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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is lodger being disrespectful?

207 replies

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 01:24

This time last year my husband and I decided to take in a lodger. We found a lady who would provide a very good arrangement: she would pay full asking price but only use the room when working. On her days off shed return to her home. The agreement was for 6 months only, and we extended for another six months so not a long term thing. Shes always been respectful, quiet, clean, tidy. No complaints. We let her in to our inner circle - as time progressed conversations became friendlier, shed often share dinner with us, our toddler loves her. Its been a v good balance.

Like i said earlier, this lodger returns home regularly, where she has a long term boyfriend. We always said he was welcome in the house, as well as her family. Said boyfriend visited once (didnt stay), she had an uncle come over for tea and I always said her daughter should come visit. The tenancy agreement has no rules about visitors, theres something vague about how permission is needed for anyone to stay over a week. We never thought it necessary to say anything more about visitors given her personal situation.

About a month ago, she breaks up with her boyfriend (she told me) and literally one week later she rocks up to the house with a man we've never seen or heard of before. We know this because we saw it on our ring camera whilst we were away for the weekend.
She brings him into the house and is critical of our home - that I buy plants and kill them for example (I laughed when I heard her say this and brushed it off but her tone kinda stung).
Then, in the hallway, the guy says something about me drinking j*zz and she laughs (we have another camera in the living room so could hear) then they go upstairs where I can just about hear her begin to criticise something else but the camera stops picking up dialogue. By the way, she knows about the cameras, theyre not hidden. We tell people about them. We put them in to watch our dog initially but left them for security.

My husband was livid and wanted to kick her out but I talked him down, said the money was important, and shed only be around for a few more months. We didnt mention any of this to her. I hoped she wouldnt bring him back.

After this, the guy becomes a permanent fixture - never comes in again, just parks on the road side and takes her. A couple of times hes been outside, with her, when im arriving home with my toddler and she never thought of introducing him to me.
She never mentioned him to us even though shes been seeing him every day for the last month or so.

Last week at home DH, now placated from his anger, jokes around, asks the lodger if she has a new boyfriend, who he is and she tells him his name, what he does, and she is v open. When the guy comes to pick her up DH goes out to meet him, of his own initiative.

Im technically still in the dark.
But im like its a good arrangement. Just suck it up, just a few more months. Im bothered, and dither between giving her notice or letting it be.

A few days ago, she does the hard work for me and gives notice. Great. Shes gone in a month.

However today, we spent the day out. We tell her well be out and guess who comes back in the house? The guy. Annoyingly he parked on our drive when we had planned for the dog walker to use it.

Im really annoyed. I feel like my space has been violated. I dont know this man, and for all i know, she doesnt really either. She was vetoed before being allowed in the house but now the door's been swung open to a man, when we have a little girl with us.

AiBU in confronting her? Im not a confrontational type and feel myself shaking just thinking about the chat itself but I'm 15 weeks pregnant and upset. At this point I dont want him here and want to tell her as much. It all feels so dodgy. Her life is her business as long as it is away from here.

OP posts:
NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 04:39

JustAnotherWhinger · 14/06/2026 04:27

Going forward? So you are planning more lodgers then…

at least learn the basics between a tenancy agreement (which you keep stating you have when you don’t) and a lodger agreement. They’re legally very different things

I said I don't, but approaching things using that approach seems like something that can be used in other situations.
I think youre enjoying being contrary so ill leave you to your musings.

OP posts:
Chiapotayto · 14/06/2026 04:39

You were the disrespectful one by listening to her private conversation. Bullshit that you thought she was a burglar but once it was apparent that she wasn’t, you didn’t need to carry on listening.

The jizz comment was crass but you deliberately left out the context that it was said in. That changes it completely.

And who on earth does your husband think he is, going out and meeting this guy. It’s nothing to do with him.

She, on the other hand, doesn’t bring this guy into your home when you’re there, so not sure why you’re worried about your toddler daughter.

She has done nothing wrong. The two of you on the other hand have been awful. And you want to confront her after you’ve been the ones who are behaving badly? Bloody hell!

