How to Get Rid of Unwanted House Guests

December 21st, 2008 by admin

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We all want our guests to “feel at home” whenever they come to visit, but some guests may take that line too seriously. Some guests may overstay their welcome, and make your home a lot like an extension of theirs. They complain about the food you serve, make a house out of your guest bedroom, and use up all the hot water in the shower. You'd like to turn them away, but you don't want to hear any bad rumors and backtalk from them when they leave. You don't have to put up with them and wear fake smiles when you have unwanted guests in your home. Here are some ways to turn them away without burning bridges along the way.

Tell Them Straight Up

The best way to get rid of unwanted guests is to tell them straight away that unless they conduct themselves appropriately, they're not welcome at your home. Tell them that while you enjoy their company, they're not welcome to stay at your home. It may sound difficult, but it's better than putting up with their irritating presence. Whenever you confront them, be frank but fair. Don't turn them away if they have just stepped into your home, or if they're inside your house while there's a raging storm outside. talking

When you tell them straight up that you don't want them around, be clear and tactful. There's no use beating around the bush, especially if your guests are repeat offenders at annoying you and disrupting your home's peace and quiet. You may end up burning a few bridges with your visitors, or some of them may feel insulted or offended at your refusal. You can prevent some of the hard feelings from building up if you tell them off respectfully but frankly.

Visit Them

Sometimes guests stick around for too long because you don't spend the time and exert the effort to visit them yourself. You can cut the times a guest visits your home if you take the time and effort to pay them a visit at their own home. While you're there, you can set a good example on how a guest should conduct himself or herself properly. While you're expected to feel at home at someone else's house, you should be very prudent and respectful:

Always say “Please” and “Thank you.” Whether it's for lowering the temperature of the air conditioner or passing the salt from across the table, it's important to be courteous.
Make sure you compliment your host on the upkeep of the house and the food you're served. You may not personally like the color of the curtains or you may find dinner a bit too salty for your taste, but your hosts went through great lengths to prepare their home for your visit.
Be appreciative of your host, and express your thanks for the warm welcome and stay at their place. Your nice habits may even rub off on them, and they wouldn't be so annoying or irritating next time.

Get Rid of Incentives

You may have unwanted visitors because they have every reason to visit you, and it's not just because they're sincere about it. Maybe you cook a perfect pot roast, or maybe you have a 52-inch flat-screen plasma TV. Maybe you have a spacious guest room that's way cooler and more well-appointed than theirs, so they overstay their welcome to get the best experience from your home. While you may feel complimented, you may have that ill feeling that you may even be insulted. Reverse psychology works if you want to get rid of the reason or the incentive why you have unwanted guests. You can try cooking up a really bad meal instead of your specialty roast, and say that you're experimenting with new ingredients and cooking methods. You can also tell your guests that your plasma-screen TV isn't working, but you did manage to snag an old black-and-white TV from the discount store. If you're really intent on getting rid of a persistent, unwanted guest, then you have to get rid of the reasons why they keep on visiting.

Put Your Foot Down

To many people, the worst unwanted guests are those who overstay their welcome. You may have a relative who got an eviction notice and promised to stay a couple of weeks until he or she can get a place to stay. Your unwanted guest may be a friend who got into a fight with his or her significant other, and promised to stay a couple of days until the fight blows over. Either way, he or she may end up staying at your place for months on end. While you would like to be helpful and nice for the troubles and problems of your guest, you can't put up with the unwelcome behavior for too long. Often you have no choice but put up with a few hurt feelings. Here are some ways you could use to deal with an unwanted guest:

Lay some ground rules. If your friend will have to stay at your house, both of you should set rules that you both agree with. Your friend must also do his or her own fair share of housekeeping while he or she stays at your home.
Let him or her foot some of the bills. Electricity, food, water, and other utilities do not come cheap. While you're willing to help out a friend in a time of need, it doesn't mean that he or she should remain a freeloader. Let your guest pay for some of the utilities he or she uses, like water, electricity and the phone.
Set the limits. When your guest says that he or she will stay around for two days or two weeks, make sure that he or she stays within that time, and not beyond. You should set deadlines on when he or she gets a job, or when fights blow over so that he or she can go back to his or her own place.

