Friends Found Out We’re Renting a Flat with My Wife – Now They Want to Move In. How Do We Politely Say No to Renting to Friends? These Situations Are Always Trickier!

**Diary Entry**

Things have been going wonderfully between my wife, Emily, and me since we got married. Wed always planned to live with her parents, but then my own mum and dad moved to Brighton, selling their flat and splitting the money between me and my sister. With that and a bit of help from Emilys father, we managed to buy a spacious one-bedroom flat in London. We put up a partition to make two rooms, thinking one would be for a childbut somehow, it never happened.

At first, we just werent ready. Then our careers took off, and time slipped away. Eventually, we stopped trying altogether. Emily refused to see a doctor, and if Im honest, I wasnt keen either. We were happy as we were, and neither of us lost sleep over whod bring us a cup of tea in our old age. Our friends with children only reinforced our choicedrowning in debt and exhausted, they didnt seem particularly happy. So we decided, if it wasnt meant to be, wed make our own happiness.

When we both turned thirty-three, we took a chance and invested in a new-build apartment. It wasnt a huge sum, but enough to make us nervousthough plenty of people warned us against it. By thirty-seven, the flat was ready. We gave it a light refurb to make it just right. Emily called it our insurance policyeither for a child one day or, if not, to pass on to our nephews later.

For now, we decided to rent it out ourselves, avoiding estate agents. We mentioned it to friends, hoping theyd suggest where to advertise. But then came the awkward questioncould *they* move in? Theyve been stuck in run-down rentals for years, and suddenly, our placenew, freshly done up, with the hint of a friends discountseemed irresistible.

Our mistake was telling them in the first place. We never imagined theyd ask.

Its only one bedroom, and youve got a whole family, Emily tried to reason.
So? Were in a one-bed now. Yours looks bigger from the photos.

But its brand new, and youve got kids and a cat
What, you think were slobs wholl wreck it?

We said wed think about it, though I already knew my answer. Id seen their placechaos everywhere. In the end, Emily left it to me to call and make excuses.

Their response?

Youve got a second flat, your parents will leave you theirs one day, and still, youre greedy! Youll sit on your properties, grow old alone, no kids, no friends, no joy in your life!

Is that fair? We owe them nothing. Its not our fault they had kids without the means or family support to make it work. Everyone lives as they chooseso why shouldnt we rent to a stranger at full price instead of cutting deals for friends?