OneThreadOnlybyN · 14/06/2026 04:43

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 03:07

Before we left on our weekend away, id made a concoction of rice and eggshells I saw on YouTube to revive my orchid. I forgot to put it in the fridge so when they walked in and saw it decided to make a joke of it

Edited

So what??

what's wrong/terrible about that??

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 14/06/2026 04:44

Why do you or your preferred AI keep using the present tense about things that happened in the past? Given that you’re not Hilary Mantel, it makes your tale very confusing.

OneThreadOnlybyN · 14/06/2026 04:51

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 04:17

Why would I, she doesnt drive and I wasnt expecting visitors. The tenancy agreement stipulates the tenant can park off road if they need to.

You're being hard work. You know she's seeing him & you know he drives. It's mental that you're objecting to him using the driveway when you're away because of the tenancy agreement/dogbwalker. Madness.

who was looking after your gig while you were away?

OneThreadOnlybyN · 14/06/2026 04:54

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 04:20

Thank you, this was a 6 month one off that got extended for another 6 months only because we like her. Never meant to be an ongoing thing. The list of rules is a great idea and one to consider going forward

Nah, you're not cut out for it (im not eithed) just don't do it.

JustAnotherWhinger · 14/06/2026 05:02

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 04:39

I said I don't, but approaching things using that approach seems like something that can be used in other situations.
I think youre enjoying being contrary so ill leave you to your musings.

Contrary? Pretty much everyone on the thread agrees that you are the disrespectful and unreasonable one.

but do enjoy your firm belief that you and your DH are not out of order, and for the sake of lodgers going forward don’t inflict your controlling rudeness on any more of them

Treetreetreetree · 14/06/2026 05:07

She’s done nothing wrong. Stop spying on her conversations and stalking her. She pays you and is respectful of your rules.
Why would you listen to her conversation? That’s creepy and inappropriate. Your DH sounds very immature.
The man comes in and goes to her room - it’s not like he’s dancing around in your pants.

Nopeasinapasty · 14/06/2026 05:10

OneThreadOnlybyN · 14/06/2026 04:51

You're being hard work. You know she's seeing him & you know he drives. It's mental that you're objecting to him using the driveway when you're away because of the tenancy agreement/dogbwalker. Madness.

who was looking after your gig while you were away?

I quite agree @OneThreadOnlybyN ! I can't honestly see what the lodger has done wrong here.

whattheysay · 14/06/2026 05:14

The man had only ever been inside your house when you and your daughter are out. She’s never brought him in when you’re home? She sounds very respectful, you didn’t have an issue with strange men in your home around you and your daughter when she brought her previous boyfriend and uncle over.

allthingsinmoderation · 14/06/2026 05:31

I disagree with the posters saying you are the problem for being nosey.
Its not nosey to have security cameras in your own home that your lodger is aware of.
The plant comment i wouldnt take seriously ,the blokes "j*zz comment is creepy and im glad your lodger and his time is up.Its reasonable to be unnerved by a unknown to you male making sexual comments about you in your home.
Trust your instinct ....its telling you something had shifted and feels off.
I do agree with posters saying its not worth saying anything about the conversations you heard ,as for the parking issue its reasonable to mention the inconvenience of that but as shes leaving soon its probably not worth it.

nopiesleftinthisvehicle · 14/06/2026 05:39

You lost me at having cameras inside the house. They should have been removed before any lodger arrived.
It's outrageous that you left them there.

TheCheekyCyanHelper · 14/06/2026 05:48

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 03:24

Not being told when someone is visiting. I think its impolite when youre lodging at a live in landlord.
I realise everyone has their interpretation of what politeness means so in the absence of it being agreed on before, I have to stay quiet.
I think putting in so much detail has caused my point to have become lost

You never had a point. You spied on your paying lodger, listened to her private conversations, and got angry she dared to not always speak if you in a glowing manner. And then wanted to prematurely end your legal agreement for no reason. We all understand.

Bbcsounds · 14/06/2026 05:57

Where was he supposed to park that is off road but not on the drive?

TheSeventh · 14/06/2026 06:00

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 04:17

Why would I, she doesnt drive and I wasnt expecting visitors. The tenancy agreement stipulates the tenant can park off road if they need to.

