DEAR ABBY: I am a rent-paying adult tenant who lives at home with my mother. Mom gave a house key to my sister and brother to be used in the event of an emergency. On several occasions they have used their key to enter the house unannounced, startling both me and Mom.
I have asked them to please either knock or use the doorbell and wait to be let in when dropping by unannounced like anyone else would do. My brother has graciously honored my request. My sister thinks that because she was given a key she has the right to unlock the door and come into our home whenever she wants to.
I find what she's doing intrusive and upsetting. How can I get her to respect my wishes and honor my privacy in my own home? Mom agrees with me, but is reluctant to ask my sister to return the key. -- ADULT TENANT IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR ADULT TENANT: Your sister may feel that because the house technically belongs to your mother (in spite of the fact that you are paying rent) that she doesn't have to respect your wishes. Unless your mother is willing to assert herself and tell your sister she feels the same way you do, and if it happens again she wants her house key returned, the problem will continue. At this point, the ball is in Mom's court.
Tell sister and BIL that there have been home invasions in the area, so you've gotten a shotgun, in case someone comes in uninvited.
Then put a big slide bolt on the door, and lock it when she's home.
This is perfect for while they are home. Although, I really don't like the idea of someone feeling free to come and go when I'm not home, either.
Good point. I have to wonder whether the entitled sister is stealing from her mother when no one's home, or going through Mom's personal or financial papers.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
It has to be a sad life to always be so suspicious of others.
We have a key on the shelf in our washroom. The boys don't even bother carrying a key cause they know where it is.
My brother and his kids know where it is.
My grandmother, aunts uncles and cousins know where it is.
We know where their extra keys are.
But here is the thing. If we enter the house we do make it known we are coming in. By knocking or the bell or by asking if anyone is home as we open the door.
We have friends who come in like that and we enter their house like that.
If we don't want someone just coming in we lock the washroom door as well as the house door. They are almost right beside each other.
I know some would not like living like this. To me, it isn't a big deal.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Years ago, I worked one day with a supplier's sales rep who was from Belleville, Ohio. I was driving.
After we saw a customer, when we got back to the car, I saw that he had left his door unlocked.
When I asked him about it, he said he NEVER locks doors.
At home, no one ever even takes the keys out of their cars, and the house doors don't even HAVE locks.
I told him, we're in New York, where a small percentage of people are opportunity thieves. Some people here will steal anything that isn't nailed down or locked up, just to sell it to get their next fix.
And if he leaves the door of my car unlocked again, I'm going to take him straight back to the airport.
Time for a new thread with a poll ... Have you ever been robbed by a burglar?
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
I never stood and knocked at the front door of my parents home and never would. I don't care if a sib is living there. And my parents had keys to our house and no I did not expect them to knock.
Yeah I doubt she is paying much rent. Usually people living at home dont. And it is her Moms decision about the locked doors not hers. If she doesn't like it then move out.
I never stood and knocked at the front door of my parents home and never would. I don't care if a sib is living there. And my parents had keys to our house and no I did not expect them to knock.
Why do your expect that because YOU did something one way, that's how everyone should do it. She doesn't like people just walking into her house. It's a reasonable expectation that they knock. Especially since she has ASKED them to. So, you wouldn't knock on your parents door if they asked you to? How flippin' rude and entitled.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
She is probably agreeing with the LW to be agreeable. If mom wants to change it that is on mom to ask not glomming sib.
So? She's probably being agreeable b/c it's a reasonable request. But if mom doesn't have the balls to stand up to sis - then they can change the locks and solve the problem. Brother listened, why can't sis?
Hell, I'd start walking around naked.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
So her way is " right" but suddenly her sister who has done this all her life is wrong? The one demanding to be right is the entitled OP.
She LIVES there, sister does not. So, yes, she has the right to tell someone to knock on the damn door before they come barging in. It's common courtesy. Why is that so hard to comprehend?
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
You are presuming mom needs her money as well. But in reality, most often those who live at home rack up more expenses than they pay in so called rent. So, let's stop presuming. If MOM wants the door locks changed, then MOM gets to make that decision. If Mom doesn't tell the other sis, then she has made a decision that it is fine with her. No decision is a decision. It isn't the OP's to make.
You are presuming mom needs her money as well. But in reality, most often those who live at home rack up more expenses than they pay in so called rent. So, let's stop presuming. If MOM wants the door locks changed, then MOM gets to make that decision. If Mom doesn't tell the other sis, then she has made a decision that it is fine with her. No decision is a decision. It isn't the OP's to make.
Well, first - I only started presuming to counter your presumptions. Which you are still making even in this comment.
And I disagree - she lives there as well and pays rent to do so. She has a right to privacy in her own home.
But she can solve this by telling Mom to fix it or she's moving out.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
At my house, if I know you are coming over, a quick knock or yell as you are walking in is standard. If you are coming over unexpected, then you knock and wait for us to answer.