Send Them Packing

The rule when you're getting rid of an unwanted house guest is simple: your house, your rules. There's a difference between making your guests feel at home, and your guests making your home their own. No matter how magnanimous and graceful you are, some unwanted guests will abuse your hospitality and demand so much from you as a host. Some guests can be so dense that they don't get the message at all. When this happens, the best solution is to send them packing. No one can blame you if you get irritated at your unwanted guests, especially if they start to pile up your utility bills, if your house becomes a mess, or if things start to go missing. If they still don't want to leave, or if they start spewing out threats, call the police and tell them that people have trespassed on your property. If your guests don't want to deal with you, they can think twice about dealing with the law. Patience may be a virtue, but not for overly persistent guests who take up much of your valuable time and energy. Getting rid of them is often the best way to show people that they're welcome at your home, as long as they behave themselves properly and respectfully.

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September 4th, 2011 at 12:37 pm yopapi Says:

Or you could just chase their asses out with an axe or shotgun and mutilate their bodies and hide the pieces separetely so that no one would know.
May 5th, 2011 at 9:18 am TP from Virginia Says:

Well it has been over a month since the “Cougar, unwanted house guest” has moved out and taken my son with her. All is quiet at home. I was informed by my Doctor that if my B/P continues to go down he will be able to take me off of the medicine! I was put on it 2 months after she moved in. My mom swears I am actually loosing my grey hair! I don’t see it but she says I am loosing the grey! The only other problem is that we are still getting phone calls from her with “Can I have…” or, “Will you Please give…” We screen our phone calls and text messages. We will not respond to any of those type messages from her.

Showed my son a copy of this months electric bill. It dropped almost three hundred dollars. He showed me his. The average electric bill according to the electric company was 120.00 a month. Their first bill was 278.52. So her bad habits are now being transferred over to my son. He has started to complain. Waiting for the big explosion to happen.

She still forbids my son to pay anything to his Grandmother on the cell phone service she provides for them but he pays anyway.

Still trying to get her move her crap out of our Storage Building. She has burned so many bridges that no one will loan her a truck unless she pays for gas ahead of time and she said to me, “There’s no way in hell I’m doing that.” So as you can see things have gotten much better since they moved out and somethings still haven’t changed. She still has the old attitude that she is intitled to everything that everybody else has she shouldn’t have to pay for anything. Thankfully due to my efforts of getting the word around town doors are being slammed in her face right and left. Maybe we’ll have her paying her own way in a couple more months! But we are still recovering from the ordeal!

Again the best tip I can give you is this: Never never never let them in your house in the first place. It is much easier to meet them at the door and point to the street and say “hit the bricks, not my house, not my family.” Oh and my wife and are celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary this weekend!!
April 13th, 2011 at 5:08 am crystal Says:

I am in a situation where my husband allowed my mother to stay in his mothers house for a while because she was having issues, and his mother just passed away so he did not feel comfortable being there. the agreement was a verbal one, she didn’t have to pay rent only yearly taxes which were 200. she had to get the utilities on in her name and keep up the house. Well, this arrangement worked well for a while, and we even told her that is something happens in the future and we needed to move in that we would. since we have moved in we have had to clean up the house because it was nasty, she let my little sister move in and we did not say anything about that at the time, now that we are here it has been nothing but headaches. they are constantly badgering my husband and making it seem like this is not his home when in fact it is. everyone is saying that technically we have to give her notice, but if she is not paying rent and it was an agreement for her just to stay here I don’t think we should, what do you think.
March 21st, 2011 at 8:36 am T.P. from VA Says:

Finally She has moved out! This is an update from my December 2, 2010 posting. Now some additional tips for dealing with the (Cougar manipulating types of Houseguests preying on your children and you. And using your grandchild to get what she wants). And what does she want? Free Free Free. Anything she can get for free. Rent, Electricity, Cable Internet, Transportation, food, heat, water etc etc etc etc! And she will use your family to get it! She used my mother in law, my son’s grandmother for a free cell phone with unlimited internet, texting and minutes for two years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And don’t expect her to volunteer any money for any of the services. WHY? Because in her mind she is entitled to them!!!!

