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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Houseguest who won't leave

293 replies

MadzG1471 · 22/06/2024 15:41

I am getting quite annoyed with a houseguest who just won't leave. This is a friend from America, who was planning to be in the UK for a few weeks this summer. I offered him a room at my partner's and my home. We initially spoke – in admittedly quite vague terms – about him staying for two weeks at the beginning of June, after which he was going off on European trips with his girlfriend. It sounded very much like I was going to see a fair bit of them but they wouldn't be here all the time.
However, while he was staying with us, his girlfriend broke up with him and their summer plans fell through. It's now been over three weeks. Although he doesn't expect to be fed and watered, and is self-sufficient, he often mooches around the house and has shown no sign of leaving. He has started doing his laundry in the washing machine. Today I asked when he was planning to go and he said that he felt guilty for imposing on us but mentioned that his summer plans were up in the air because of the break-up and didn't offer a specific date. I feel too awkward to ask him again. He is a writer whose work can be done anywhere, so I worry that this is turning into an open-ended thing and we now have not a guest but a lodger we didn't ask for.
I am trying to be as nice as I can and feel guilty turfing out a friend who is very unhappy about this break-up. He is obviously heartbroken and depressed. But I am getting increasingly vexed with his presence and that he hasn't offered to help in other ways, e.g. with chores, buying groceries etc. He didn't bring a thank-you gift which I was surprised by. There was also a couple of days where he asked if a friend could stay over, who we put in the guest-room. Again, I feel like I didn't sign up for this! There is talk of further visitors in the middle of next month (!) It's all so hideously awkward.
AIBU, and how on earth do I get him to leave without being mean? (And also creating bad blood with a friend who I do like, in spite of my increasing passive-aggression towards him.)

OP posts:
Sasqwatch · 22/06/2024 16:50

Dearover · 22/06/2024 15:44

Haven't you got a couple of other house guests coming to stay in a few days?

This

Aren’t they coming for a fortnight? 🤔

Bettysnow · 22/06/2024 16:50

I'm a very generous person but this would make me angry especially the inviting friends thing.
Honestly if hes brazen enough to take advantage and invite his mates then you need to match that and say nice having you but you need your own space now. Make sure you give him a date to leave by.
He needs to book himself a hotel for him and his friends if he wants to stay longer.
Hes not that stupid so is definitely taking advantage in the hope that you won't say anything

MoMo999 · 22/06/2024 16:50

You should just say no to other house guests of his. You can tell him ok for another couple of weeks perhaps but you have to help with chores. Then give him a firm date by which he needs to move out by. You can say someone else is coming to visit and you need the space back,if you don't want to just come straight out and say you are no longer happy with him being there.

Snowfalling · 22/06/2024 16:50

There is talk of further visitors in the middle of next month (!)

This should put fear into your hearts!! He won't be leaving till end of July.... He's being incredibly rude, so don't feel guilty about telling him you need your home back

BabyBobs · 22/06/2024 16:51

Ok Barry, we have hosted you for a few weeks as agreed but now you have to make other arrangements. I'm sorry you've split with your girlfriend but you need to sort out another place to stay or return home.

SkylarkDay · 22/06/2024 16:51

I’d say obviously the plan was he was coming for a couple of weeks which have now come and gone, but now you need the room back as you & your partner want other friends to stay.

Snowfalling · 22/06/2024 16:51

Also don't ask him when he's leaving, tell him!!

Cosmosforbreakfast · 22/06/2024 16:52

'Bob, we need our room back on X day, you'll need to have moved out the evening before, we won't be able to offer you accommodation again after that'

Keep it simple, don't give him an excuse to think he can come and go as he pleases.

DoreenonTill8 · 22/06/2024 16:54

However, while he was staying with us, his girlfriend broke up with him and their summer plans fell through. It's now been over three weeks.
Well that's convenient... why does their break up mean he has to live stay with you now? Is she in the UK?

KvotheTheBloodless · 22/06/2024 16:54

OP, you've got @Dearover and me coming to stay soon, hope you haven't forgotten! Make sure your mate knows the room needs vacating, as we aren't going to be sharing (she snores!).

Gymmum82 · 22/06/2024 16:54

I would also struggle to outright say ‘you need to leave’ so I’d probably invent some friends coming to stay and then if he said he’d come back afterwards I’d just say oh no sorry that doesn’t work for us. We’ve got a busy summer or something along those lines

Rockschooldropout · 22/06/2024 16:55

He’s massively taking the piss!
He has funds if he was planning a European trip - tell him straight that you want your house back and he needs to look for a hotel .. I felt a bit sorry for him until I saw he had the cheek to invite guests over himself ! Time to move on mate

Rockschooldropout · 22/06/2024 16:56

As others have suggested you can say as initially he was only coming for two weeks , you’ve made further plans and have other guests coming to stay .. he’s overstayed his welcome

DoreenonTill8 · 22/06/2024 16:56

And where was he originally meantime to be hosting these friends he's trying to add to his leeching?!

Boltonb · 22/06/2024 16:58

You can tell someone to leave, and assert your boundaries kindly. Your boundaries are for YOUR benefit. If someone is uncomfortable with them, it only reiterates why you needed those boundaries in the first place.

Don’t feel awkward - someone who is so comfortable getting settled into someone else’s home is thicker skinned than you realise! They can take a robust conversation!

Dont ask questions, just tell him what you need. “Would it be ok if you started thinking about your next plans, and when you might be able to leave?” is worlds away from “I need you to make other plans and move on, as we need our house back”

Dont assume everyone is as sensitive to awkwardness as you are - it’s incredible how thick skinned CFs can be!!

