To have changed my mind about letting some people stay in our house while we are away

[noschoolmumrun]

One of the school mums posted on a WhatsApp chat asking if anyone could help put her in laws up while they visited the UK from South Africa. It would be for a week.
Upshot is - I'm not feeling right now that our house is tidy/organised enough to offer to anyone else - let alone people we don't know.
She is coming round to look at our house this afternoon and I think I need to put her off.
I'm struggling a bit mentally with stuff and it's become another worry.

Anyone is allowed to change their mind about anything at any point.

Great. OP doesn’t want house sitters though. Still not sure why she offered.

And if they flood your bathroom or set fire to the kitchen, would your home insurance not be invalidated?

Send text

'I'm sorry I've realised this arrangement doesn't work for me'

Why not contact her before she comes over and just tell her you've had a change of heart.

Why are some people frothing at the mouth about this?
No one was held at gunpoint to say yes, and presumably there was a cash incentive which led the OP to say yes in the first place.

Just say sorry it’s not possible now …cheeky to ask in the first place …total strangers in your home nope!!

This ridiculous over reaction says more about you than it does anyone else.

Sounds like nothing has yet been agreed. Make up a tale like your house insurance won't be valid.

I'm guessing you are going away for a holiday and thought they could stay in your empty home without thinking through the implications of having to clean it top to bottom.
I've done this several times with my international cousins but it's hard work cleaning everything and changing beds whilst packing for a holiday.

Just text her and use the classic "I'm sorry but the arrangement no longer works for us"

If you stat to conjure up problems like bed bugs or insurance issues they'll start to find solutions like "we will pay for pest control or additional insurance".

Apologise and back out.

This, I can't believe people even asked that of someone who is just an acquaintance.

How much are they paying? That's what would or wouldn't motivate me.

If she gets to inspect your place then you can also day no at this point but work on yourself it's unfair to commit to things then back out

This will probably negate your home insurance if you are not in the property at the same time and could be an issue for your mortgage provider should anything go wrong. Explain to them that having looked at your insurance this is no longer possible and anyway wtaf they want to use your home but are coming to inspect it first???

People like you are my pet peeve. Why would you say yes to such a thing and then back out? You’ve put yourself in this ridiculous position.

Tell her you would have liked to have helped but your DH said no way to having strangers stay in his home. Text her asap before she comes round.

ASKING is not demanding, of course she is not a piss taker 🙄
Only on MN do people get offended by absolutely anything. I am guessing it's people who never dare saying "no" in real life and are terrified of normal adult interactions?

OP, unless they are arriving within the next 2 days, you need to man/woman up, and just say it's not going to work. It's not that hard to say no.

I agree with pp , it depends on when she is coming , I'd say if it's more than 2 or 3 weeks away then back out but less than that really isn't fair .
There is no way I'd of agreed to this in the 1st place unless perhaps I had a self contained granny annexe.

I just think it's amazing that some people on MN are called needy for wanting a reply to a text, and then there's this friend who takes CFness to a new level.

Deeply strange to ask for this on a school what's app page. Say you've had a gas leak or some remedial and dangerous work that needs doing whilst you're away and never offer something so bonkers again

This is definitely a case of ‘don’t let someone else’s problem become your problem.’ I am generally a generous and friendly person , but this would be a no for me .

Cheeky bugger, tell them to pay for a hotel or Air BnB like everyone else does!

FFS, It's not cheeky to ask! OP offered up hers and now wants to back out. Fine, but that's rude. OP hasn't explained why the other mum is asking, but it doesn't matter anyway.
BTW, it might be fun hosting people from another country. And they will likely reciprocate if you decide to travel to their country.

It’s cheeky to ask to have total random strangers to stay in someone’s home !

tight wads I’d say …give them the details of a nearby hotel or hostel actually by the sounds of it they are cheap skates 😀

It's not cheeky to put a general message on a group chat where people can ignore at their choice. It would be cheeky to walk up to a total stranger and ask for the use of their home.
Sometimes doing something different gives you a wider view of life.