Am I being unreasonable to want our house guest to get up before 10am?

[katsh]

We are a family of 5. 2 of us work at home. 1 dd is home schooled and has GCSE's starting next week. Other 2 dc at school. a 30 yr old Aussie friend has moved over to the UK on a 2 yr working visa. She has been with us 8 days so far, and the arrangement is she is staying until she finds work and accommodation in London. So far she has made no efforts to do either ( but jet lag - so fair enough). However - she is sleeping in the room which has our family computer, my work desk etc, on a fold up sofa bed. I've told her that i usually start work at 9am. She hasn't got up before 10.15 yet. Do I just need to suck it up or do I say something to her ? It sounds like a little thing, but life if fairly stretched and strained already and not being able to work except with my laptop on my knee is feeling a bit annoying. How would you handle it ?

[BoatyMcBoat]

Hope you get the pipes fixed easily

[specialsubject]

Happy ever after ending - apart from the pipes which I hope are fixed!

[oliviaclottedcream]

You are being very generous and accommodating OP, don't forget that... You've every right to use you're own home in the way you need to. I think Liiinooo amongst others, summed it up very well.

[katsh]

24 hours later update
Ozlady has gone. We parted well. In fact last night when our pipes burst she was a gem and really helpful. But it's nice to have the study back for work again, and the family dynamic back to its predictable patterns!

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

How are things today OP? Has she moved out??

[crazywriter]

I was going to come here and say YABU but then saw why you want her up. Definitely NBU. I work from home and would hate to be affected like this without knowing when it will change. I'd slip in a conversation about how it's going looking g for a place to live and work.

[PissOffJournalists]

Maybe not actually, their topic is about unwanted houseguests rather than them not getting up. Ignore my above post!

[PissOffJournalists]

The Wright Stuff are about to talk about this topic and I suspect they got the idea from here AGAIN.

[PirateFairy45]

Go in the room and make a fuss of getting comp ready for work.

You start at 9am, just because she isn't up, doesn't mean you have to be late for working!

[BoatyMcBoat]

Exactly, specialsubject. No need for her to be blagging free beds of any sort for more than a week.

[Wheresthattomoibabber]

Watch the episode's of outnumbered with the Australian goddaughter with her.

[specialsubject]

plenty of backpacker hostels in London, as I mentioned perfect places to meet others, look for work etc etc.

that's where she needs to be. There's no need for the OP to take her back.

[HisNameWasPrinceAndHeWasFunky]

Well done OP. I hope this is the solution and she is sensible and reasonable. But she's not gone yet

[Lalsy]

Well done OP, and I hope things calm down a bit for you all now.

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

So she'll be with other friends for Thursday & Friday but what about the weekend? Where will she be then? Is she thinking she can move back into your place for the weekend?

If I were you, I'd be bringing in newspapers with the local lettings/places for rent pages and leave them with her but don't leave her under any illusions that she can move back in for the weekend. Once she is on the move, try to keep it that way.

[katsh]

Thanks specialsubject and janecc !

[Janecc]

Smoothly done

[specialsubject]

good news; OP has issued polite marching orders and they have been accepted.

result!

[blindsider]

Jet lag is an excuse for 2-3 days tops - You are doing them a favour I would just breeze in at 08:45 and say I need my office back in 15 minutes!!

[Just5minswithDacre]

Ooh yes, carry on posting, OP. We'll help you. Mwah ha ha.

[katsh]

Thanks good people of mumsnet for your words of encouragement and also discouragement . They were the words I needed to hear to enable me to put my big girls pants on and deal with the situation properly. Over a cup of tea I have explained to Ozlady that actually, with the sudden admission of my m-in-law to hospital and all the ramifications of that for my f-in-law etc we are going to be a little more stretched than even now, and so I think it would be best if she moved sooner rather than later. She has taken that on board and has arranged to stay with friends Thursday and Friday night and will suss out accommodation and hopes to move next week. So that wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Sorry to disappoint those who had settled down for unfolding drama ! She really is a nice woman, but I did need a kick up the backside to manage the situation better.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Change the wifi password to "TimeToFindaJobandAHomeofYourOwn"

[HisNameWasPrinceAndHeWasFunky]

Do I just need to suck it up or do I say something to her?

OP you absolutely do NOT need to suck it up. She is sleeping in your office. Apart from the other advice to move things along in her life, you absolutely need to say that you need to be able to WORK in YOUR OFFICE from 8.45am - NOT NEGOTIABLE.

If she wants to lie in all day she needs to find her own accommodation.

I would also be concerned if she is staying in her PJ's all day. FFS she has arrived on her big adventure - she should be excited about getting out and about, seeing the sights, meeting people, finding a job and flat etc. If she isn't into any of this I do feel concerned she has other more personal issues and you may have the human equivalent of Ayers Rock now living with you (i.e. immovable object)

[StealthPolarBear]

:)

[Lalsy]

OP, I work at home and think you have been extremely generous - I find other people around really difficult. You are juggling a lot and the presence of an extra person will make that harder, even without the sleeping thing. Also, my dd and her mates have all found it straightforward to get work in London - she can get a bar job or events work that will pay for basic hostel accommodation while she sorts out something better/more long term.