Use of my kitchen

[Marit0]

I have a 60 m2 flat, and I rent out a room. I accepted someone for long term, 8 weeks. This person said she would travel a lot during the stay, and needed basically a place to put the luggage. It turns out she barely leaves the flat, and stay put 12-13 hours in the kitchen every day. The kitchen is close to her room. She is polite and friendly, but 6 more weeks with this will make me very uncomfortable. I have had another guest doing just the same. He said he would be at work, but he quit his job and spent most of the days in exactly the same spot. He wanted to socialize with me also, and  in the end I just avoided coming home. What can I do? I have had many guests, also long term, and this situation did not occur. 

[Marit0]

The weatherforcast you mention is not true. We have not have rain for months. This is Norway. We had some snow a couple of weeks ago, and lately we have had bright and sunny days. This person has made herself a home office in my kitchen. 

[Mariann4]

Actually, @Scott80..

I live on the other side of Norway from Oslo. We call our city the rainiest city in the world with an average of 220-280 days of rain EACH year. And after Oslo we have the most visits from tourists in all of Norway. Plenty come to experience the rain and shifting weather in general. So yes, a lot of people would like to explore Norway in cold rain 🙂

And as a local: two weeks of sun only on the greek islands make my skin dry out so much that I long for the rain the last couple of days. I probably would in Hawaii also 😄

@Marit0Beklager... Har ingen gode råd. Men tar ikke langtidsleie selv fordi jeg ønsker ikke å risikere det du har opplevd... Jeg trenger å ha huset mitt for meg selv i mellom slagene... Det er en selvfølge for meg å tilby kjøkkenet til mine gjester da det å spise ute er latterlig dyrt her i landet. Ikke bor jeg i et område med kort avstand til restauranter heller. Men jeg håper jeg slipper unna opplevelser som din. Jeg har valgt å utstyre rommet som et hotellrom med vannkoker, kopper og et utvalg av te og kaffe. Det gjør at de ikke løper på kjøkkenet etter sånt...

Mariann 🙂

[Marit0]

Ja, det er veldig overraskende når det skjer, for hvem gidder å reise verden rundt for å sitte inne på noens kjøkker 13-14 timer om dagen i et par uker, liksom... Jeg kommer til å skrive tydelig i husreglene at kjøkkenet er et rom for å deles, og ikke bruke det som kontorplass., heller bruke biblioteket som er et par hundre meter unna. Det er mye en må gardere seg mot i dette opplegget her. 

[Mariann4]

Jeg kan forstå at man i et langtidsopphold har en dag eller to der man blir inne. Men man har leid et rom, ikke et helt sted. Du gjør nok noe lurt hvis du skriver som du sier. Kanskje legge til at kjøkkenet er greit å brukes til måltider, men ellers bes gjesten(e) om å bruke rommet. Spørsmålet oppstår jo når du sier deles. Det kan jo oppfattes subjektivt: ja jeg sitter her og jobber, men du kan jo komme hit og lage mat selv om jeg sitter her?

Jeg har ut i fra mine timer på forumet her forstått at regler må være glassklare og uten rom for misforståelser. Men så ønsker man jo å være hyggelig og imøtekommende som vert... Jeg får nok svi for mine utydeligheter også. Så reglene blir oppdatert etter hver gjest 😄 Men hvordan gardere seg mot å finne en sovende på sofaen i stuen, uten sengetøy, og under mitt pledd? Jeg ble så paff at jeg bare sa god morgen...

[Marit0]

Ja, det må stå at kjøkkenet ikke kan brukes som kontor, og ikke i timevis av gangen. Jeg hadde en gjest som kom til Oslo for å jobbe, men sluttet på jobben etter en uke. Han satt i 3-4 uker på samme stolen på kjøkkenet. Ville ha selskap av meg. Det var noen uker jeg ikke orket å gå hjem, ja. Jeg tror jeg har fått nok av langtidsboende.

[Marit0]

I have done that. I think this is the last time I rent out long term. This is the second time someone has glued themself to that space for weeks. This one has made the kitchen into her home office. At least she is silent. The other one was waiting for my company, and never stopped talking. He was supposed to be at work, but quit and sat home instead, waiting for me. I think I am done with this now. 

[Linda476]

I mostly host long-term, mostly medical interns.  In general they are focused, keep work hours, are younger and don't really want to hang out in the kitchen or talk to me so much. They are focused on their future and moving on within 3 weeks to 3 months.   Generally they are very respectful and responsible.  I have a few vacationers and just had one for a week that did breakfast about 10:30 or 11:00 for an hour or so, then repeated around 10 pm at night, wanted to chat it up everytime she came downstairs, and commented on everything under the sun including what my neighbors were doing.  She exploded something in the microwave and left me to clean it, and left the hot water trickling and went to bed another night.  She immediately asked me to break the first of only a few house rules I have by wanting to wear "indoor only shoes" on the carpet.  I reluctantly agreed as she stated a medical condition; then she would wear them outside on the large deck.  There were a few other reverse conversation things like asking to have her brother visit, then after I agreed told me she wanted him to view the house so he could start his own guest facilities.  Then she brought her sister over without asking to do the same.  She said she was here to work a show but when she arrived said she was done with that and was just on vacation. She had no particular plans so was here a lot.  This woman loved my house but asked me why it was so cheap, telling me she was a little out of her element.  I work from home and she was constantly commenting on my business...too close for comfort.

Bottom line, some people don't communicate well or have good boundaries.  I was about to pull my hair out.  I left an honest review and sent her more lengthy feedback. I don't like leaving negative feedback but it is important and I support other hosts doing this.  

I have changed my listing to suggest certain hours (early morning and early evening) for kitchen use.  I love hosting interns and they so appreciate using the kitchen, but when I travel I see very few listings that offer this.  I love the idea of limiting time in the kitchen for vacationers, and think I will add that within kitchen hours.  Limiting the pictures I show is  a good idea too.  Too bad a few people ruin it for many others.