What is the worst thing a guest has done in your home?

[WorldWacky]

I'll be the only one to admit to being bad guests! We had a couple weeks before closing on a house before we got married, so stayed with DH's parents until we could move in.

One night, we were out with friends, and DH drank too much. I drove him home, and then sent him to the bathroom while I got ready for bed. He exited the bathroom and made a wrong turn into his parents bedroom where he belly-flopped between them while they were sound asleep. His dad woke up disoriented, thought DH was their big dog, so was kicking and cussing at the "damn dog" for getting into bed with them. All the ruckus scared his mom, so she jumped out of bed screaming.

Funniest thing ever. His mom told that story until the day she died.

That truly made me laugh out loud!

 

[yeahdisney]

I do enjoy this thread. Thanks OP. I read it in lines at Disney to DH. He keeps saying. Oh man.

 

[jdb in AZ]

A young-married friend and her DH were visiting his parents. She had to get up and go potty in the night but didn't want to disturb the in-laws so she didn't turn on any lights. Imagine her surprise when she sat down on the potty and discovered her DFIL was already there. The lap-sit didn't last very long!

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Speaking as one who grew up on a farm with the occasional brood of spring chicks in the living room under heat lamps, yeah, you've got the right of it.

Our chicks always lived in the basement for a couple of weeks, but yeah...chicks in the house was perfectly normal where I grew up. I would just come home from school one day and be like, "Well, I guess the chicks are here," and then you would just learn to live with the make-shift corral (and the incessant cheeping!!!) in the middle of the basement until they were big enough to go out to the coop. Of course we were making the choice to bring them into our home, not putting them into someone else's!

 

[Sweetpancake]

I'll be the only one to admit to being bad guests! We had a couple weeks before closing on a house before we got married, so stayed with DH's parents until we could move in.

One night, we were out with friends, and DH drank too much. I drove him home, and then sent him to the bathroom while I got ready for bed. He exited the bathroom and made a wrong turn into his parents bedroom where he belly-flopped between them while they were sound asleep. His dad woke up disoriented, thought DH was their big dog, so was kicking and cussing at the "damn dog" for getting into bed with them. All the ruckus scared his mom, so she jumped out of bed screaming.

Funniest thing ever. His mom told that story until the day she died.

Laughing and trying not to wake my husband. That is hilarious!

 

[ronandannette]

Our chicks always lived in the basement for a couple of weeks, but yeah...chicks in the house was perfectly normal where I grew up. I would just come home from school one day and be like, "Well, I guess the chicks are here," and then you would just learn to live with the make-shift corral (and the incessant cheeping!!!) in the middle of the basement until they were big enough to go out to the coop. Of course we were making the choice to bring them into our home, not putting them into someone else's!

Good times!! Your description of it is perfect - thanks for the great memories.

The chicks would come from the hatchery in late April and it was almost always still too cold out for them to survive in the coop. It was a good sign that spring was finally on the way though.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

You need to have a sit-down and give him a date. I would say 30-45 days is sufficient. At this point, he should've saved enough for deposits, etc. (assuming he works) and you're completely within your rights to do so.

To quote Ann Landers: "No one can take advantage of you without your permission."

I found out that he doesn't have enough for lease deposits because he's been paying off all his back bills!

That's so nice...I would love to mooch off of someone's family too, so that I can become debt free.

But the bigger problem is, he is waiting for his girlfriend to decide to move out of her very-comfortable living situation with her family (she shares a paid-off house with her mother and brother), so they can move somewhere together. It's sad, but it's never going to happen (they have a 2 year old together, and she has two teenagers from a previous marriage). So in effect, us forcing him out of our house will force him to face some serious decisions about the future of his relationship with the mother of his child that I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to face.

We told him March 1st when DH talked to him in mid-January, but seeing as that's in 8 days and it doesn't seem like he has made ANY plans to have a place by then, I'm not sure what to do? Do we just lock the doors the night of the 28th and not let him in? Put all his stuff on the lawn? How does one *actually* hold someone to the drop-dead date?

 

[longboard55]

If I recall, you would order your baby chicks from Sears

 

[KPeterso]

The latest thing is we will have a family event and some think it is ok to bring their dog. No it is not

I have some of those relatives too. It is so annoying to keep showing up at every event to all of the dogs whether they were invited or not. Has been going on for 10 years and have had the "family email" about Thanksgiving a few years ago about it, but yet the next year, there was the dogs again. I honestly often dread some of the family events as a result now.

