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Relationships

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

Outstayed his welcome

107 replies

Northernclementine1 · 08/07/2018 18:50

I've been dating a guy regularly since May. He came over to hang out on Friday, stayed to watch the football yesterday and is still here now. He has insisted upon cooking for me several times this weekend (the same meal).

I'm a real introvert which he knows and have had zero time to myself this week. Feeling really stressed because of it. I've very strongly hinted for him to leave, saying I need to get ready to meet a friend but he just asked whether he was invited. I said no but his response was that we'd leave at the same time. I let him know yesterday I was meeting someone today and have made strong hints all day that it's time for him to go.

I know I should just tell him outright but i feel really bad kicking him.out as we had a convo yesterday in which i told him about being raped in the past and he was kind but started being pushy about getting a private detective involved to try and get the person charged. I dont really want to do.that as it was years ago and i dont remember key details so feel realistically there would be a low chance of conviction. Plus i doubt i could afford it and also I have a fairly good life now and just want to move on. I need time to mull over having revealed that to somebody. Sorry, I know that's not really relevant to getting a guest to leave, I just feel incredibly stressed out now and was looking forward to most of Saturday and Sunday to myself after a busy and social week.

I only invited him over for Friday night really.

Please, how can I politely ask someone to leave??

OP posts:
swimmerlab · 09/07/2018 17:27

Change the locks. I went out with a weirdo once who borrowed my spare key then got another one cut. (He never used it, I found out, dumped him and had the lock changed within a couple of hours)

Annalogy · 09/07/2018 17:28

Please, for the love of God change the locks.

Also, get some Arnica cream, it works wonders!

kaldefotter · 09/07/2018 17:36

Please get your locks changed now. He doesn’t respect your boundaries. Protect yourself, stop feeling compelled to be nice, and get your locks changed ASAP.

MissVanjie · 09/07/2018 17:40

ughhhhhhh

horrible horrible man

thank you for sharing your story op. I hope you're ok. do you have a friend who lives nearby or a neighbour that you feel you could tell this to? I don't mean to be alarmist or anything but I feel uneasy that he has kept hold of your key (like fuck was it by 'mistake') and i think it'd be a good idea to have someone on high alert till you get your locks changed.

from anecdotal evidence, this sort of selfish, intimidating boundary pushing poor behaviour is on the rise. when women talk about it as part of the bigger picture (like the Aziz ansari date story that came out as part of me too) we get told 'how dare you say this is the same as rape' or 'this is insulting to real rape victims' or 'this has gone too far and is demonising men'

but can we actually talk about this? because I think this sort of thing is so so so common, and becoming more so. men need to do better. I think we should start with a fuckwit tax. all men pay 0.5% more tax than women and it all gets ring fenced into a fund that women can apply to for reimbursement for things like having to get their locks changed or needing an uber in the middle of the night. This continues until such time as they start learning to fucking behave. I am only semi joking.

BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted · 09/07/2018 17:52

Creepy bastards won't be put off by a tiny increase of half a percent income tax. Some of them wouldn't be put off it was doubled! That's why they're creeps.

OP: depending on what type of lock you have you can acquire a replacement barrel in a hardware store or somewhere like B&Q for a tenner. With a normal screwdriver you could sort it in five minutes. Please, just get it done asap. He's a creep so make sure you're safe.

InfiniteVariety · 09/07/2018 17:58

I doubt whether he kept the key "by mistake" - his invasive behaviour shows he clearly has no respect for you or any boundaries. I would change the lock ASAP.

Northernclementine1 · 09/07/2018 18:02

Thanks again all, really glad of the support. I will change the lock sooner rather than later. It'll have to be tomorrow now though but i do know he's working tonight so it's very unlikely he'd come before then.

OP posts:
BettyBaggins · 09/07/2018 18:05

Change your locks op. Fast. Double lock from inside tonight. Can you leave key in door inside so a key used outside won't go in or work?

Zaphodsotherhead · 09/07/2018 18:06

Never underestimate a cunt.

