Friends Found Out We’re Renting a Flat and Now Want to Move In – How Do We Politely Say No Without Causing Tension?

So, you know how me and my wife just bought this flat to rent out, right? Well, word got around to our mates, and now theyre all like, *Oh, can we move in?*and were stuck trying to figure out how to say no without sounding like total wankers. Its always awkward with friends, innit?

After we got married, things were brilliant between us. Wed planned to live with her parents at first, but then my mum and dad moved down to Brighton and sold their place, splitting the money between me and my sister. With that cash and a bit extra from her dad, we managed to buy this big one-bed flat in London. We even put up a divider to make it two rooms, thinking one could be for a kid but, well, that never happened.

At first, we just werent fussed, then our careers took off, and we were too busy. And then, honestly, we just couldnt be botheredmy wife refused to even see a doctor about it, and I wasnt exactly pushing for it either. We were happy as we were, not sweating whod bring us a cuppa in our old age. Plus, all our mates with kids were drowning in debt and miserable, so we thought, *Nah, were alright without that kind of happiness.*

When we both hit 33, we gambled on a posh little apartment block. Wasnt a huge sum, so we took the plunge even though everyone told us not to. By 37, we had the flat readyjust a quick spruce-up to make it perfect. My wife called it our insurance policyif we ever had kids, great; if not, wed leave it to the nieces and nephews.

For now, we decided to rent it out ourselves, no estate agents. Made the mistake of mentioning it to friends, asking where else to post the listing and suddenly, theyre all like, *Can we move in?* Theyve been stuck in these mouldy rentals for years, and now they see this shiny new place and reckon they deserve a friends discount.

*Its only one roomyouve got, like, three kids,* my wife tried.
*So? Were in a one-bed now. Your photos make it look massive!*
*Yeah, but its brand-new, and youve got kids *and* a dog*
*Oh, what, you think were animals wholl wreck it?*

We fobbed them off with *Well think about it,* but I already knew the answer. Been to their placetotal tip. In the end, my wife made me call and say no, so I mumbled some rubbish excuse.

Their response? *Youve got *two* flats now, your parents will croak and leave you theirs, and youre still too *tight* to help mates? Enjoy rotting alone in your *precious* flats with no kids, no friends, and no life!*

Proper charming, that. Like, *were* the villains because they chose to have kids without a place to live? Not our problem. Why should we rent to mates for peanuts when we could get proper tenants? Some people, I swear