Looking for house/car in North West area over Christmas

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

We are coming back to England over Christmas and normally stay with dh's parents. But last year I just found it too hectic, we got under there feet, we couldn't do what we wanted to do, we had to ask to borrow the car and then we had to get the car back for a certain back. In short we had no freedom and I found it suffocating. This year will be worse as dh's brother is also living with their parents following a split with his wife, and his children will also be around.

So if anyone is going on holiday over Christmas and would like a house-sitter, or if you have a spare car you can lend us for a week or so (we'll pay for our names to be added to the insurance and for petrol, etc) then please CAT me, I'd be very grateful and you could make our Christmas that much more bearable!

I can provide written references from other Mumsnetters as regards our trustworthiness!

I love it when I kill a thread before it's even started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bumping for you even tho' I can't help

where in the Northwest will you be?

Thanks Lilibet! Dh's parents live near Chorley. But anywhere in the North West would do, just to get out of their hair and spend some time together!

Just had a thought, Travel lodge are doing £10 per night rooms all over Christmas and New Year, would that be an idea?

We are in Wigan btw - not far from you!

Custy, I would love to help, but we aren't close - we are on the other side of the Pennines, but my brother has a huge house with 5 bedrooms in South Yorkshire and I have 2 cars.
Are you sure you could provide references?

OOps, meant Rhuby
She is your bezzie mate though so don't be offended

Are any of these travel lodge rooms useful? Just thinking you could stay in one for a while, then move to another if you can't get a whole fortnight. Or even just for part of the holiday. At £10 you can't really go wrong!!

travel lodge £10 rooms

oops - took too long to post that one

Yorkshire's ok! BTW, I am not that loud-mouthed Southern tart! I am Rhubarb! The nice one!

Lilibet, that IS an idea! We have to get to Manchester airport for 6.50am the day we return to France, I felt awful last time getting dh's 70 year old dad out of bed at 5.30 in the morning to drive us there. I was going to suggest we stay in a Travelodge close to the Airport this time round to save disrupting them. Not sure about spending Christmas in one of those places with the kids though. A house would be better.

Gingerbear - if you can help please CAT me!

Crossed posts! Thanks for the link! Gingerbear, I MIGHT forgive you!

i offered you my shed - whats wrong with my shed? ( not the good one obviously we keep that for the fked up bikes )

can you look in the local papers online see whats being rented - give them a call and work out a deal? am thiking the oldham chron and whatever they have in preston?

Sod off you! I ain't staying anywhere near you! I might end up talking all Southern and poncey!

NOT staying in Oldham!

your more southern than me geographically so ha!

I can't believe that I have just asked for my email address to be forwarded to 'CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell'

Is it the car or the house? brother will be at home, but his house has an annex dontchknow.

Rhuby, firstly if you've emailed me and I've not replied it's cause I can't get into my hotmail or get onto messenger. No idea why. Friend's hubby coming to sort this week.

We are going away before Xmas for a few days from the 19-22 or 23. You could have the house but not the car (not that you'd want it). I know we're also wrong side of Pennines but let me know.

I live in Preston and will ask around. Can't remember offhand whether anyone I know is going to be away at Christmas.

where in Preston are you from Northender? i am from Preston too!

I live in Fulwood now (near the Black Bull pub). Grew up out in the sticks near Inglewhite and in between lived 10 years in Plymouth! Where abouts are you from then collision?

Rhuby, I thought you said you'd got somewhere to stay? Want me to look again? Travelodge might be cheap but god, you wouldn't want to live in one for days on end!

Hi Jan! Yeah his brother said we could have his house, but it's in Oxford and we have no car to get there. Can't borrow dh's parent's car for a whole week!

Snowamanda - is that you Amanda1? Wondered where you had got to!

Gingerbear, interested in the car definitely! Would your brother be interested in having us with 2 kids living in his annex for a week! I'm afraid we'd probably get in the way, esp during Christmas. Thanks though! Does your bro know you're offering his annex out???

Northender - do you really? It's nice round there. We used to live at the edge of Riversway, near the Continental Pub.

Remind me of your dates, will you? There are defo cottages you could get before Christmas for c £200pw (is that still too much?) Then you could go to ILs for Christmas and maybe rent another after?

When will you be here - dates? I need to find out from DH when he is working between Christmas & NY - and talk with him about loaning it out obv.
It is an astra, and will come with one 9month - 4 yrs child seat in the back.

Oh, I forgot, there isn't much boot space as it is an LPG conversion, and the spare wheel is in the boot! Damn! enough for a buggy and a small case.
You idiot Ginge, why don't I think before opening my mouth?

Tis me, Rhuby.

Also had a bad week last week for whole host of reasons I won't bore everyone on Mnet with but suffice it to say I want to throttle my ex ... and his, as my best friend put it, "scabby girlfriend".