1. Never let her in in the first place.

2. Do not fall for her sexy younger then she really is sultry voice. Be Firm and say no and point to the door!

3. And immediately alert your family and friends that a cougar is on the loose and is trying to get her money grabbing hooks in to your son.

4. The hardest one yet! Be prepared to throw your son out too! Once she was given 90 days to move she immediately set to work on my son to convince him to move with her so we would immediately change our mind. But we held firm and informed our son that he would have to move too. Do not let her guilt you into more time! And during that period you give her to be out start cracking down hard. No more extra electricity! No more laundry service! No internet or television! Make that time you have given her to move as difficult for her as possible!

It has been a very long 2 years. My wife and I are now referring to that dark period of time the “Duffer” Dynasty. I blame myself for not being the man of my own house and throwing her butt out the first instant she set foot in my home. I blame myself for not educating myself and finding out the hell I was setting myself up for and allowing this “Woman” to reek havoc on my home, life and health and marriage. Thankfully my family is intact, and my health is good. And she has moved out. The sad part is this. My son is still with her and my Grandson will grow up a product of a cougar lifestyle. To anyone who reads this, take these warnings seriously. Take these tips seriously. And for heaven’s sake if you see a cougar walking your way!! The Cougar life style is nothing like the one on TV. Esepcially if the Cougar becomes the house guest that will not move!!!
December 2nd, 2010 at 2:15 pm T.P. from Virginia Says:

In spring of 2009 my Son comes home from work he is 20 years old. He brings home a 40 year old woman just released from Jail with no place to stay. (Would find out later she was in jail for failure to pay child support) Against the voice screaming in my head to throw her out right then and there I told him she could stay for a couple of days. Three months later her mail is coming to my house. (HUGE MISTAKE!!!) She has taken over the house, I can’t even cook a meal in my own kitchen or do laundry. God forbid if the cable or internet gets turned off. In august of 2009 my son informs me that she is pregnant. Yea I know I should have my head examined. Should’ve tossed her out right then and there. Now fast forward to 2010. She is still in my house. Refuses to pay rent. Expects the kitchen to be cleaned up after she uses it. The baby bottles will sit in the sink for days before she will touch them. The laundry room is always being used and boy can that woman do the laundry. You should see my electric and water and sewage bills! Oh and she opperates a Coffee House out of my kitchen. She has “Friends” stopping by for Coffee. (It has since been closed down when she complained of ants so I closed the coffee bar down and the ants went away) She lives in my house eats my food uses my electricity, water and expects us to walk around on eggshells so as not to upset her. Well not any more. The Signs have gone up demanding that she clean up after herself. I have limited the amount of time she can use the laundry room.

1st tip NEVER NEVER NEVER allow the “guests” to start receiving mail at your place. Once they succeed in getting their mail delivered to your house then they have established your house as their residence!

2nd Tip After the first two days is up throw the “guest” out!

3rd Tip Never allow them to take over your house! If they Try throw them out!

4th and final Tip! Never never never allow the “Guest” to guilt trip you into letting them stay by using your Grandchildren as leverage over you. You have to be prepared to say, “I’m sorry, you will have to move. I’m sure you will find another place for you to live. YOU CAN’T STAY HERE ANYLONGER!!!!”
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:01 pm grace Says:

My boyfriend helped me move out of a bad family situation where i was being taken advantage off. he promised to take care of half the bills etc so i can spend more time with my daughter. to my surprise he quit his job after moving in a week. he said he’d like to follow his dreams. so i said he’d b a guest until he has something stable. he would sometimes pay for things but better believe me, he makes it sound like turtore as if im the one taking advantage. he cleans but he also takes off with the car. his presence both make me and break me. when i do something for him he wants me to do more. and when i need money he tells me something like why dont you cash your bonds. i am really starting to hate his guts but he wont leave. he talks down at me in my own home. when he opens his mouth it is always to criticize me. he even calls ma a bitch… i kick him out but he starts threathening, then i just get depressed. i am sooo tired… can some other looser take this man away from me and save me please…..
October 13th, 2010 at 1:30 pm TD in OK Says:

I made the mistake of allowing my 28 year-old niece and her 6 year-old daughter to live with me in my house temporarily (supposedly just for a month) when their rental house burned down. Unfortunately I live less than a mile from where they were living so my niece thought living with me would be more convient for her than living in an extended-stay hotel (which her insurance would pay for) until she finds another permanent place to live.

