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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Father in law overstaying welcome. It's been months now and I'm hating it.

89 replies

SmashingTurnips · 23/05/2016 14:04

I'm not too sure what I want from this thread - perhaps just an outside view to spur me to action.

Will try to keep this short. DH's father arrived to see us from abroad in the first week of January. He said he was staying for 10 days but he has never left. He hasn't been staying with us all that time - he stayed January, February and half of March. Then left to stay with a friend at the other end of the country only to appear back at the beginning of May.

The situation is driving me up the wall. He has told us that he is not going back to the county he was living in and that he is moving back to his home country for good. He has mentioned looking for a flat to rent but isn't doing anything about it and although I think he will eventually sort something out I want him to do it sooner rather than later.

We don't have a spare room, he is sleeping in the living room and just sits in there all day (dressed and on the sofa, not in bed) on his computer. He contributes nothing other than walking the dog sometimes. No shopping, no cooking, no washing up, nothing.

We work full time and have 2 DC. I want to scream when I come home in the evening and he hasn't even been arsed to wash a steeping pot or set the table. He likes his food and is there for every sodding meal yet has never offered to cook. He has offered shopping but doesn't actually buy proper food, he buys ice cream because he likes it and wants to eat it (he will offer us some though).

I can hardly bear to be around him as I feel so resentful of his presence.

Background is he and DH have never been close, his parents divorced when he was 7, his father moved away and they only really saw each other in the summer holidays (I think for 3 weeks to a month so not nothing). His dad never paid child support or helped DH in any way with education or whatever. He is a deeply selfish man (although not actually nasty or deliberately unkind). A few years ago he fell on hard times and we were worried about him, we lost all contact for a while and didn't even know if he was alive, we wonder if he may have been homeless for a short while around this time. Once he got back in touch DH suggested that he come back to his home country and said that we would help him get back on his feet. I feel that we have done that now and I want him to leave. He has a very modest pension but it is enough to live on.

DH has said (kindly but perfectly firmly) a few times that he needs to look for somewhere to stay but he isn't looking and mentions some vague plan to house sit for a friend who is abroad. I'm worried this won't come to anything and he will still be here in a few months time.

I want my home back and I think we have done enough by giving him bed and board for months (plus offers to help with finding somewhere, help with bits of furniture, etc).

I have days off from work during the week sometimes as sometimes work weekends and I'm sitting upstairs in my bedroom because I don't want to be around him (downstairs of house is only kitchen and living room and they lead into each other).

I think he feels a bit awkward about being here (he is very discreet although unfortunately not great at cleaning up after himself when he uses the toilet and so on) but he seems perfectly happy to just sit in our house all day everyday, shuffle to the table for every meal, never give us any space, etc.

I'm so done now but don't know what to do. We can't just turf him out. I suspect he wants to stay with us and he will try to drag this out for as long as possible. I think the bit that gets to me the most is I feel like he is an emotional parasite, he has never contributed to our family (never given our DC birthday or Xmas cards or presents for example) and now he wants to have a family like situation because he has suddenly realised that he is a lonely old (ish) man. He is leeching off us and I feel used.

DH is finding it just as hard. Thankfully we are on the same page with this but it does sometimes make us moody and snappy with each other.

All and any advice welcome...

OP posts:
glassgarden · 26/05/2016 14:33

can you invent a friend/relative who needs a place to stay and tell him that he's had his turn and now you want to help someone else out?

just tip this cuckoo out of your nest as soon as you can, how dare he just land on you like that and deprive you of peaceful sanctuary Angry

Janecc · 26/05/2016 14:47

will you be working as much in the summer holidays as they are looming. It's half term next week. Do you really want his ugly mug him around for those 7 weeks?! It will make life unbearable.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/05/2016 16:10

Well done on finding the boarding house option, Turnips - and yes, I agree a call to the garage might prove interesting Wink

TBH it sounds as if he'll resist anything you suggest which doesn't involve him sponging off you; maybe the only thing to do is present him with a done deal?

Zaurak · 26/05/2016 19:02

The days of 'a part needing to be ordered' are long gone, op. You can courier anything from anywhere in 48 hours.
Tell him you'll drive him to the house sit if the car isn't ready. Ring the garage. And book the bed sit

stiffstink · 26/05/2016 20:32

I feel so sorry for you OP. I am imagining you in the episode of Father Ted when Father Stone comes to stay and he just lurks silently the whole time.

EatsShitAndLeaves · 26/05/2016 20:48

Take the option on the bedsit and tell him he needs to move in there this weekend.

He knows he's overstayed his welcome but doesn't want to do anything about it and never will. You and your DH will have to force the issue.

It's a terrible situation to be in and anyone with any decency would have been long gone by now.

SmashingTurnips · 13/06/2016 07:02

Just updating to say that FIL has gone!

He left on Friday to go to his house sit at the other end of the country. He says he's not sure how long it will last for and that he will know in September. DH had a firm conversation with him saying that he must anticipate and have a rental in place for house sit ending be that in September or in two years.

A big weight has lifted off us - I like my house again.

Spent the weekend with the windows open and burning scented candles. Downstairs no longer smells of him (washed the sofa covers too thankfully most of them come off).

Thanks again all here for your support x

OP posts:
AyeAmarok · 13/06/2016 07:40

Brilliant! Glad your DH was clear about not coming back too.

Flisspaps · 13/06/2016 08:35

Hooray!

Atenco · 13/06/2016 11:26

Great news, OP! Enjoy your summer

DoloresYMilagros · 13/06/2016 12:37

Hooray! Great news, thanks for the update.

But I would still urge caution - you may well find you have to be absolutely resolute when his house sit stint is over, as I wouldn't be at all surprised if he tried to worm his way back in, despite the firm conversation.

You will both need to be rock solid on this, and may need to reiterate the message several times.

Sorry to be a bit of an Eeyore! Enjoy your FIL-free summer!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 13/06/2016 13:19

Wonderful news, Turnip Flowers

I completely agree that he'll try to worm his way back in, but at least that's easier to deal with now he's not actually there. If necessary you can point him either to Shelter or the local council's homelessness contact ...

SmashingTurnips · 15/06/2016 19:51

Thanks everyone!

I totally agree that we are going to have to be mega firm about what happens next.

I suspect that he thinks of us as his base and is capable of showing up at any time...

We are so done though - trying to get back on keel. I'm surprised by how much his extended stay has impacted on us. Think it will take us a wee while to get over. Not an experience I want to repeat.

OP posts:
Aussiebean · 15/06/2016 23:14

Make sure you change the locks. Wouldnt be surprised if he had his own key cut.hope he stays away

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