Annoying guests thread

[qwertyuiop098]

Inspired by the absolutely cracking annoying things about other people's homes threads, what annoys you about guests at your home?

I'll start - when people stay over because they live too far to travel home after a night out/late dinner...but then overstay their welcome the next day lying in until the afternoon or not taking the hint to get going.

When people leave the toilet seat up.

Making snide comments about my home e.g. MIL "ugh why do you not have any normal milk? I don't like that oat milk!"

Not bringing anything/saying thank you/returning the invitation.

When we first had a child we were quite hard up, didn't go out much and money was very tight. One set of friends- a lawyer and a banker, no kids, much better off than us - used to come to us because it was easier. But they always made a thing of saying they'd come at the end of the month for a cheap weekend when they were "skint" ie had blown all their huge salaries. It wasn't a cheap weekend for us because we had to feed them all their meals. They'd bring one bottle of wine and then drink several of ours. I tended to have a stock of nice wine built up in the cellar for special occasions (as opposed to boozy "sessions") and they seemed to think it was "free" because it's already there. In fact I'd budgeted for it. They'd just go and help themselves. Then stay up really late and lay in whilst we got up early with the baby.

One time they said before arriving that they felt bad we always cooked and we should get a takeaway for a change. I assumed they were offering to treat us. They ordered loads of food but when it turned up they were clearly shocked when I expected them to pay or at least contribute. They dredged together less than £5 in loose change. We had to raid my son's money box to pay the delivery chap.

They've retired from city life now and run a b&b in a remote area (and have a child). I wonder now if they ever think about what life was like for us in those days. We've never been to stay as they made quite clear we'd have to pay the usual rates!

Another couple were quite selfish and thoughtless. I invited them to a Christmas party we were having. They asked if they could stay over so they could both drink. I was nearly 6 months pregnant and bit keen on overnight guests (could imagine how this might go) but agreed. The woman of the couple kept coming up to me during the party moaning that there weren't enough people she knew. What she wanted me to do about it I don't know. She ended up taking a book of the shelf and sitting down in a sulk pretending to read it while the party carried on around her. Party was afternoon so everyone else gone by about 8pm. They sat and watched us clear up, move furniture etc without lifting a finger. The husband carried on drinking and them threw up in the bathroom basin and over the floor. The wife came to tell me that I might want to have a clean up. Er, no. I handed her a bucket, sponge and disinfectant and she looked really put out.

Next morning they hung around for ages. Gave them several options for breakfast, the husband said he didn't fancy any of that and started rummaging in the cupboards opening packets. When they finally left he said to me "you don't look very pregnant, I keep forgetting ". Well, no shit.

We rarely have guests now. I'm a natural introvert anyway and my experiences put me right off!

When we lived abroad (quick hop from UK) we would have regular visits from DM & DPIL. We always paid for flights so not super expensive for them.

DPIL were experienced and great house guests. Would bring over things we couldnt get where we lived (mint jelly mainly), would contribute to housekeeping for the week, would be pushing us to go out and they would babysit... Ideal guests.

DM was the opposite. Would arrive with a clutch of raffle tickets she had bought but wanted us to pay for. Didnt want to babysit and would be very reluctant if we asked. Always complained about how expensive it was to visit. She didnt pay for the flight, didnt contribute to housekeeping. The expense was that she was always buying gifts for people back home. Somehow this was our fault.

Some years later DM admitted that she was always off with us because she was taking out the frustrations she had with my DB on us knowing that we wouldnt cut her off. Gee thanks mum!

@GoldfishParade

One of my most important habits is I take about two hours to properly start engaging with the world in the morning. So say I get up at 7, I then potter around for two hours, have multiple coffees, sit on the sofa, go on Mumsnet, cuddle my cat, moisturise, etc.

Basically if you stay at my house, please don't get up early.

So my top annoying thing is when you hear them get up like 10 minutes after you, or even worse, when you're about to get out of bed and you can hear the kettle being turned on!

Omg I am exactly the same! Need at least two coffees and one hour before I'm awake. What is even worse if I try and sneakily get a coffee so I can wake up slowly but all of a sudden everyone is up and you are making 5 different hot drinks for people before being anywhere near awake! I do like to be a good hostess and look after guests... but not until I've had my coffee !!

The friend of DH’s who came for the weekend who said he would cook us an amazing curry. It wasn’t amazing, it was rank, all out of jars and he used every pot, pan and utensil and left the kitchen like a bomb had hit it. So not only did I have to eat his shit curry, I had to clean up after him.

Friends who bring nothing, not even a bottle of wine. I just don’t understand how some people don’t think to do this. It’s just basis manners like saying please and thank you

Friends who out stay their welcome. We like to hold parties and live in the middle of nowhere, so happy for friends to stay over, what I’m not happy about is the ones who hang around the next day, wanting towels and shampoo, fresh coffee and a cooked breakfast 🤦🏻‍♀️ the best guests get up at 6am, quiet as mice and clean up before they leave

When my mate came over she never took hints to leave.. Even on a school night. I would be bathing dc /pj's etc and she would still be there.
She lived across the road.

People who strip the bed they’ve slept in before they leave. Drives me mad!

‘Favourite’ was a friend who used to come for eg 5 nights with children to save money. Muggins here would end up paying for nearly all trips out, food out etc. As well as presents for her kids, activities at home etc. She wouldn’t even bring a bottle of wine (but would drink mine), would complain about the tv the kids watched (even though I’d ask her if it was ok first), food provided, and complain how skint she was. Turns out she’d paid off her large mortgage by being so frugal (and getting everyone else to pay for everything).

