Friends want to stay for two months - while moving house - help?

The thing is....do you want to do it? If not, then say no.Say that your health isn’t the best just now and you need to be quiet.
Lifelong friends are one thing, but casual friends are another.You must do what suits you and not them.

This nearly happened to me once, luckily I went into hospital instead. Seems unbelievable to me that they should even suggest it. I totally agree that it could go on for much longer than anyone would like. Make up an excuse or alternatively ask for rent and make sure you are not being taken for a ride. Best of luck!

You may end up seriously regretting this. You know thstbthing about visitors and fish’s?
Especially being on your own, do you REALLY want your house to be taken over? I know I wouldn’t.
You just have to smile and say it would not really work. Sorry. End of.
You are under no obligation and they can just as easily rent for a couple of months as I cannot believe you are their last resort.

Fish’s???
Try again
You know that thing about visitors and fish?

How cheeky of them. Be brave and say no and then you won't resent them and you will be proud of yourself.

We stayed in a grannie flat for 3 months tagged on to the farmhouse our old friends lived in. We were lucky, we paid them a good amount each month and had separate cooking and bathroom facilities. It was tiny, we were squashed but it was doable and we all survived. Sharing a house, no matter how big is a different kettle of fish - think carefully about this.
We've had various adult children and partners live with us for months at a time, that's been fine. Can your casual friends rent a house for a couple of months>

We had friends staying with us for about two months years ago (they had four children!). Actually, DH was away and I was out all day at work so I just let them get on with it and came home to a cooked meal each night.

ps they weren't casual friends, they were very good friends.

We once rented some holiday type accomodation for about two months ( fully furnished) when between houses, it worked well.

If you decide to go ahead you should sit down together and write out some ground rules including how much it will cost you, who will pay for damages, who will cook, clean etc.
I have done something similar three or four times in the past and it worked fine but only because we were all clear about how it was going to work. I did have enough room then for separate sitting rooms and we ate at different times so cooked our own meals.
You might find they decide not to go ahead when it becomes clear it's not a free ride!

The only experience I have of this is from a couple we know. His sister and her husband came to stay with them while waiting for their house purchase to be finalised.
But the deal broke down, they nearly lost their deposit etc.
By the time they had found and bought another house everyone's nerves were frayed,
They were together for about a year.

Casual friends? Why on earth even consider it .....I wouldn’t
Relative or close much loved friend of course
A money making proposition if needed yes

How cheeky of them to even ask .....let them rent a chalet or caravan for a couple of months

Better to say no now, however difficult it feels, perhaps text or email first so that they know before you speak to them face to face. It might feel a bit uncomfortable to say it but will be worse if you reluctantly agree & get stuck with the situation.

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.
- Benjamin Franklin ...

Casual friends? No way! You're not responsible for the roof over their heads. They could rent on AirB&B, which is what people I know are doing between houses.

Though come to think of it, you could AirB&B your own house to them and go on holiday with the proceeds!

We stayed with family for three weeks between house moves a few years back. All adults. They were out at work, we did our own thing including cooking for ourselves. We got along fine, I enjoyed being there and appreciated their kindness more than they could know.

Having said that there was a huge ‘but’. It wasn’t so much us that felt awkward, it was ‘stuff’. Furniture was in storage but we needed clothes and shoes. We needed to keep valuables safe and what seemed like a mountain of paperwork attached to the move and other paperwork that we couldn’t risk going missing. Of course there was the laptop and a printer. Our personal lives were in many plastic storage boxes. Their cupboards were understandably full. We stacked boxes then re-stacked each time we had to find something. Our large bedroom felt very squashed but we were careful not to stray into their space.

So, with this experience would I consider housing casual friends and their children? Definitely not! Unless you have masses of empty cupboards and the patience of a saint it just won’t work. With children you also need to think about electronic devices and separate televisions. There will be noise!

You are right. The timescale could easily go on and on. It would be so much better for you to say a regretful no.

Say no for the sake of your sanity.

Oh gosh, just say No. I agree with vampire queen, no, no, no, to casual friends (with children). A nightmare in the making? You would be a sitting duck?

I always say if you hesitate or double think it then it must be a No I am very sorry

It would be a no from me also. Would you be expected to babysit? Who would look after the children if either was sick?

They may well change their minds if you all sit down and discuss finances and rules as had been suggested.

Don't even mention finances and rules if you actually want to say no.
Just say no, you feel it wouldn't work.

Think of the wear and tear on your furniture and carpets, I love children but they do make messes.
I don't allow eating in the lounge in front of the TV, how would you feel if they plonked themselves down with food while they watched ?

Agreed with everyone who has said NO, and for the reasons given. How could casual friends possibly ask such a huge favour?

No don’t do it! We had DS and DDIL for 4 months, even then we decamped to our holiday house.