If you are lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of the country, then you might expect a little envy from friends. But you probably would not expect regular requests for free accommodation from these so-called friends. Well, one couple regularly encounters this problem as acquaintances contact them "out of the blue", hoping to visit, as they live in a "popular tourist destination".
But things took a turn for the worse when one woman arrived on their doorstep hoping to stay, despite having been told she could not. At a loss for what to do, they ignored her - and she was left standing outside with her suitcase.
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The shocking tale came to light on Mumsnet, when one of the homeowners took to the website to complain about the unexpected visitor.
She there expressed her outrage at the woman's behaviour and the "cheek" of her request.
The homeowner explained: "We live in a popular tourist destination and after numerous people took advantage of us, we nip it in the bud now. Most seem to follow the same script by contacting us out of the blue and mentioning that it would be so lovely to see us.
"I now answer in a very friendly manner that it has been years since we last heard from them and it would indeed be lovely to catch up over coffee in a nearby spot when they are in the area. This does tend to put an end to most of those potential CFs, however, one acquaintance pushed back and asked to stay with us at the beginning of September.
"I told her that this would not be possible, especially as we have a very tight deadline and will be working flat out to finish a commission. DH and I are self-employed craftspeople and sometimes we do work all day and most of the night to finish pieces and the DC stay at their grandparents during that last push.
Not heard back from the acquaintance since July even though she clearly read my WhatsApp message."
She continued: "The doorbell went this evening, I ignored it as DH and I were in the middle of working on our commission but someone kept pushing the bell.
"Our property is an L-shape so you can see from our workshop who is at the front door. CF acquaintance was standing there with a suitcase! DH is more of a people pleaser and while really cheesed off was about to answer the door till I told him no bloody way! He redeemed himself by immediately agreeing.
"The bell went a few more times and then got a flurry of WhatsApp messages, which I ignored. She eventually left after half an hour. I am almost bemused by the cheek of it but there is no way I am going to let anyone railroad me into being their free accommodation and greatly inconveniencing us, especially while we literally get up to work all hours and fall into bed.
"DH is fretting about her coming back but I told that we will just continue to ignore the doorbell. We have a back gate to a dirt track we can stealth like leave the property if she is holding a siege at the front door."
Her post concluded: "There are plenty of hotels and B&Bs in the area, albeit quite dear. Who does that! A rhetorical question but am just shocked by the cheek of just turning up after saying emphatically No!"
After hearing the woman's explanation, people were quick to take her side over her guest's.
One person replied: "God that is really rude! Good on you for ignoring her."
"That's so entitled!" said a second.
However, someone else asked: "Why didn’t you just open the door and explain the situation though?"
And a different commenter wrote: "Maybe she was coming to see you but had booked a hotel or whatever still?"
However, someone responded: "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck."
Replying to commenters, the homeowner clarified she had not opened her text messages to find out what they said.
But she did add: "This isn't really any drama, my flabber is just rather gasted by the sheer nerve of it. DH and I were joking about her staging a siege at our front door. She is the kind of person that tries to get her own way but this won't fly with me."