I’ve ignored her for years now, not worth the argument I just don’t want to see her and be her extra income generator. She sent a ‘what have I done wrong’ letter when I ignored her next ‘can I come and stay’ message. Feel bad for ignoring her but she’s in her 40’s and if she hasn’t worked out she’s not a very nice person, and doesn’t have even basic manners I don’t think she’s going to listen to me.

Otherwise I love hosting, have some lovely friends. I don’t care particularly if they stay asleep late or get up early, if they’ve loads of things they’d like to do or are happy to go with my ideas etc. I’m relatively easy too I’m just happy to see them and spend time in whatever form it takes.

@Coldilox

People who strip the bed they’ve slept in before they leave. Drives me mad!

God I'd love if my guests did this. I dont want to get all up close and personal with your sweaty sheets!

@Coldilox

People who strip the bed they’ve slept in before they leave. Drives me mad!

I agree. I dont have guests often and typically just one night, then the next time will be exactly the same guests so the same sheets should be left on for next time. I don't change my own sheets every single day. (If it's going to be different guests then yes of course I change them but I want to do it in my own time without my guest room looking a mess with sheets ripped off and dumped on the floor in the meantime. )

How about the ones that bring their own Bluetooth speaker and start playing their own music as soon as they arrive ..... ggrrrrr

Rearranging your kitchen to how they have things in their home, & telling you their way is better.

Getting up early to make their own breakfast (fine by me) and then complaining, "Your toaster/ kettle's funny, I don't know how you can use it!" They are basic household appliances.

Complaining that the stairs are too steep. They're not.

Picking up & reading all Christmas & birthday cards on display, & asking who the senders are, & then saying, "Well, I don't know who they are."

Being invited for the evening meal, turning up & saying, "We won't want much dinner, we stopped for lunch on the way here."

Constantly asking if they are getting in the way. Complaining that we don't see enough of each other...

Oh, & the icing on the cake : turning up with a bag of pajamas/ toothbrush/ towel etc which I found in the wardrobe after they'd gone. On phoning to point out they'd left it behind I was told, "That's right. It's for when we come again. It'll save us keep having to bring it each time we visit you."

I love having guests and normally regularly have a house full of friends,

But if I’m honest one kinda takes over. Like she starts clearing up ans just gets things done, when I don’t feel it’s time yet and she gets so busy it’s hard for me to actually be involved, I have now learned instead of being annoyed I just let her crack on. She’s doing it out of kindness, as she feels I’ve cooked the meal so she doesn’t want me doing more but it used to really grate as I felt it was my job.

Past that none of my regular guests do anything that ever bother me, they are all fully house trained.

The last time she came I had brand new bedding on. I kindly let her have my bed and she shit the bed. I was gutted!

This has to be the ultimate piss-poor guest.

What did she do or say after? How did she finesse this?

People who strip the bed they’ve slept in before they leave. Drives me mad

Unless you use the used sheets again, which is rank, what is there to object to?

Your guests are being polite.

@Coldilox

People who strip the bed they’ve slept in before they leave. Drives me mad!

Why?

Guests who don't understand common courtesy like how to use a toilet brush or leave the bedroom in an absolute state when they leave.

Guests who overstay their welcome!

Also guests who get up too early (and you can hear them downstairs) so then you HAVE to get up aswell, ugh!

Guest who outstay their welcome. Friends come and stay and use our house a base. Fine. We live in a nice spot. Same friends then get ratvarsed stay up really late with DH and then stay all day in their PJs the next day. Then finally make a move to shove off at 7pm. While they have commandeered the sofa, the papers and take really really long showers in my en-suite. There is a guest bathroom!!!

I find turning up empty handed a bit rude to be honest,

All my close friends and I, we always come with chocolates, flowers, and a shit ton of booze, becayse we want to contribute, and we get how expensive it is to host.

We had one couple stay, good friends but no longer close, and they turned up empty handed, and then sat and ate and drank a lot, and I mean a lot. They proper filled their boots, Which is totally fine, we invited them, and we enjoy hosting, but not even a little box of chocolates, a small plant, or a cheap bottle of wine to say thanks, really surprised me.

I just would not do that personally.

The worst house guest I have ever had is my brother in law, who spends ten minutes in the bathroom every morning, very loudly coughing, horking and spitting into the sink.
(Heavy smoker.)
I don't allow him to smoke in the house, needless to say.

The guest who said she would bring a sticky toffee pudding and a veggie dish. So I gratefully plan the meals accordingly. Then she turns up instead with a beef wellington and some mushroom soup, so I had to scrap my main course for hers and hurriedly improvise a pudding. It's great to contribute to meals, but so much more helpful to say what you're bringing and stick to it.

Putting smelly feet on my sofa 🤢

I had guest stay whose clothes left black fluff absolutely everywhere. I had brand new cream sofas too.

Leaving toothpaste all over the bathroom sink.

I use to have a regular guest, pretty much used my place as a hotel when in town, she would always bring disgusting smelling food. She also always slept with my radiator on full blas next to her but had all the windows open 🤬

we had friends of a friend for 8 days one summer as they wanted to attend a festival near us. We did it as a favour. The 'guests' were on the raw food diet and so brought massive heaps of raw food which they proceeded to store in my one and only bathtub. Whenever I tried to move beetroot or watermelons they would huff and put them back.

They brought nothing. Used us a like a B&B. The wife would follow me around my own hosue and criticise the decor, the way I pruned my roses and my dogs.

Found out a few years later that our 'friend; had actually charged them on the sly for the use of OUR house as he was skint and thought it was a good way to make money. Why they thought they were paying him and not us if we were a B&B is beyond me, but anyway.

When guests immediately ask for the WiFi password and don't say please.