friends who lived nearby.

I may have missed something, but why are we assuming he is or was planning to take 4 nights? OP hasn't suggested he raised any problems when she told him how long he could have the keys for, she seems simply to be assuming it from the fact that he's taking Friday to Monday off. As others have pointed out, he could well have planned to travel up early today and come back on Sunday evening, leaving Monday free for unpacking, washing, and doing other stuff at home.

Did you miss the post where he was demanding that the OP go home at lunch to pick up the keys and give them to him yesterday?

Or where he asked if he could give the keys back to the OP next week rather than drop them with her neighbour on Sunday night, as she had already said to?

Icimoi I will never know for sure, but it seemed too much of a coincidence that the pair of them both booked the 2 days off within days of me making the offer. Also, he tried very hard to get the keys off me yesterday - said he "really needed them today", asked if my DH could bring them down before going to work then asked me to go home in my lunch break to get them. He only lives 10 minutes away from here so the reason for that definitely wasn't because it would have been out of his way to fetch them today

nochips02 your 'friends' are shocking!

Yes they have gone today, sorry can't remember who asked that

Crossed with badtime

"2 people x 2 nights is 4 units
4 people x 4 nights is 16 units"

OP is repaying a £50 favour. I presume OP isn't paying £50 for 16 units of lekki?

It has taken me nearly 6 years to put my foot down though, DP is a lot firmer with him and will just say 'no you take the piss so you can't borrow anything ever' but I am too nice and too much of a wimp.
.

And the other person is probably thinking 'I fixed their car, they would have paid £200 for that in a garage, why are they being so anal?'

What was it they actually fixed with the car anyway?

I've used a 'mates rates' mechanics before and I just paid him cash.

OP, when you get your keys back, change the locks in case he's had it copied to use whenever he likes!

i'm still amazed so many think this is OK (and presumably would try to do the same themselves)

this is the same as saying you will water someone's plants while they are away, then throwing a party at their house because you didn't think they would mind.

no no no

Aga, he did charge them for fixing the car, it was only £50 less than the garage.

No need for extra favours I mean, because they don't have premises, advertising, taxes, etc.

It just seems very fraught. If somebody is doing something, pay them for it. If it is a gift, give it freely.

Otherwise it just seems to get very muddled up.

AgaPanthers we paid him cash to do the job, plus an extra fiver more than he asked for - this was an extra 'thank you' from us. I don't know what the problem was, something to with lights, it was DHs car

I'm off in a bit folks. I've spent waaaaay too much time on here today, sorry boss (but I have done almost 15 hours of unpaid overtime this month already)

Our laptop at home is playing up big time, hence me only managing one tiny post last night - which took me ages and then I got a strange symbol instead of a £ so I may not be able to get on over the weekend but I will of course update on Monday with The Return Of The Key

Also meant to say a big thank you to everyone, I really do appreciate your input, whatever your feelings

Yep, he wanted Thursday to Monday for four. Change the lock barrel, too, people like this have form.

Who's to say the OP won't wake up on a weekend and find the "friend" has also borrowed their car overnight having also copied the keys to that? After all, they wouldn't have been using it while asleep.

This post does not have to be taken completely seriously.

Heating / lighting charges don't increase exponentially depending on how many people occupy the caravan . You either heat the caravan, or you don't.

You either switch the lights on, or you don't. It'd been better for all concerned if you'd just paid the going rate in the first place, and kept your caravan to yourself.

Tell me where the caravan is and I'll sabotage it. The fuckers.

With regard to the observation that heating costs don't increase exponentially with more people: there is something to that argument. However, caravan/holiday house heating isn't just of the air, but also of water, for showers, etc. (and is the water metered?)

Moreover, they were going to take four days instead of two, which most definitely is a big increase, number of people notwithstanding.

It's really simple. The OP is doing someone a good turn and in return they're taking the piss. Added to that, they are using PA tricks on the OP and effectively lying to her. This situation is made out of unreasonable.