Where is she allowed to park "off road" if not on your drive? If thats what the agreement says then where else would you expect her to park off road?

Anyway, you seem to have forgotten this is a business arrangement. She is not your friend, even if you do invite her to spend time with you and your family. You are charging her to stay there and that affords her certain rights.

grinandslothit · 14/06/2026 06:00

This is very strange invasive and creepy. You claim you have cameras in your house to keep an eye on your dog but apparently you're more interest in snooping on your tenant. You don't seem to realise what you and your husband did was really invasive and creepy

user1492757084 · 14/06/2026 06:10

Keep it nice. You have merely weeks to tolerate her.
Thank her for giving notice and for being a great lodger. Tell her it's perfect because you need the room given the new baby.

It was okay for her boyfriend to visit while you were away. That was being considerate, really. Explain about the dog walker next time.

You are being unreasonable.

Lodger doesn't need to censor her guest's comments on decor. They don't have to have the same taste as you. It was rude but it was a couple of comments; and you overheard them.

You let it be known that her husband and family were welcome to visit. That is easy to see how later she thought her boyfriend could visit too.

CeciliaMars · 14/06/2026 06:12

Lodgers pay to LIVE in your house. She’s allowed to bring someone over. Sounds like she’s been perfect. You sound mean.

JWhipple · 14/06/2026 06:18

Do you habitually listen in on private conversations? Does that include when she's working from home? She might know about the cameras but did she know they had audio?
There's a more than a few concerning issues with boundaries here, and they aren't about your lodger's guest parking on the drive.

Nowthatshuge · 14/06/2026 06:19

NewAgeDawning · 14/06/2026 03:28

Honestly, it genuinely crossed my mind.
My background is such that things like that are known to have happened, sadly.
And to imply you know a person after lodging them for a few months is naive. How many couples find shocking things out about each other after years of marriage for example?

Then this is on you entirely sorry OP, you’re contradicting yourself that you happily extended her agreement but now you’re saying you don’t trust her. So you’re in a situation where you’ve willingly let someone you don’t trust stay in your house for months on end when you have children.
I honestly mean this kindly OP, I think you need to have a good look at your capacity to shoulder responsibility. You’re playing victim in a situation that’s all of your own making.
the lodger is being very respectful not bringing this new guy into the home when your family is there. Your husband went and introduced himself to this partner without being asked to by the lodger and you’re listening in on there private and actually harmless conversations, where on earth is the respect and boundaries for the lodger that you’re expecting for yourself.
this controlling behaviour is going to show up in your relationships, particularly parenting, if it goes unaddressed.
would I like someone I didn’t know in my home? No.
Would I like someone taking a parking space (once I might add!) that was inconvenient? No.
knowing that I am precious about these things, would I take in ANY lodger? Absolutely not.
you can’t have it both ways OP, you opened yourself your home out for financial gain which is your choice but you invite these risks into your home by doing so

Moonnstarz · 14/06/2026 06:34

I don't think it's the lodger that's the problem here.

Delphiniumandlupins · 14/06/2026 06:38

I think you and your husband have grossly overstepped. You admit your lodger agreement is vague about visitors then complain that your (very respectful) lodger has twice had a visitor when you were away. You absolutely spied on her with your cameras, is she aware that they record sound? Where are her visitors supposed to park if not on your drive but off-road (or do you actually mean on-road?)?

chillinwithmygnomies · 14/06/2026 06:40

I think it’s fine that you’re realised that a lodger isn’t for you, but … you cannot start to control/judge somebody else’s life because od somebody else’s friend/partner parked on your driveway 😳🙄 she pays you to live at your home not for you to judge her, just because she had a partner that you can came to know and like doesn’t mean she needs to stay with him forever. You don’t know the ins and outs of that relationship it could have been awful for her (also it may not have been and just run its course)

chillinwithmygnomies · 14/06/2026 06:41

Sorry for the spelling mistakes drinks have been drunk 🤣

JMSA · 14/06/2026 06:42

I’m really sorry but you’re absolutely nuts. I’m glad this woman is getting away.

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