MissVanjie · 09/07/2018 18:09

"Creepy bastards won't be put off by a tiny increase of half a percent income tax. Some of them wouldn't be put off it was doubled! That's why they're creeps."

no but hopefully applying this tax to all men will help create a climate whereby this type of behaviour becomes shunned and stigmatised rather than romanticised or chuckled at or shrugged off as 'not real rape/harassment/abuse'

fuzzyfozzy · 09/07/2018 18:14

If he's got a key he could make a copy and give you the original back.
Double lock that door and use a different one then you know he hasn't been in while you're at work.

Wadingthroughshit · 09/07/2018 18:17

You felt your boundaries were being crossed and you did something about it, you haven’t let your boundaries down, don’t be hard on yourself. Well done to you for tuning in and listening to your intuition. I know what it’s like to want to gather yourself up after revealing something, it can leave you feeling a bit shaky. You’re grand, you did the right thing.
Him opening the lock shows his lack of boundaries, not yours. Creepy, self-righteous and egotistical...’of course she wants me to do this’ ... deary me.

Souledout · 09/07/2018 18:22

Change the locks. Instsall a spyhole camera & see if he tries to use a key.

BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted · 09/07/2018 18:22

no but hopefully applying this tax to all men will help create a climate whereby this type of behaviour becomes shunned and stigmatised rather than romanticised or chuckled at or shrugged off as 'not real rape/harassment/abuse'

We all know it couldn't work because most of this nasty stuff is done in private and we all know women are rarely believed, sometimes even blamed for it. Nice idea though. I recommend castration myself!

SmashedMug · 09/07/2018 18:27

Change your locks and get working on your assertiveness. You shouldn't feel the need to rely on hints to get someone to leave your own home.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 09/07/2018 20:51

He took your spare key as well? This is a sneaky, creepy fucker and no mistake! Locks changed and fast! I hope you will then go no contact with this slimy git. Your alarm bells were spot on.

FinallyHere · 09/07/2018 20:57

Look up the you-tube instructions on changing just the barrel of the lock, much cheaper, easier (hint screwfix click and collect, other suppliers are available) but do get it done sooner rather than later.

Do you have any bolts etc you could put on the door when you are at home, just sayin'

Whipsmart · 09/07/2018 20:57

He didnt take your spare key home "by mistake"! What a creeper

eddielizzard · 09/07/2018 21:04

put your key in the lock so he can't put your spare in. not trying to be alarmist, but this guy hasn't done so well so far...

Anniegetyourgun · 09/07/2018 21:21

He didnt take your spare key home "by mistake"! What a creeper

Exactly what I thought.

Northernclementine1 · 09/07/2018 21:27

I've got a chain and will leave the key in x

OP posts:
bertielab · 09/07/2018 21:28

Alarm bells are going ding ding ding here.

Change the locks tomorrow morning -tonight leave the key inside in the lock so he can't get in.

He bites you -when you asked him not to.
He came on Friday -should have left Friday not Monday.
He unlocked a locked door -while you are in the bath -control freak, abusive and downright out of order.
Took a key -he is thief.

Change the locks as he might get a duplicate made -it's about £10 to change the actual lock.
AFTER you have changed the locks tomorrow tell him your relationship is over. No reasons just that. It's not working for me.

Katgurl · 09/07/2018 21:31

Oh god I really feel upset by this thread.

First things first; get the locks changed asap. He didn't take the spare by accident and sending it back won't give you peace of mind. Your alarm bells were spot on with this guy and you need to be vigilant in keeping him away. Go 100% NC.

Secondly, I totally understand you can feel uncomfortable setting boundaries after sharing intimate details. It's almost like you invited him in then don't feel permitted to throw him out.

This reaction, while perfectly human (and also if I'm to throw out a stereotype - quite female) is not correct. You are still allowed hold your own boundaries firm. Even before the frightening bathroom incident, possessive love bite, stealing (yes stealing) of the key - the refusing to acknowledge your desire for him to leave was bullying and controlling. There is no way he didn't pick up on the hints. He just wanted what he wanted and what you wanted didn't come into it.

I've been in a slightly similar situation; I was friends with this guy as part of a group and kinda fancied him. One night we got together and we went on two further dates. That's three dates in total and I was already uncomfortable with the possessive behaviour he was exhibiting. I met up with him and called it off, explained I didn't want to lead him on, I could see he had feelings for me which I did not reciprocate, I knew myself well enough to know I would not change my mind, I valued our friendship and woukd ideally like to continue it. He seemed great with it and told me he appreciated my honesty.

