Invoiced for Christmas stay

[Brightun]

I’ve already had a thread about SILs bitching that the roast I served (for 11 people) wasn’t piping hot. Now we’re home I’m a bit less cross about that but absolutely fuming about the invoice I’ve received!

The set up is a bit complicated. DH has 3 sisters. The venue was SIL2’s house but I cooked because she’s recovering from an injury.

Me, DH, x3 DC
SIL1, BIL1, 1DC
SIL2, BIL2
SIL3

We all stayed 23-26 December. We brought 2 joints of meat, a Christmas pudding, a Christmas cake, plenty of wine, beer, some gin and rum, some nice cheeses, kids snacks and drinks. There was one cafe lunch and one takeaway and we all paid for our own families. I paid for one top up shop of about £40. Everyone else paid for/brought similar things.

This morning SIL emailed an invoice (made on an invoice template from some software!) to DH and copied me in for £200 for “hospitality”! I understand that hosting 9 people is a lot but I hadn’t expected to be invoiced.

DH wants to pay it to shut her up. I want to ask her to itemise it and to prepare an invoice in return for the hours I spent cooking Christmas dinner.

I think you need that itemised, definitely 😂

You write her an invoice with all the items you paid for listed.

And a line something like "you being a cheeky fucker : priceless"

And you email it back.

Assume it's a festive joke and bin it.

Omg that is so cheeky! Please ask for an itemised bill and send yours in return! You effectively “worked” Christmas Day, which, in my workplace is an additional 69% of your usual hourly wage, so factor that in. Likewise for Boxing Day! Gah, the gall of some people!

Hmm.

I’d be cross. You’ve already shared the cost surely?

I'd definitely send her your invoice back for the joints of meat etc and your chef time!

What have the others said? If it's £200 to them she'll make a packet.

I call CF!

Hmm. Nah.

I call BS😂

Create your own invoice and send it back! How much did you spend and what is the going rate for a chef these days?!

I wouldn't pay it. You've contributed plenty and been very generous.

Who the fuck invoices guests for staying with them?

Ignore it and stay at home for Christmas in future. Far simpler.

A chef on Christmas day i should add.

I'd ask to see the contract you signed saying you would pay anything!

Invoice her back for £200 for the food and drink you bought and the time you spent cooking (hourly rate). Should get your point across rather nicely and cancel pit her invoice. Job done and no arguments.

YANBU . This is a seriously dick move. You don't invoice family for hosting something, if you want them to contribute (and it looks like OP did very much so with time and supplies) then you discuss up front.

Whatever you do OP don't pay! These things often become the norm if you allow them to. Certain people if you give them an inch they'll take a mile and speaking from experience it's much easier to nip things in the bus earlier than to give into these types of people.

I'd mock up and 'expenses' list:-
List each item you bought and brought with you
List "cooking - labour' at an hourly rate x hours

Try and get the total so that you actually "owe" such a low random amount eg about £4.32, then send a cheque for that amount

She's fucking mental.

Don't invoice her back. Just reply with the list of how you already contributed that £200 and itemise all you bought. I bet it comes to more than £200.

What brother on earth would pay this? Why is your DH so wet?

I'd send "🤣🤣🤣" and be done with it. If she makes a thing of it literally tell her what you've said here. You cooked fucking dinner, you pulled your weight!

Is this for real?!

Probably not

send a cheque for that amount

An actual cheque so it is a faff to either take it into a bank/paying in machine or using a banking app (which never seems to work for me!)

This has to be a fake starter for a DaILY MaIL story.
Real people do not do that…

I think BS

If this is real, then 'fuck off' seems the most fitting response. You already know why I think.