Singersong · 22/06/2024 16:59

I think he's a real CF. He could have at least filled the bloody fridge as a thank you, at a minimum.

GenericWoman · 22/06/2024 17:00

This is was I'd say "Can we have a quick chat? When you came to stay, I'd thought you'd be staying for around two weeks. The other day I asked when you were planning to leave. I was hoping you'd give me a date or rough date but you didn't. I know that you've had a tricky time because of your break-up changing your plans and I was trying to give you as much time as I can. But the thing is [I/we] are really going to need you to leave by DATE because of our own plans so unfortunately you can't stay beyond DATE"

Substitute I for 'we' if you wish as it may sound a bit softer/shared responsiblity.

I'd be vague about the plans and not give a reason at first but have some back up ideas in case he presses you on it. First line should just be it won't work for us as we have various things happening (still vague). If he presses you, make up a bunch of stuff that you can manufacture into fact if required - in laws coming to stay, friends staying after or as well, work colleagues visiting, needing to host dinners to impress the boss, pet sitting, child sitting, need the room for something else - whatever just a massive bunch of stuff that he can't argue with.

I would also make the date earlier than you actually need it to give you some wriggle room - like say you want him by the 30 June, tell him 27 June and then if he's still there then say to him. 'Sorry but I was scared this might happen so I actually told you two days before Jack and Jill are coming to avoid any embarrassment but now you are still here I'm sorry but I have no option but to take your key or something hard line.

Hopefully it won't come to that if he's a decent person and an actual friend.

Elizo · 22/06/2024 17:01

You need to give him a clear deadline. You could tell a white lie and say family are coming.

Boltonb · 22/06/2024 17:01

And don’t make up fake excuses like people coming up stay etc because all excuses do is give him an opening for suggestions to overcome your obstacles.

If you’re telling him what YOU NEED, there’s nothing for him to say. You’re the only person who has a say on what that is

Despair1 · 22/06/2024 17:02

Hi OP, I fully appreciate the awkwardness of this situation but if it isn't addressed, it will likely mean growing resentment and a spur of the moment row.
Arrange for a time to take a deep breath and say you need to agree a date for him to move on. Don't make a big thing of it, I know that is easier said than done.
Also, on a separate note, has he made any contribution at all? ie towards utility bills?

GreenClock · 22/06/2024 17:05

If you’re conflict avoidant there’s no harm in lying about an old uni mate who’s unexpectedly between houses as of next Friday and needs the bedroom (plus the spare room for storage!) for the foreseeable. Don’t get me wrong, I believe usually that it is better to be upfront and honest, but say what you need to say in order to get him out of there. He has not treated you with courtesy so don’t worry about it.

PBandJ111 · 22/06/2024 17:08

Why didn’t you just say you had more guests coming?

AquaFurball · 22/06/2024 17:08

MadzG1471 · 22/06/2024 15:41

I am getting quite annoyed with a houseguest who just won't leave. This is a friend from America, who was planning to be in the UK for a few weeks this summer. I offered him a room at my partner's and my home. We initially spoke – in admittedly quite vague terms – about him staying for two weeks at the beginning of June, after which he was going off on European trips with his girlfriend. It sounded very much like I was going to see a fair bit of them but they wouldn't be here all the time.
However, while he was staying with us, his girlfriend broke up with him and their summer plans fell through. It's now been over three weeks. Although he doesn't expect to be fed and watered, and is self-sufficient, he often mooches around the house and has shown no sign of leaving. He has started doing his laundry in the washing machine. Today I asked when he was planning to go and he said that he felt guilty for imposing on us but mentioned that his summer plans were up in the air because of the break-up and didn't offer a specific date. I feel too awkward to ask him again. He is a writer whose work can be done anywhere, so I worry that this is turning into an open-ended thing and we now have not a guest but a lodger we didn't ask for.
I am trying to be as nice as I can and feel guilty turfing out a friend who is very unhappy about this break-up. He is obviously heartbroken and depressed. But I am getting increasingly vexed with his presence and that he hasn't offered to help in other ways, e.g. with chores, buying groceries etc. He didn't bring a thank-you gift which I was surprised by. There was also a couple of days where he asked if a friend could stay over, who we put in the guest-room. Again, I feel like I didn't sign up for this! There is talk of further visitors in the middle of next month (!) It's all so hideously awkward.
AIBU, and how on earth do I get him to leave without being mean? (And also creating bad blood with a friend who I do like, in spite of my increasing passive-aggression towards him.)

Does he come from a state where a guest becomes a tenant after 7/24/29 days?

Serve him his eviction notice now.

You were massively generously allowing him to have a friend stay, but why on earth would you entertain other friends coming to stay? Clearly something he has arranged while staying with you as he wasn't meant to still be there. He's treating your home like his own and if you don't kick him out now, this could get very messy and it won't be a friendship you will be concerned about losing.

AquaFurball · 22/06/2024 17:10

Despair1 · 22/06/2024 17:02

Hi OP, I fully appreciate the awkwardness of this situation but if it isn't addressed, it will likely mean growing resentment and a spur of the moment row.
Arrange for a time to take a deep breath and say you need to agree a date for him to move on. Don't make a big thing of it, I know that is easier said than done.
Also, on a separate note, has he made any contribution at all? ie towards utility bills?

Hopefully he hasn't paid ANYTHING, he could use that as proof he paid "rent" and is therefore now a tenant.

fungipie · 22/06/2024 17:12

Just wow- have you been feeding him too? Has he contributed in coking meals, invited you to nice restaurants, etc.

But enough- you have to be honest and frank. Or if you can't lie. Ask your mother, father, sister and family, friends, to come over.