Overnight guests - what is reasonable? Part 1 (The American Cousins)

Victor

Feel free to seek any clarifactions / ask questions.

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Hypothetical scenario.

You are sharing a 3-bed property with two other people. One of them occassionally has their American cousins (one at a time) stay for a week. The cousins sleep on a camp bed in the living room. You and the other housemate do not have overnight visitors. All three housemates have known each other for 2 years and have a good, balanced relationship.

The cousins are polite, friendly (but not too much), considerate, honest, normal people, but you have not met them before. No loud, rude, drunken, exhibitionistic, obsessive, thieving, lecherous, boring weirdoes allowed. The cousins can be of either gender and may be younger / older adults.

While the host / their cousin takes care of any resposibilities they have (own food, clean up after themselves, etc.), no money or other consideration changes hands.

How many weeks total per year is it reasonable for the cousins to stay?

Think_then_talk

The Hypothetical cousins sleeping on an air bed in the living room (Communal Areas :mad:) I take it,
Not so considerate after all ? Why not sleep in the Hypothetical cousins bedroom & stay two weeks.

iguana

One week in total, maybe possibly 2 if it's in the living room as that's a communal area and it means that everyone has to go to bed when the cousin does. However if the housemate has the cousin staying in their room then I'd allow more flexibility as it would have a lot less impact on the other housemates.

athtrasna

I opted for should not be allowed to stay as I agree with the others, they should not be allowed to stay in a communal room. If they want to stay then they should share the room of their relation.

Whatever about a friend coming back and sleeping on the couch after an unexpected night out, a pre-planned visit from abroad that lasts a week and essentially takes the living room out of bounds for other housemates is just not on.

The_Conductor

Personally- I don't think its fair or reasonable to have guests stay over, in a house share situation- unless you have the prior agreement and have discussed it with the other housemates. Even then I would suggest that the hypothetical cousins make a token gesture towards the house (it could be paying for a communal grocery shop, some of the utility bills etc).

If I go to visit my cousins in the States- I do not expect to stay with them- it is an imposition, no matter how you look at it.

A one-off might be amenable if its only for a day or two- however if it were longer, or on a not infrequent basis, it would be a totally different story altogether.

Capt'n Midnight

I'm guessing you pay rent monthly.

So suggest after 4 weeks at the most rent should be paid.
And that's if the cousins were sleeping in the Housemates room, because they are using the resources of the house.


It's like the old newspaper rule of thumb about new businesses.
Once is news
Twice is advertising

cruizer101

Shouldn't be allowed stay at all I think.

Fair enough a nite or two, staying for a week, go get a hostel.

If it was in tenants room, I might consider it, but even then they should be making a contribution.

the_syco

Two weeks in the tenants room, a weekend in the communal sitting room area, and once in a blue moon. And not to have a problem if I have a guest stay over once in a blue moon.

I find those who like having people over tend not to like you having guests stay the night :mad:

amdublin

I think one week as a One Off.

Not every year!

conorhal

I stand by the old adage that 'guests are like fish, after three days they begin to stink and need to be thrown out'.

A week as a once off is permissable however.

With regards your scenario however, I think the correct answer is 0. I’ve no problem with flat-mates crashing a guest on a camp bed or an easily stored away inflatable mattress in their room, but the living room is a communal area not a campsite.