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

I found out that he doesn't have enough for lease deposits because he's been paying off all his back bills!

That's so nice...I would love to mooch off of someone's family too, so that I can become debt free.

But the bigger problem is, he is waiting for his girlfriend to decide to move out of her very-comfortable living situation with her family (she shares a paid-off house with her mother and brother), so they can move somewhere together. It's sad, but it's never going to happen (they have a 2 year old together, and she has two teenagers from a previous marriage). So in effect, us forcing him out of our house will force him to face some serious decisions about the future of his relationship with the mother of his child that I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to face.

We told him March 1st when DH talked to him in mid-January, but seeing as that's in 8 days and it doesn't seem like he has made ANY plans to have a place by then, I'm not sure what to do? Do we just lock the doors the night of the 28th and not let him in? Put all his stuff on the lawn? How does one *actually* hold someone to the drop-dead date?

I don't think you can just change the locks as he might be considered a tenant under the law. Start a legal eviction process TODAY.

 

[china mom]

I have some of those relatives too. It is so annoying to keep showing up at every event to all of the dogs whether they were invited or not. Has been going on for 10 years and have had the "family email" about Thanksgiving a few years ago about it, but yet the next year, there was the dogs again. I honestly often dread some of the family events as a result now.

My brother would show up with his unruly little dogs and they would pee everywhere. I had to specifically say "no dogs" when inviting....then, he shower up with a cat.

Now his invitations are carefully worded "no, dogs, cats or chickens" (he is one of those crazy chicken people)

 

[china mom]

I found out that he doesn't have enough for lease deposits because he's been paying off all his back bills!

That's so nice...I would love to mooch off of someone's family too, so that I can become debt free.

But the bigger problem is, he is waiting for his girlfriend to decide to move out of her very-comfortable living situation with her family (she shares a paid-off house with her mother and brother), so they can move somewhere together. It's sad, but it's never going to happen (they have a 2 year old together, and she has two teenagers from a previous marriage). So in effect, us forcing him out of our house will force him to face some serious decisions about the future of his relationship with the mother of his child that I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to face.

We told him March 1st when DH talked to him in mid-January, but seeing as that's in 8 days and it doesn't seem like he has made ANY plans to have a place by then, I'm not sure what to do? Do we just lock the doors the night of the 28th and not let him in? Put all his stuff on the lawn? How does one *actually* hold someone to the drop-dead date?

This totally depends on your state laws. I'm in Maryland. When I was a police officer, we were given a State's Attorney's memo saying that if someone has established residency, we cannot kick them out at the owners request. We had to refer the owner to landlord tenant court. Examples of "establishing residency" included mail with that address and/or clothes in dresser drawers.

My brother overstayed his visit with my mother by a couple of years. When I took custody of her, I had her sign a POA and then proceeded to take him to court to evict him.

The process started with giving him written notice that he had to be out by a certain date. I even included an incentive of $500 if he vacated by the date (which he didn't)

 

[KPeterso]

My brother would show up with his unruly little dogs and they would pee everywhere. I had to specifically say "no dogs" when inviting....then, he shower up with a cat.

Now his invitations are carefully worded "no, dogs, cats or chickens" (he is one of those crazy chicken people)

Oh I so understand. My cousin believes everyone just loves her dog and that he cannot ever be left alone. He either goes to her parent's or doggy day care if she is going to be out. Or sometimes a dog sitter comes to the house if going out in the evening. So despite being told not to bring him to some places, she ALWAYS shows up with him. It gets so annoying to always have to eat outside since he cannot go into restaurants or that she disrespects her brother's wishes and shows up with the dog at his house. Good thing I host nothing as she would be turned away at the door. My allergies do not allow a dog in my home.

 

[amberpi]

I have some of those relatives too. It is so annoying to keep showing up at every event to all of the dogs whether they were invited or not. Has been going on for 10 years and have had the "family email" about Thanksgiving a few years ago about it, but yet the next year, there was the dogs again. I honestly often dread some of the family events as a result now.

We've just stopped going to DH's mom or sister's house. They won't crate their ill behaved dogs and they hump the kids so we are kinda left with no choice. We had his sister show up to our HOUSE to celebrate Christmas with her dog and we sent her back across town.

 

[wenrob]

This totally depends on your state laws. I'm in Maryland. When I was a police officer, we were given a State's Attorney's memo saying that if someone has established residency, we cannot kick them out at the owners request. We had to refer the owner to landlord tenant court. Examples of "establishing residency" included mail with that address and/or clothes in dresser drawers.

