“We Sold You the House, But We Have the Right to Stay for a Week,” the Previous Owners Insisted — Our Move from the Countryside to a Suburban Home in 1975 Led to Unexpected Trouble with the Former Owners and Their Ferocious Dog

Author Wanda MirandaReading 3 minViews 4

Wed sold them the house. We have the right to stay for a week, the owners insisted.

It was 1975 when we swapped the quiet of the countryside for the bustle of the city. We bought a house on the outskirts of London and soon found ourselves in for a surprise

Back in the village, people always lent a helping hand to neighbours; my parents were no different. So, when the previous owners asked if they could stay on for a couple of weeks while they sorted out some papers, my parents, ever accommodating, agreed.

These people had a massive, ill-tempered dog we wanted nothing to do with. He never listened to us. That beast is still vivid in my memory.

A week went by, then another, then a third, and still, the old owners were lounging about as though nothing had changed. Theyd sleep clear through to dinnertime, rarely went out, and didnt seem in any hurry to leave. What really rankled, though, was how they carried on as if they still owned the placeespecially the mother.

Mum and Dad kept reminding them of our agreement, but they always had an excuse for why they couldnt leave just yet.

Their dog was trouble from the start. Theyd let him roam the garden unsupervised, never picking up after him, and we became wary of stepping outside in case he charged at us. That dog would snap at anything that moved. Mum and Dad pleaded with them to keep him under control, but the moment Dad left for work and my brother and sister headed to school, that brute was unleashed in the garden.

One day, the dog played a rather odd role in helping Dad resolve the situation.

My little sister came back from school and, distracted, swung open the garden gate without a thought for the dog. Their monstrous black dog bowled her over in an instant, though by some miracle, she escaped with only grazed skin and torn clothes. They seized the dog and chained him up, yet had the nerve to blame my sister for coming home too early.

That evening, everything boiled over. Dad came home from work and, still in his overcoat, dragged the old woman out the front door, her dress trailing behind her. Her daughter and son-in-law followed, legs scrambling down the path. Their belongings were hurled over the fence into the muddy puddles beyond.

They tried, in a last-ditch effort, to set the dog on Dad, but once the dog saw what was happening, he tucked his tail in shame and slunk back to his kennel, clearly wanting no part of it. An hour later, every last bit of their stuff was out on the street; Dad locked the gate, and there they wereprevious owners and dog alikestanding the other side of the fence, stared at by the passers-by.

Looking back, Im amazed at my parents patience. London was nothing like the old village, and this was how we learnt that sometimes, lending a hand can cost you your peace.

For about a year, my son had been living with Kate, yet we’d never met her parents—which seemed odd to me, so I decided to look into it I’ve always tried to raise my son to respect women above all—the women in his life: his grandmother, his mother, his wife, his daughter. In my opinion, there’s no finer quality in a man than respect for women. My husband and I made sure our son had an excellent upbringing and education, equipping him with everything he’d need for a smooth journey through life. We never wanted to help him out too much, but even so, we bought him a two-bedroom flat. Although he had a job and supported himself, he couldn’t quite afford a home of his own. We didn’t give him the flat right away—in fact, we didn’t even tell him we’d bought it. And why? Our son was living with his girlfriend, after all. For about a year, our son had been sharing his life with Kate, but we’d never met her parents, and I found that strange. Later, I discovered that Kate’s mother used to be a neighbour of one of my friends. She told me something that left me with a bad feeling. It turns out Kate’s mother threw her husband out when his income dropped—but the real drama was only just beginning… The mother then started seeing a married, but wealthy man. Kate’s grandmother, like her daughter, also had a relationship with a married man, and even forced both her daughter and granddaughter to go work on his country estate. Because of all this, my son had already had multiple run-ins with his future mother-in-law. But what unsettled me most about this story is that both the mother and grandmother were driving a wedge between Kate and her father. It’s clear the girl loves her dad, but because of these two women, her relationship with him is at risk. And to top it all off, Kate has decided to drop out of her studies. She believes a man should provide for the family. I see her point—I’ve raised my son to do just that—but heaven forbid they ever face hardship. Who’s to say what will happen if life throws them a curveball? How will she support her husband in tough times? By the way, I transferred the flat back into my name, since I know I’ve raised a gentle soul, as the saying goes. And yes, everything acquired before marriage isn’t split in a divorce—but I have a feeling Kate is clever enough to leave my ‘gentleman’ with nothing but his socks.

