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.

There's an irony to the posts on this thread claiming madness at the concept of having strangers stay in your home, and instead suggesting they should Airbnb, a business that started with the concept of having strangers stay in your home.

Another irony is that at least where I live, if it wasn't for bastard Airbnbs then more locals might be able to find or afford a property big enough to host their own friends and family 🤷🏻‍♀️

I really don’t see it. I would hate to have strangers staying in my home - and would never have a lodgers, turn my home into an air bnb or run a bed and breakfast.

there is nothing ironic about that? This family need holiday accommodation - the majority of people don’t rent out their homes as airbnbs or bed and breakfasts.?

Why didn't she put them up? I don't understand!

Yes, I'm in the US and this kind of offer/request isn't unusual at all. I'm rather taken aback that people have responded so vehemently to the idea!

House too small?

Or maybe they are annoying guests. Get up v early, noisy, etc.

Why should her colleagues have to put up with them if they're a nuisance, or why didn't she just give them a list of hotels in the area (if they're incapable of using Google)

This must be a very culturally British repulsion. If a friend or even acquaintance asked for help in a matter like this I'd offer to help if I could. I might only offer a few nights, but if I could help, I would.

Are you assuming everyone on this thread is British?

Yes, everyone. 😵‍💫

Seriously, though, it does seem to be a bit cultural. 🤷‍♀️
No offence intended in my comment.

This. Don't stress about it

No, it's just a MN thing. I've never encounter such attitude in real life!

Only on MN are people shocked/horrified/ outraged at the idea of having friends or family staying over - even their own kids are a nuisance.

Offering for close friends and family, no problem. But for someone you barely know and not even them but their in-laws? 2 totally different circumstances.

I’d say your insurance won’t cover in the event of something happening. And in all honesty, they probably wouldn’t.

Am I missing something, or is the only problem that you don’t think the house is primped up enough for these people? They won’t care. Or if they do, they’ll just make some polite excuse and walk away. And tell EVERYONE how messy your house is, and you’ll just DIE…

Oh, FFS :-)

The number of people suggesting to say that insurance won't cover guests is astounding. And then adding, it likely won't, is even more ludicrous. What is wrong with everyone? 🤦‍♀️