My brother overstayed his visit with my mother by a couple of years. When I took custody of her, I had her sign a POA and then proceeded to take him to court to evict him.

The process started with giving him written notice that he had to be out by a certain date. I even included an incentive of $500 if he vacated by the date (which he didn't)

Some crackheads moved into my grandma’s house (long story) and they wouldn’t leave. My cousin even went over there, gave them money and escorted them to a hotel and they were back within a week. They knew what they were doing because the woman immediately set up mail coming to the house. I called the Sheriff’s Department and the dispatcher basically told me what you state above but then “unofficially” told me to do what I needed to do to get them out. The problem was getting them both out of the house at the same time. Well one day they decided to have a yard sale (selling my grandma’s things) and my sister confronted them. The woman threatened her with a knife, sis called the police and everyone ended up outside. Bless this officer, he asked “Is this your home” instead of “do you live here?” When they said, no, he trespassed them right then and helped my BIL carry their things out of the house. My BIL and his best friend took shifts sitting on my grandma’s porch for weeks to make sure they didn’t come back. I have no idea if that was legal or not but it worked.

I think in normal freeloader situations most times being firm and telling them they need to get out of your house works. I’ve never known anyone that’s actually pushed the residency thing and I would bet most don’t even think about it. @Lilacs4Me I would just tell him he has to leave. You’re not responsible for his relationship. He’s not leaving because he doesn’t have to. You have to make it clear he’s got to go. Then if he refuses go the legal route.

 

[penn19]

Funny you should mention that. I was raised in a household with a lot of men; Dad, older brother and numerous farm hands that came and went. My Mom and I were hyper-modest. I never lost those habits and I don't think I've ever used the toilet with the door open in my entire life, even during the years I lived alone. I lock it too, whenever anyone else is in the house, just in case.

Me too! I’m modest when it comes to stuff like that. I don’t want people to know what I’m not doing, and I for sure don’t want to know what other people are doing!

 

[Mortlives]

3 things come to mind:
Rearranged my kitchen cupboards
Broke my new couch by flopping on it
Came to an open house, hugged everyone, and then said she was recovering from measles.

These were all different people/events, and all were many years ago.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Sounds like this would make a good "I Love Lucy" episode.

hey look ... free range popcorn chicken! ;D

 

[barkley]

I think in normal freeloader situations most times being firm and telling them they need to get out of your house works. I’ve never known anyone that’s actually pushed the residency thing and I would bet most don’t even think about it.

i do-a now deceased sibling.

the thing is-if push comes to shove and law enforcement gets involved then it almost provides a map for the freeloader to gain insight in how to (imho) abuse the legal system to the disadvantage of the homeowner/generally speaking goodhearted person who provided them with a place to stay. in our situation there was an incident where police were called and in the course of the call the issue of the person being told on multiple occasions to leave came up. police give the standard talk about it being a civil matter, use the courts....freeloader hears 'court' and immediately thinks 'legal aid'. goes to legal aid and finds out not only their legal rights but every stalling tactic in the world to keep the process going on and on. now legal aid is free to the freeloader so they don't care how many hours of legal time they consume whereas the homeowner has to hire an attorney who is pretty forthcoming on the realities of the timelines and the appeal processes and the costs which can add up quickly. attorney also has to advise about what the 'new rules' are once the process begins and how a minor misstep on the part of the homeowner can create a situation ripe for the freeloader to claim harassment, threats, fear of personal safety-all as a means to establish a restraining order and then not only freeload but freeload without the homeowner able to enter their own home we learned that in the majority of cases with family members attorneys advise buying off the freeloader to leave the premises.

this all happened with an individual who wasn't savvy enough to avail himself of the internet. if he had known how to use it he could have done a google search to one of the many sites that are set up to educate people how to change their status from guest to tenant with a few easily done actions and what will appear to the homeowner (or legal tenant) as simple acts of appreciation ('i really appreciate all the help you're giving me and know you said you won't accept rent from me but i feel bad that i'm running up the utilities so here's $20 to offset the cost'...).

 

[cinnaminny]

When I was younger, we went to Disneyland. We lived next door to my aunt & uncle at the time. They got a delivery of about 100 baby chickens. They didn't have a chicken coop ready so my uncle blocked off the kitchen in our house and left them there while we were gone. We came home to a huge mess and a very smelly house. It caused a lot of problems between our family and theirs. My aunt and uncle divorced not too long after.

I would be pissed! lol