Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Elderly parents

Should I clean my parents house?

31 replies

chosenone · 10/08/2022 10:46

Its a hovel! I've posted about it before. I am low contact for a myriad of reasons and rarely go to their house due to the state of it, they know this and because 'they're happy enough' and are not bothered. Both early 70s.

There are a lot of issues with my parents, both have health issues and DM is mostly housebound and self neglects. My DB lives with them and is a live in carer for them. He will tell me he's done a 'big clean' when he has wiped some crumbs on the floor and hoovered down the middle of the living room. The reason this has come up again is because they are all away and I'm feeding their cat (no one else to do it, won't ask neighbours because of the mess).

I came back yesterday in tears as it was that bad, filthy pots left all over with flies buzzing round, grease and grime all over the kitchen, the floor littered with old socks, broken biscuits, paperwork. Piles of clutter everywhere. I said to DH I should really have a go at cleaning it whilst they're away ( I've paid for a deep clean twice since lockdown!)

DH is absolutely adamant that I shouldn't be spending my time cleaning their mess when they're not bothered. My DM can't really do much. DF and DB are big drinkers and it looks like a drinkers hovel tbh. They are 3 unhappy people who don't face their problems, all have addiction issues, hence the low contact but this pig sty has really got to me.

OP posts:
chosenone · 10/08/2022 17:54

Thelittleweasel
Thank you. Interesting reading.

OP posts:
ginghamstarfish · 10/08/2022 18:05

No, waste of your time if they want to live like that. Do consider taking the cat and rehoming it though, poor thing.

Advicerequest · 28/12/2022 14:03

I think you could if you wanted to. It might be a relief.

AdoraBell · 28/12/2022 14:08

I agree, contact SS. If you clean it to sparkling level it will be a waste of your time and energy, and emotional energy, because it will become filthy again when they return.

MysterOfwomanY · 28/12/2022 16:47

Take the cat home with you and deny all knowledge of it? (But it might be their last defence against rodents :/ ).
Awful situation, so sorry OP

justasking111 · 21/01/2023 14:48

I've evicted a family like this. We went in for a check. They'd smashed up the fire alarms on the ceilings which we're legally obliged to have. They'd smashed up the extraction unit in the bathroom. They'd put the tumble dryer in the lounge because it was handier. There was mould all over. They'd hoarded in every room it was a firetrap. They had animals which were either incontinent or not allowed out. If there had been a fire god knows what would have happened, but we'd have been blamed because the fire alarm system wasn't working.

The council have rehoused them. So they get to wreck social housing.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page