Wont stop asking!

[Castleontheisland]

Name changed for this as my other threads are quite outing. Sorry its long!

Me and partner are away for a few days over Christmas, our next door neighbour has a spare key for our house for emergencies (we have their spare house key as well). We are not close friends just normal neighbours, They have had family visiting over Christmas/new year. On boxing day they text me and asked if some of their family could sleep in our home as more of the family had arrive unexpectedly! We said no because beds need changing and heating not on etc.(also I dont want strangers in my home)Well since then we have had text after text asking over and over again! I have also repeatedly tried to ring them but they are not picking up! The last one was very late last night (I was already in bed asleep)asking again and saying the family who they want to stay's car has broken down! I feel like packing up here and going home now as so worried they will just use my house anyway! I dont have any friends or family nearby who can check on my home. My partner has said they surely wont just use our house but I'm not sure they wont. 😥

Ask them straight out if they’ve got people staying in your house. If they say yes, tell them to get the people out right now. if they say no, don’t believe them.

(the people are in your house).

@TrixieMixie you might want to read the thread

I bet they didn’t really use the house except the beds only, to minimise the chances if the op noticing. Hopefully they used their own sleeping bags/bedding/pillows on top of the ops. That’s best case scenario. Otherwise how on earth did they think the op wouldn’t notice?

You make it sound as though they very decently refrained from roasting an ox over the Axminster in the living room!

I suggest the next time you go away get a ring doorbell then at least you can see who’s coming and going even after you get your key back from the neighbour in question.

I’ve just bookmarked my first ever MN post - after being a member for 8 years - to find out what happens in the end… good luck OP x

Not quite the same but years ago a friend who had our key for emergencies thought it was fine to invite some of her friends round on numerous occasions & show them round our home (we had not long moved in as a new build) while we were away on holiday. She thought it was perfectly fine & even took photos with them. I was speechless. I made an excuse that I had lost my key & needed the spare back.

Hope you're feeling better soon.
If I was you I'd get a ring doorbell and a Alexa show 5. I got the two of them for £66 in the black Friday sales on Amazon. I can turn on the camera on both of them to check on the front door or the kitchen (I have a dog).

I’d seriously ring the police and tell them you think you have people using your house without your agreement. They are trespassing. Being a keyholder doesn’t mean they have carte blanche with your property.

What would those visitors do if you’d stayed at home? There are B&Bs and budget hotels in most towns. Or other neighbours to borrow a camping bed etc from.

Wellstop - a relative did that to us. We gave her a key in case we lost the other one while on holiday. She didn't drive & no buses went between her place & ours, so I never considered her actually going to our flat. We got home after the holiday & found the bathroom light/noisy fan going (it absolutely hadn't been on when we left).

We went to the relative's place to get the key back. She didn't say anything about going there while we were away, so I mentioned the bathroom light being on & then she said she got her brother to drive her over to our flat so she could show him around. I wouldn't have invited him there, ever, so I wasn't best pleased. And our poor neighbours, with the fan going 24 hours a day for who knows how long!

(It was a tiny new-build block & all the fans were noisy.)

I can't help but hear the extremely obnoxious Catherine Tate old lady when I hear of taking liberties!

I'm absolutely horrified by what has happened here OP. And this is even before the thought of them actually using the key and invading your home like this. I mean who actually does this? It beggars belief! I wouldn't even do this to family or a close friend so the bang of CFery and entitlement is staggering. I hope you're ok. 💝

I think so too .. if I was OP I would feel exactly the same this would stress me out immensely ..I might even call the police and ask them to check the house . It is a good reason for nest doorbell and inside cameras tbh

Check the internet usage logs

And with BT you can see what devices have recently connected.

You know they've been in due to the plug sockets and the door being open. I'd be round to the neighbour's questioning your smart meter data and why your usage was so high when you were away.

Then ask them for monetary compensation for this. It's baltant they used your property.

All along I have been thinking the insistence from them was due to a panic as something had happened to your house eg a fire or a smashed window or something so they were trying to cover their arse insurance wise.

I do actually still think something happened but if no signs when your Mum went there then they somehow fixed it.

My aunt did the same, housesitting for someone, multiple times. Took it upon herself to ask multiple people, aka the whole village, to the house for tea and tours round including inspecting the contents of wardrobes. This included the estate manager who grassed her up quite rightly.

Imagine if such aunts had had Instagram!

They’ve already done it.
They are desperate to get get your approval for something already done.

Haha indeed. Thankfully the internet was the damned interweb to her and she has never fathomed out it’s inner wonders

Surely it's really obvious if people face slept on the beds. Even if they straightened up, you could smell them on the pillows and the beds wouldn't look like when you do them.

You're not being unreasonable. You said no, but this neighbor clearly won't take no for an answer. You should make an unexpected trip home, and if you find uninvited guests, courtesy of your neighbor, then it's time to get your key back.

Ring the Police and say you’re away and you’re worried you have intruders.

She has the key back! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Jeez Louise - I've been gobsmacked before by posts on here, but this is the first time I've ever commented.

Can-not-believe-the-stuff-people-will-actually-do!!!!!!

Makes you not want to trust a soul!!!

Good luck with the neighbour, OP. After all, no matter what happens, you've still got them as a neighbour which is awkward. I feel for you.

Hope everything goes ok.

Phone the cops and ask them to go and check your house, a friend said she saw a light on and no one has permission to be in your house. If there is anyone there please change them with trespassing, simples 😆

I’ve just been reminded of my Father-in-law’s impromptu visits when he had a key to our house. I’ve posted about it on here before.

We gave him a key for emergencies and also to take the dog up the farm with him if we were out for the day. He used to love taking our dog out and our dog adored him. One half term we were out with the kids all day. He’d been round to pick up the dog, which was fine, but what he later told us was that he’d had a friend with him and they’d stopped for a cup of tea. The house was a bomb site, washing up, clothes everywhere, kids toys not picked up, nothing hoovered or dusted all week. Mortified.

Another time, late one evening, about half past ten, just getting ready to go up to bed when we heard the key in the lock. In strolls Father-in-law. Just thought he’d stop by for a cup of tea, late night out on the farm. Could have been awkward.

I didn’t like to ask for the key back, was really handy having someone in for the dog.