When I go to Mom's, BDs or MILs, I walk in and announce my presence immediately. With other friends and family, it varies but we oblige whatever their preference is.
Wow. The idea that any of us know what is going on in another's living arrangement is just crazy.
Different people. That is the key here.
If the OP is paying an agreed upon amount of money in rent, it doesn't matter how much it actually contributes. It is the agreed upon amount.
And as an agreed upon amount, it is a rent paying tenant. and tenants have rights.
So it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about it. The OP has made a reasonable request. It should be honored.
Is it really that big of a deal to make your entrance known before or as you are entering someone else's home?
I know when I open the door to family's homes and generally knock as I am opening it or call out asking who is home.
It isn't like this request is a violation of their constitutional rights. It's knock on the door.
Perspective.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
My brother does this and I don't like it, I think it's rude. Just knock on the door, you don't know what the other person might be in the middle of doing.
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
My brother does this and I don't like it, I think it's rude. Just knock on the door, you don't know what the other person might be in the middle of doing.
How will he react if he does walk in on you while you're ...
(fill in the blank ________________________ ) ?
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
My parents and grandma both have a key to our apartment. They use their key and let themselves in when they come over. DH's parents would have a key too if they actually visited us in our home.
If we know a friend is coming over, we leave the door unlocked and they just come in when they arrive.
I can understand the LW's position but I more understand the mom's position.
My parents and grandma both have a key to our apartment. They use their key and let themselves in when they come over. DH's parents would have a key too if they actually visited us in our home.
If we know a friend is coming over, we leave the door unlocked and they just come in when they arrive.
I can understand the LW's position but I more understand the mom's position.
Me too. And, but not sure why the LW gets to be the one to change what the entire family wants to do. My guess is that mom really doesn't care. And, she is agreeing that "oh yeah, you shouldn't walk in on people" to her live in daughter but I doubt she cares all that much. But, again it is HER decision to make and nobody else's. She can tell LW, too bad, it is fine with me so like it or lump it. Or, she can tell the other 2 that she is changing the locks and proceed to do just that. Either way it is her prerogative. And, LW knew the deal when she moved in. If she doesn't like it, she can move out. Tough taters about her "tenants' rights" in mom's house while she is no doubt eating off mom's plates and scarfing down mom's food.
If the arrangement is agreed upon by both, then it doesn't matter if the rent is $10 or $10,000.
I don't know why that is even an issue.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Either way, one Sib does not get to butt into the relationship of Mom with the other sib. Like if the other sib started pestering mom saying that LW shouldn't live at home, blah, blah. Well, that would be none of her business as well. But, neither it is the business of the LW how she wants to handle to comings and goings of her other daughter.
If she were asking that the sister make appointments, that would be too much.
All she asking for is a knock as she opens the door.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I think there is a difference between just stepping in and yelling "hello!" and walking in and tromping all over the house. My mom would walk in and yell Hello in the kitchen and wait for someone to come. She did go walking upstairs or whatever.
Would anyone's opinion be different if the mother had moved in with the daughter? To clarify: daughter owes the house and for whatever reason, mom moved in and pays daughter rent
Once the sister pays rent, the fact that she is related to the landlord is irrelevant. She is a tenant and has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the home.
The real question is, what does her money entitle her to? Is she renting a bedroom and sharing common living space ? Or is there a separate basement apartment that she rents and is coming into the mother's living space where she is bothered by the door? If there is a separate apartment then the OP needs to suck it up and shut up. If she is renting a room with access to the common areas, the sister needs to knock.
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Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
My sisters and I just walk in my parents house. It is still considered "home" by us. My parents wouldn't hear the doorbell anyway so it would be useless to knock or ring the doorbell. If the door is unlocked, which most times it is, we just go in. They are always in the kitchen, and they don't hear anyone until they get to the kitchen doorway. It's interesting to hear what other families do. I just assumed most people operated that way. I also think that the fact that the sister is paying rent is irrelevant. I mean, really, is she walking around naked in the house in front of her mother? IF it is within reasonable hours, it shouldn't matter that the other sister just walks in.
-- Edited by tlc on Saturday 17th of January 2015 06:12:26 PM
Really? If you live at home by the grace of your parents and pay some piddly ass rent , you think you are entitled to tell your parents how to run their home?
It doesn't say how much rent is paid. You know why? Cause it doesn't matter.
If this WASNT her mother, she was paying rent in some other person unrelated to her, would you still be saying the same thing? I don't think you would. You would be appalled that the landlord wasn't doing anything about this simple request.
The amount of money being paid has NOTHING to do with it. If the mother and daughter have an agreement, then the amount DOESNT matter.
You see that it is a daughter living with a parent and automatically think moocher. I don't understand why but that is what you are seeing.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I know that it doesn't matter what amount of money is being paid.
I know if this were anyone else besides the mother's house you wouldn't even be bringing it up.
I know you want to negate a simple request because of the relationship between the renter and landlord.
Whatever. It isn't worth arguing.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.