Anyway under the guise of 'friendship' at least twelve months followed of me feeling increasingly helpless and trapped. He just would not back off and I stupidly did not deal with it directly. I don't want to go into too much detail but he was constantly engineering situations where everyone else would leave on a night out and he'd be walking me home, if after parties were suggested in my house, he'd suggest to the other folks it might be best he took me home as we needed some alone time, friends of friends all thought we were a couple, I learned not to get sucked into drinking shots on nights out as i always felt he was watching and waiting for his opportunity. It sounds so silly but I didn't know how to stop it and as I was relatively new where I was living I couldn't really ditch him off without losing my group of friends or at least causing very inconvenient repercussions.

It came to a head when I encountered very serious medical problems, he seized this opportunity to behave like a guard dog in the hospital warding off other visitors and staying by the bed despite me repeatedly telling him he should go. If I said I was tired he'd tell me to go ahead and sleep, if I said I wanted some privacy to get changed he'd point out he'd seen it all before. It was horrible. I felt too weak and depleted to argue. And I am considered a very assertive person. Finally I got discharged with some very distressing news from my consultant and I was sitting on a bench bawling crying processing it all. I had ignored all kind messages from everyone assuming they would all understand my lack of response. I looked at my phone, there was an onsluaght of messages from him on various social mediums ranging from slightly put out by my lack of response to full on angry. I walked home and my housemates informed me he had called over and waited then gone driving around to look for me. That was the final straw for me. I hadn't even told my mother my news and there he was making it all about him. I cut him off in no uncertain terms saying I had offered friendship but that was it and been clear that I was not interested but he would not accept it. I just regret not doing it way way sooner.

These people do not care about you. They will not accept or potentially even hear things that don't fit with their own wants.

Next time you find yourself in a situation you didn't agree to (a house guest for the whole weekend) put your foot down. Say "listen last night was great but I'm afraid I have to throw you out now, I have my own stuff to get on with" and no matter how much he pushes you do not feel obligated to give him an explanation. Smile and say something nice but firm like "absence makes the heart grow fonder. Now I seriously do need you to go" and if he pushes "sorry I don't need to explain my reasons to you. This is my house. I am asking you to leave. If you're refusing, then that is pretty serious" so he can't hide behind 'having a laugh' or a misunderstanding.

Really I think it is best to start nice but firm in these situations and then if that doesn't work be very clear on what is happening.

There was a rape case where a man and woman were hotting up for sex when it was discovered they had no condoms. She said she wouldn't go without, he proceeded anyway and it was only when she said the words "you are raping me" that he stopped. Maybe a rape situation does not seem comparable here (and sorry if it seems insensitive given your awful experience) but I think the lack of consent, feeling helpless is relevant.

I know this is a very long winded post and maybe you didn't need all my background stuff but this thread has been preying on my mind and I wanted to get the above across.

ohfourfoxache · 09/07/2018 22:35

Stay safe

Do you know any of your neighbours well enough to get them to listen out for any disturbances?

Northernclementine1 · 10/07/2018 08:42

Thanks for your post Katgurl, I'm so sorry to hear about your awful experience, both with the illness then that creep insinuating himself into everything then abusing you when you didn't respond to him quickly enough for his liking. So glad to hear you cut things off and hope you're doing well health wise.

There seems to be an attitude with some men, some kind of get out of jail free card, (this guy and had this with another date who groped me recently) that if they like to talk a lot about how consent is essential to them, that they care about women and it's 'other' men who do bad things, then it negates behaviour that is at best thoughtless and at worse walking all over boundaries. This sounds the man in the example of raping a woman because he couldn't wait until they had a condom. As soon as it was pointed out what he was doing, he stopped as he didn't see himself as capable of rape as he wasn't a stranger with a knife.

Seems to me as though the messages from #metoo etc are getting through but are being used as mitigation- 'I'm aware of these issues and can discuss them which makes me a good man, I don't need to take any further action or actually listen to the person here with me'.

Not sure if that makes sense!

OP posts:
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