Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU or is my friend a CF

108 replies

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 21:23

I live in a house share and my friend has an associate coming to stay at the weekend. Someone she agreed to let stay knowing we don't have a spare room. The associate is to stay in her room, which is all good. She's free to have whoever she wants to stay. However she has decided that she's going to share my bed/room with me this weekend or because she knows I'm thinking of going away at the weekend she wants to use my room and let her guest have hers.

She never asked me any of this but assumed that it would be ok with me and basically came in and TOLD me that she'd either be sleeping with me and sharing my room or she'd be using my room herself while I'm away. If she'd of asked I'd either have considered it or been comfortable telling her no. Because I have ASD, OCD, ODD, PDA and Anxiety, my room is my safe space, my bubble of security where nothing is moved or changed without my say so. It's where I go to escape from the world.

If I invite a guest depending on my relationship with the guest I'd either sleep with them, on the floor in my room, the sofa or the floor in a friends room. And I'd not invite them before checking that my other housemates were ok with that. I would never presume that I could dictate where I was sleeping.

She made brief mention of sleeping on the couch but then said that obviously she's not going to do that because she can share with me, as the couch isn't as comfortable as a bed and it means she'd have to stay up later because she likes to be in bed and asleep by eleven and our housemates/friends obviously don't especially on a weekend and then be up early because of the poor blinds/curtain situation plus housemates that are early risers coming into the lounge. And I can't see why she thought sharing with me would be much better. I have RLS so my legs twitch and jerk all night. I sleep four four/five hours a night max which is why I have the room furthest from everyone else's so I don't disturb anyone when I'm up past four and awake before eight.

I don't want her in my room if I'm here or not and I especially don't want to leave her my room keys while I'm not here. But she is emotionally immature and I can't tell her this without her crying or going into a strop which is going to damage our friendship which in all other respects is great. She is usually a great friend if occasionally thoughtless like this. She's 19 so it's to be expected sometimes I suppose. But because she's not given me a choice I feel backed into a corner and I'm not happy. But I have to live with her at least another year so I need to keep the peace as much as possible.

It's the assuming and telling me what is happening that has annoyed me more than anything especially as I don't see why I should be inconvenienced and stressed because she's decided to invite a guest based on an incorrect assumption that I'd not expect any rational person to have.

OP posts:
MyBrexitIsIll · 24/10/2018 21:58

That’s not your fault.
You’ve tried to help her but you are not her mum nor are you there to he,p her get out of her immaturity etc...
If she doesn’t take it well, it will not be your fault.

EK36 · 24/10/2018 21:59

I would tell her the truth that you dont want her in your room. Lock up, take your keys with you and ignore any messages. She cannot karate chop you into submission OP! Tell her how it is! Otherwise she ll think she can control you and keep doing it again..and again!

Missingstreetlife · 24/10/2018 22:02

Absolutely not, just say no

Pinkyyy · 24/10/2018 22:04

If you don't feel comfortable having the conversation with her, you should write it all down and give it to her on paper. If she is likely to get emotional this may be better

AlphaBravo · 24/10/2018 22:05

N.o.

Goldmandra · 24/10/2018 22:06

It sounds like you need to draw a line somewhere. Wherever it is will cause an issue when you do it. It might as well be now.

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 22:07

My plans are either for me to go away with my keys without speaking to her, or allowing it this time on the assertion that it NEVER happens again.

OP posts:
twoshedsjackson · 24/10/2018 22:19

If you allow it just this once, she'll know what tactics, like tearfulness, will work next time!

Pinkyyy · 24/10/2018 22:19

Why allow it to happen this time? You are an adult and you do not need to be in that situation, nor do you want to be. Once you allow it once she will only get round you to allow it again

grumpy4squash · 24/10/2018 22:22

A work associate should have accommodation provided by work so no obligation to put the person up.

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 22:24

Confrontation with people I like has never ended well for me. My mother is a well meaning, high anxiety and potentially narcissistic, my sisters a screw ups who are going nowhere fast. There's a big age gap so I'm the scapegoat, I get the shit no one else can because I can take it. Which means I'm not great at boundaries. I was getting bullied in school my mothers response was if they're tormenting you, they're leaving someone else alone. I've been brought up to take this crap from people. I've taught myself how to be assertive with strangers and people I hardly know. I've not yet managed it with friends or family.

OP posts:
ILoveAllRainbows · 24/10/2018 22:29

Just tell her that you have OCD and can't share with someone. She will have to accept that.

I have mild OCD and wouldn't want to share a bed with anyone but my husband.