My tip is this: if you are used to living by yourself, do not allow anyone to live with you for an extended period of time. While this arrangement may not seem to invade your space too much or inconvenence you too much, it will get on your nerves and every little thing will start to bother you.
October 1st, 2010 at 6:35 pm Leanne Says:

My brother and his wife just announced they would be coming to stay with us for a few days — it’s inconvenient, they should know their timing is off, and they are totally taking advantage, but there’s nothing we can do to get out of it. As a result, my husband and I have now instituted a no guests at all policy.
We’re too old and too tired to entertain people who are just looking for a free vacation. Don’t know what else to say. Sometimes the best way to get rid of houseguests is just never to have them in the first place.
September 28th, 2010 at 9:46 pm P.Davis Htown Says:

I stay in a house with my mother as a roomate agreement since her and my step dad divorced after 12 years of marriage. From the begining we agree to split bills and responsibilites and be each others confident and support system. Almost immediately people from siblings to their mates moved in. No one pays bills but me and her. They eat groceries, use tissue trash the house and use misc items someone else always foot the bills……..now after 3 1/2 years there 5 extra adults here who pay for nothing. How they make it pass overnight or how they even have the address has all to do with my mother. She is retired since heart surgery. I am disgusted in constant fear for my safety and safety of vehicle. I need to arm myself
August 1st, 2010 at 9:25 am T.G. FROM ALABAMA Says:

OMG rick lafferty.. now i know i am not alone… i have been dealing with this almost same situation…. so i guess they are more people like them… i was feeling so along and helpless to help my mother since my dad passed away last year and her two *ROOMMATES* (family members) moved in with her… without asking… they moved in while my dad was in the hospital dieing.. and they also brought with them their… two inside dogs and one outside dog… so here we are 9 months later and several thousands of dollars and broken appliances , vehicles, and a tremendous flea infestation…..dogs tearing up furniture… digging up the lawn .. dog poo everywhere.. dog urine stinking up my moms house ( until now there were no pets.. and every one removed there shoes before entering into my parents home)… you know the rest of us know how to respect others !! loss of sleep due to them going and coming at all hours of the night .. to pick up or drop off their drug of choice …. their frequent.. and i mean frequent ( every three days )trips to the doctors office… the wife stays in bed … all day… and i mean all day.. no joke. ! so the two little dogs just use the bathroom on the floor… you may be wondering.. is she sick? disabled? is she elderly?… answer is NO ! she is 25.. never worked … never done anything for herself… and Him , her husband.. OMG… well he is full time army.. you would think he would have a clue.. , but no… when he failed his last drug test.. they just demoted him and cut his pay… go figure… good ole Uncle Sam… he’s got our back !! (yeah right)…and when he was arrested on Fathers day this year, during a traffic stop, for ..you guessed it… unlawful controlled substance… well they say as long as his commander officer does not find out.. well… i have had enough.. they should have been comforting my Mother and helping her .. not causing her so much stress and they keep her upset all the time… and my Mother at 70 she gets up everyday and works a full time job !!! THEY HAVE GOT TO GO.. DOES ANYONE HEAR ME OUT THERE??? I am so thankful for my best friend, she lets me vent all this to her only a daily bases sometimes two to three times a day… if not for her .. i think i would have to sign up for therapy ! My Mother has asked them to take the dogs out to use the bathroom , for the Wife to get out of bed and get a job and for the Husband to keep the big dog outside and she has even repeatedly asked them to Move out…. so what am i to do…???? I could call the police…, but not my house… , but i do live 78 steps from my Mothers back door.. so i get a first hand up close and personal view of it all… and i don’t like what i see… well thanks gang for letting me vent it all out…. time for me to cut some grass or to weed eat or clean my moms house… i also work a full time job .. i am not married and i have four children… two of them work and go to college , two of them are in high school… , and i am so thankful that they are RESPECTFUL, HELPFUL, AND I LOVE ! Thanks Kids for all your help !

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