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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to send a bill for the gas/elec/water/etc in return?

570 replies

Tinklewinkle · 26/08/2015 10:25

We live in a popular holiday area and had some friends staying with us for a couple of weeks. They went home on Sunday.

They've always been really good friends, and we've always got on really well, their kids are the same age as ours and get on well too. We've been on holiday with them before and it was fine, although this is the first time they've stayed with us for more than a weekend

Anyway, one evening they'd been out and they rang to see if we needed anything from the shop on their way home. I asked them to grab some milk and a loaf of bread.

When they came in I was given the receipt - for about £2.50. I didn't have any cash in the house so apologised and said I'd sort it out the next day. Then, I'll be honest, completely forgot about it. Nothing more was said until they left on Sunday when they reminded them I owed them the £2.50. I had about 70p in cash in the house so apologised and gave them that.

I got a text this morning to remind me that I still owe the remainder and giving their bank details so I could do a bank transfer.

I've transferred the money as I can't be arsed hearing any more about it, but I think they've got a thunderingly massive bloody cheek.

They've pretty much got a free holiday out of us. They've stayed in our house for free, used water, gas, electricity. They ate breakfast here every morning, we fed them about 50% of evening meals, they used the washing machine and tumble drier, they've had tea, coffee, cold drinks, snacks, etc, etc, so I'm somewhat miffed that they've quibbled about £2.50 and feel like sending them a bill for 2 weeks worth of B&B.

We didn't actually invite them, they wanted to come here and asked if they could stay with us. We nearly always have people staying in the summer holidays, we don't mind in the slightest, we enjoy having guests and are happy to look after them, but I now feel like a mug

OP posts:
WhatTheJeffHasGoneOnHere · 26/08/2015 17:35

Shamelessly place marking waiting for the reply. Bet they don't though.

Gruntfuttock · 26/08/2015 17:35

clam did your friend say anything to the 'friends' who treated her like their servant or the other ones who ignored her house rules? I hope she did. It's so disrespectful and not the way to treat a friend (or anybody else for that matter).

TheSpectator · 26/08/2015 17:36
Shock
TobleroneBoo · 26/08/2015 17:37

Place marking Shock

clam · 26/08/2015 17:40

Yes, she's quite assertive. But they just shrugged and clearly thought she was being fussy. Apparently you can't expect kids to do as they're told (re: fruit/doors) and they're not paranoid about clearing up straightaway at home (they were going to do it when they got back from their day trip! After she, presumably, had to spend all day looking at it).
Re: tour guide, she's learnt to hand over flyers of things guests could do locally and excuse herself from accompanying them.

Chelsielouise · 26/08/2015 17:43

Just reading through the thread you are not being unreasonable at all!
I'm awaiting their response!
It is infuriating sending someone a message in response to something bad they have done and getting no reply!

Chelsielouise · 26/08/2015 17:43

Just reading through the thread you are not being unreasonable at all!
I'm awaiting their response!
It is infuriating sending someone a message in response to something bad they have done and getting no reply!

BitOutOfPractice · 26/08/2015 17:45

ANSWER THE BLOODY TEXT MR AND MRS TIGHTWAD! Angry

Doublebubblebubble · 26/08/2015 17:46

Wtaf!! £2.50!!! I'd have just let it go (did they actually eat any of the bread or drink any of the milk - they must have) I would definitely say something as they might not feel that what they've done is inappropriate (a bank transfer, a bloody bank transfer!!!) but I would definitely let them know that it is... If you end up losing them as friends its probably a good thing tbf x

wallypops · 26/08/2015 17:48

Post something on Facebook about having had the worlds tightest guests to stay without naming names. Lay out the scenario in full and ask if any of your mates can top it for meanness.

Tinklewinkle · 26/08/2015 17:48

It is infuriating sending someone a message in response to something bad they have done and getting no reply!

I know!

Still no bloody reply.

OP posts:
MrsBertMacklin · 26/08/2015 17:48

For those saying they find it unbelievable:

My mother died very suddenly and unexpectedly, I was at work when I got the news. I was in shock, tears etc. A colleague, also a friend outside of work, drove me to my family's home about ten miles away.

The next day I got a text, offering sympathies for my loss and telling me not to worry about paying her back for petrol straight away, but when I was feeling up to it, I owed her £XX.

FatherReboolaConundrum · 26/08/2015 17:52

MrsB Shock Flowers Flowers

zzzzz · 26/08/2015 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

greenflamingo · 26/08/2015 17:53

Just adding my outrage to all the rest of the outrage! Well done for politely pointing out their faux pas, she's probably working out what the heck she can say - they must know they've been idiots.

greenflamingo · 26/08/2015 17:54

And WTF MrsBert?!?! That's horrendous!

Tinklewinkle · 26/08/2015 17:54

MrsBert I'm so sorry about your mum. Shock about the petrol money!

OP posts:
MrsBertMacklin · 26/08/2015 18:00

She did briefly pull my entire family out of their grief in order to jointly agree that she was a complete cuntrag, so silver lining, etc. Grin

clam · 26/08/2015 18:01

What is the MATTER with some people these days? MrsBert, that is quite dreadful. Shock

I'm going to predict that there will be no response at all. They've had their freebie holiday, and banked the £1.80. All is well in their world. They'll go off-radar until the next time they want to come and freeload, whereby they'll contact you as if nothing has happened.

zzzzz · 26/08/2015 18:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

clam · 26/08/2015 18:02

Did you ever settle up, MrsB?

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 26/08/2015 18:03

MrsBert, my condolences about your mum. I'm bloody stunned that someone actually sent that you after you've just experienced a loss.

My friend, less of a friend now is very tight. She never offers me petrol money. Once she said she'd treat my daughter and I as we were skint (Bear in money I have treated her and given her lifts many times before) 3 weeks later she asked for the money back. Once she gave me patrol money, then she asked for it back about a week later. Now she gets nothing from me and I take nothing from her.

ArcheryAnnie · 26/08/2015 18:04

MrsBert my god! And I'm sorry for the loss of your mum.

I had a bizarre experience with one of my previous bosses - he'd rung to ask me for a favour (not part of my usual job, but looking up some info for him), and I said normally I'd love to, but I was just about to leave the house to go to my mother's funeral. Instead of immediately offering his condolences and getting off the bloody phone pronto, as any normal person would, he launched into a conversation about who else I could pass him on to do him the favour. I never felt quite the same about him after that.

Strokethefurrywall · 26/08/2015 18:05

What a couple of tight cunts!

Iflyaway · 26/08/2015 18:06

Who needs these kind of freeloading fuckwits in their home life.

May that be a good lesson to you OP that some people are totally tacking you for a ride..

Yea, send the bill (or not but make a stink about it) and get yourself some new lovely generous friends.

And they invited themselves?! Fuck that.

You need to get in touch with your inner bitch. Grin and not be a doormat.