Tartyflette · 24/10/2018 22:29

She sounds like a very young 19, she has little or no concept of boundaries or personal space; I'd reflect on that before you acquiesce to her demands (yes, that's what they are) to use your room "just this once." Yeah, right.
You won't return to find your room how you left it, I'm sure. Will she change the sheets and launder them?
Will she keep her nose out of your bedside drawers and medicine cabinet?

And it is beyond weird that she is putting up a work associate.

Stompythedinosaur · 24/10/2018 22:30

Do not allow it once, she will def try to do it again! I think you need to tell be, be that in person, by text or by letter. Doesn't have to be long, something like "I wanted to let you know that I'm not comfortable sharing my room with anyone, so it won't be possible to leave my keys this weekend". If she tries to bring it up again just say "I'd really rather not talk about it" and move on.

She will get over it.

Goldmandra · 24/10/2018 22:33

You need to say:

I'm sorry that you have made plans for my room without talking to me. I cannot allow you to use my room while your colleague is here. If you had consulted me about your plan, I could have explained sooner.

I need my bedroom to remain my safe space. That means I can't allow you to sleep in there. I know we have shared rooms before and you may not understand but this is a different situation.

I want to reassure you that this isn't personal but you will need to sleep somewhere other than my room.

ReanimatedSGB · 24/10/2018 22:34

Your 'friend' is a selfish, spoilt, manipulative whinyarse. She's been getting her own way by boohooing and playing the victim for quite some time.
Tell her you do not want either her or her guest in your room and you will not be giving her the keys, then refuse to discuss it any further no matter how much she stamps and wails. If she's so 'hurt' that she stops being friends, she's no great loss.

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 22:36

Yeah I'm going to need to do that. I can't allow it. I'm just putting off the conversation. I'll just need to suck it up and tell her. She is a very young 19. I'm in my early 20's and because of my very different life experience to hers plus my Autism/other disabilities have a very different practical/common sense view of the world rather than her idealistic rose tinted view.

OP posts:
CremateFesteringValkeeeerie · 24/10/2018 22:41

I think you need to explain to her why it’s not ok if you’re comfortable sharing that, it would do her some good to understand why she can’t make assumptions about other people and needs to consult with them instead.

It’s a good life lesson to learn and will be helpful to her in the future - I’m sure you can do it tactfully but if she strops, let her. You won’t help her if you acquiesce or just ‘forget’ to leave the keys - but as a pp said, you’re not her mum, so it’s not your job to teach her these things if you don’t want to (but don’t give in if she does behave poorly).

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 22:43

Goldmandra yeah that's a good way to tell her. I'd not have been able to phrase it that way.

ReanimatedSGB, she lacks the ability to be deliberately manipulative. I've enough experience with those types of people to know when I see it. I think its more emotional immaturity and lack of guidance while growing up on her parents behalf and I've not helped that because of my disabilities/special needs emotions make me uncomfortable and I'm generally apathetic to most things so I just let things go.

OP posts:
NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 22:46

CremateFesteringValkeeeerie, I have nieces and nephews around her age and I'd like to think someone would show them the error of this type of thinking and help them learn these types of things (my nieces and nephews already know this but I am sure there are things that they need help with) if they need to. I'm her friend so I'm happy to guide her but I'm going to struggle to tell her without hurting her.

OP posts:
Jent13c · 24/10/2018 23:02

If you have any contents insurance for your possessions in the room I'm pretty sure that would be invalidated by leaving the keys. If I was in your situation and a stranger was staying in my house I wouldn't be able to leave for the weekend without knowing my room was all locked securely. If you do allow her it will not be a one off.

Wdigin2this · 24/10/2018 23:05

If you really can’t face upsetting her by saying no, make sure you are away and let her have your room. But before that, tell her it’s not something you're comfortable with, and you won’t be doing it again.

Mosschopz · 24/10/2018 23:09

CF. This reminds me of the time I moved into a really lovely flat, sharing with another ‘young professional’...second weekend I went away she invited a friend to use my room. It stunk of cigarettes and they left an ashtray full next to the bed. Left the next week.

Carriecakes80 · 24/10/2018 23:09

The way she is going to grow out o fher immaturity is to be treated as the adult she is, its cruel to be kind...Be assertive, its for her own good, you cannot protect this girl from disappointment her whole life, it won;t be doing her any good. Be kind, but be firm. xxx

nonetworkaccess · 24/10/2018 23:33

Oh dear, I've picked up crabs! But you're still welcome to share my bed. Or have a D & V bug, complete with puke bucket noises.

Sorry, there's no way this would be happening. You don't know this person from Adam - and they don't know you.

I have anxiety issues and I could not share my room, or give it to someone else, even a friend. If it caused a problem, too bad.

I'd rather have bad feeling than do this.

Please stand firm. No gets easier the more you use it.