Originally Posted by movetoperth

It depends a lot too on personalities, just because someone is related to you or your other half doesnt mean you get on with them, maybe you do but for a couple of hours at a time, but 24/7 for 8 weeks can just push you over the edge.

My inlaws announced they were coming around a month before they arrived, they have little money and can't afford to pay for somewhere to stay on top of their ticket, so fair enough they stay here. So we have to get the 2 oldest boys to share a room so they can have a room. In 8 weeks they didn't cook a single meal, or even offer. They had the use of my car so i used my husbands and he took the train to work, but it was seldom theat they went anywhere themselves. The final straw for me was christmas day, my brother sil and nephew were here too an a trip that had been planned for over a year but were staying in a rented house. I spent most of christmas day cooking and running after everyone, my mil said isn't it great to see the kids opening their pressies, i said i wouldnt know as i hadn't had a chance, she said never mind there is always next year. i did the whole dinner bit and just as i was serving up my own piece of desert she came in and held her plate in front of me and said "that was so yummy i'll have seconds" and promptly dumped it in her plate and walked away. Talk about feeling like a school dinner lady. After that i shut down, rude i know but i couldnt stand it any more, i still served up the food and all the rest but i found it really hard to be civil. When they left i felt guilty as i'd done bugger all with them for the last 3 weeks of their stay.

I'm sure all our bad guests stories sound fairly pathetic, i think you have to live them to understand them.

Lynn

Originally Posted by Budgie

Years ago when I was still in the UK, a total stranger rang up asking to stay. Apparently my father-in-law on a plane flight had told the person sitting next to him (who he had never met before) that they could stay at our place and gave them our number.

Needless to say, in this case the hand of friendship was not extended!

Originally Posted by luvit

Can I borrow your inlaws please

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Sure, next time they're over, they will work at our house in morning and holiday at your place in the afternoon. Fair deal?!

Mrs JTL

Originally Posted by luvit

:scared: Awww No !!! You have to feel sorry for me se my other posts I need a "user friendly guest"

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Oh I do feel sorry for you and anyone with unreasonably demanding guests... . But trust me, my inlaws are very "user friendly" - leave them to themselves by the pool, they don't bother you. You don't need to read a manual to understand them. Just don't wake them if they fall asleep reading books.

Mrs JTL

Originally Posted by Sattman

A lot of intersting stories and POV in this thread.

For what its worth, we can't wait for visitors to start arriving. We've only been here for five weeks, but we've rented a 3 bed / 2 bathroom house (for three of us) specifically so that we can accomodate our visitors.

We have my brother coming in August for a few days with his girlfriend, and then returning by himself for a week in September. Shortly after he goes my mother and MIL are travelling together to stay with us for three weeks. Another brother and his friend are stopping off for a week in November before my father and his partner come for new year. The the MIL comes over with the BIL next Easter.

They are the confirmed visits so far, and I know that there are cousins and close friends making plans.


When we first considered moving here, we saw it as an opportunity for a lot of people, not just for us. Maybe it is because we have a toddler that we are looking forward to the family coming out, knowing that they will be fighting each other to babysit, and that wifey will be able to get out by herself instead of having the baby 24/7.

The whole visitors thing for us (me?) came as part of the package, and we are looking forward to extending our hospitality.

Originally Posted by moneypen20

Depending on your pov I am either doing things right or wrong. We arrived in November and have bought a 4 bed/2 bath so we can fit folk in, In January one couple told us they were coming over but were staying with other friends, could they come and visit for a day. No worries, had a great day and they went back to their other friends that night - In fairness their holiday had been organised before we knew for sure we were coming out then.

On Monday I get a call from my brother - surprise surprise nephew and girlfriend are coming out to Brissie for 10 days to join her mum and dad who are on holiday - can they come and visit for the day?

Can't decide if I am happy or not. On the one hand it will be great to see them and not have to worry about entertaining them and moving girls and beds around, otoh am I offended that they don't want to stay with us

I think it's quite nice that we will of had two visits, neither of which will put us out or stress us. Breaks us in gently before others arrive who do want to stay

Originally Posted by Professional Princess

I ask this because when I told some distant friends our plans, bearing in mind I only see them once a year, they said 'Right, can we come and see you?'

'Yes, thats fine but you wont be able to stay with me, I can find you cheap accommodation, but you must understand we will be working and will be leading our normal lives and to have visitors staying and using an apartment as a holiday let is not a good idea'

To this she replied 'Oh dont worry if you only have a 1 bedroom, we can sleep on the floor'

Now when my family said they will come out, they want to hire their own accommodation to come and go as they please.

Where do you draw the line with visitors? Lets face it, they wont come for a week and whilst we need to appreciate that they are on holiday and will want to eat, drink and be merry, and do their thing, they too must appreciate that this is your life, you will be working, coming home and resting.

I think relationships and friendships can go drastically wrong when someone takes it upon themselves to invite themselves to your house and treat it like a holiday let.

And it especially annoys me when people you barely talk to invite themselves when in fact, they never bothered you in the first place.

Do any of you have ground rules of what you will and wont put up with or any horror stories?

Or do you think you should put up and shut up when it comes to holiday guests and feel grateful they have come to see you (or not as the case may be).

Interested to hear opinions.

(Ive set my ground rules)

Originally Posted by Sattman

A lot of intersting stories and POV in this thread.

For what its worth, we can't wait for visitors to start arriving. We've only been here for five weeks, but we've rented a 3 bed / 2 bathroom house (for three of us) specifically so that we can accomodate our visitors.

We have my brother coming in August for a few days with his girlfriend, and then returning by himself for a week in September. Shortly after he goes my mother and MIL are travelling together to stay with us for three weeks. Another brother and his friend are stopping off for a week in November before my father and his partner come for new year. The the MIL comes over with the BIL next Easter.

They are the confirmed visits so far, and I know that there are cousins and close friends making plans.

When we first considered moving here, we saw it as an opportunity for a lot of people, not just for us. Maybe it is because we have a toddler that we are looking forward to the family coming out, knowing that they will be fighting each other to babysit, and that wifey will be able to get out by herself instead of having the baby 24/7.

The whole visitors thing for us (me?) came as part of the package, and we are looking forward to extending our hospitality.

Originally Posted by CadburysFingers

Thats not THE wifey is it, of internet fame, youre a looky man if it is, which obviously it isnt.