— Needless to Say, This Is All My Fault! — My Boyfriend’s Sister Sobs, “I Couldn’t Have Imagined Something Like This Would Happen!” Now I Don’t Know What to Do, or How I’ll Manage Without Completely Losing Face My Boyfriend’s Sister Got Married a Few Years Ago. After the Wedding, It Was Decided the Newlyweds Would Live with Her Husband’s Mother. His Parents Have a Spacious Three-Bedroom Flat and Only One Son. “You Can Have Two Rooms, I’ll Keep One!” Promised the Mother-in-Law. “We’re All Decent People—I’m Sure We’ll Get Along Just Fine.” “We Can Always Find Our Own Place Later!” Her Husband Said, “But I Don’t See Any Harm in Trying to Live with My Mum. If It Doesn’t Work, We Can Always Move Out…” That’s Exactly What Happened. As It Turned Out, Living Together Wasn’t So Easy. Both Daughter-in-Law and Mother-in-Law Tried, but Things Got Worse Each Day. Tensions Boiled Over Now and Then, and the Arguments Grew More Frequent. “You Said If It Didn’t Work, We’d Move Out!” His Wife Cried to Him. “Well, Haven’t We Managed So Far?” His Mum Responded Dismissively. “These Are Just Trivialities—Hardly Reason to Pack Your Bags.” Exactly a Year After the Wedding, She Became Pregnant and Delivered a Healthy Baby Boy. The Baby’s Birth Coincided with Her Mother-in-Law Taking Early Retirement and Struggling to Find a New Job—No One Wants to Hire an Older Woman. So Daughter-in-Law and Mother-in-Law Stared at Each Other All Day, with Nowhere Else to Go. The Home Atmosphere Soured Quickly. The Husband Just Shrugged and Listened to the Complaints—He Was the Only Breadwinner. “We Can’t Move Out Yet—My Mum Can’t Support Herself. I Can’t Leave Her, and I Can’t Afford Both Rent and Helping Mum. Once She Finds Something, We’ll Move!” But His Wife’s Patience Was Exhausted. She Packed for Herself and the Baby and Moved Back to Her Own Mum’s. Before Leaving, She Told Her Husband She’d Never Set Foot in His Mother’s House Again. If He Cared About His Family, He’d Figure Something Out. She Expected That, Because He Loved His Family, He’d Try Straight Away to Win Her Back. But She Was Very Much Mistaken. It’s Been Over Three Months Since She Moved Out, and He Hasn’t Even Tried to Bring Her Back. Instead, He’s Living Comfortably with His Mum, Video Calling Wife and Child After Work, and Visiting on the Weekends at His Mother-in-Law’s. He’s Enjoying the Care of Two Women at Once, and—other than the occasional weekend—doesn’t even have to look after his son. His Life’s a Win! And the Mother-in-Law, frankly, hasn’t lost a thing! Meanwhile, the Young Woman Feels Miserable. She Loves Her Husband, Even Knowing He’s Doing Wrong. “What Did You Expect When You Left?” The Husband Shrugs, “You Can Come Back Whenever You Want.” It’s Obvious the Wife Has No Intention—or Ability—to Move into a Flat Alone, Especially as a New Mum on Maternity Leave. Is This Really the End of Their Family? What Do You Think—Does She Have Even the Slightest Chance of Returning to Her Mother-in-Law’s Home Without Completely Losing Face?