#1 Awesome Neighbor Parks Like This Every Day
#2 The Current State Of Our Neighbor's Back Yard
#3 POV Your Neighbors Decide To Paint Their House The Color Of God
Sometimes, having a problematic neighbor is almost inevitable. You have a starkly different view of what is acceptable and what isn’t, which may be a source of friction. And unless the problem has gotten to the point of destructiveness, moving away isn’t a practical solution.
Learning how to handle troublesome neighbors would be your next best bet. And in an article for Psychology Today, evolutionary psychologist Nigel Barber outlined a few ways to do this, along with potential drawbacks.
#4 My Neighbours Disgusting Habit Of Keeping His Trash In The Hallway. Today Featuring A Bag Full Of Used Diapers
#5 My Neighbor (Who Has A 2-Car Garage And A 2-Car Driveway) Insists On Double-Parking His Cars In The Street Instead, Blocking An Entire Lane Of The Road
#6 My Neighbors Like To Take Shopping Carts Home And Never Return Them, So They Just Accumulate By The Dumpster
According to Barber, avoidance is one path to take, and it’s self-explanatory. It’s as simple as steering clear of the neighbor in question. However, it’s merely a band-aid solution that may cause more problems.
“Conflict among neighbors often has a fairly trivial pretext, but escalates if the irritant is not resolved,” Barber said.
#7 Neighbors Put A Gas Can With A Paper Towel For A Lid Right Next To My Front Door. Now I Have To Be The "It's The Fumes That Are Flammable" Guy
#8 We Own The Property/ The Entrance To This Road But Our Neighbour Put Up An Electric Wire And Sign Across It
#9 My Unhygienic Neighbours Dump Their Used Dog Bags In Front Of Their Unit On Some Rocks. The Smell Is Atrocious
Negotiation is another way to handle a troublesome neighbor. On the surface, it seems like the diplomatic and proper approach. But as Barber pointed out, it may not work with an unreasonable person.
“Who wouldn't love their dog, who nevertheless is a chronic barker and whines all day while the owner is away? If the owners deny that there is a problem, it cannot be remedied,” he wrote.
#10 Alright, I’m Done Being Nice
#11 New Neighbors Won't Stop Pouring Grease Down The Drains
The management company had to work on the drains for weeks last time it happened to clear the clog. They warned us if it happened again, there would be a rent increase for everyone to cover the damages.
#12 Came Back From Camping To Find My Neighbor Moved Their Mailbox Onto My Property Without Asking And Knocked Over Mine
Then with my mailbox on the ground, the neighbor comes over, digs a hole, pours some concrete, and moves their mailbox onto my yard.
I talked to the mail carrier and he said they asked him if they could move their box and he said he "didn't have a problem with it", but they didn't ask me the property owner and he was surprised they didn't. I would have suggested going halfsies on a thicker post and just putting both our boxes on it because I gotta redo mine anyway.
I'm mostly upset because they didn't bother asking. Now if I get mad, what's the point? They've already poured the concrete and I still have to replace my box and pole.
If the issue escalates to a point where one neighbor may take legal action, Barber says it also has its fair share of headaches. He described such actions as “stepping into a minefield of unanticipated consequences.”
“The fallout extends from getting turned in if their sidewalk is not shoveled in winter to being cited for minor infringements in city building ordinances, or even having a home extension challenged for code violation,” Barber wrote.
#13 Neighbor's Car Touching Mine
#14 Just Moved To The Other Side Of The Country And The Neighbor's Kids Lit My Car On Fire
#15 This Letter I Get From My Neighbors On The First Day Of Summer Vacation
The beach in front of our summer house is one of those beaches, but unfortunately our elderly neighbors don’t seem to bother to look at the law when it’s not convenient for them.
Needless to say, I’ll continue taking them to the beach, and if they actually follow through with their threats, I’d love to see them fined for wasting police resources.
So, what would be the best way to handle disputes with neighbors? Licensed therapist Lindsey Rae Ackerman says the approach should be rooted in finding a solution to the problem rather than assigning blame.
In an interview with Time Magazine, she advised saying something like, “I’m struggling because of something that’s happening in your space, so I'm coming to you to collaborate on solutions.”
#16 Neighbour Stole Our Hellow Fresh Box Again And Denies It
I checked the photo and it's obviously not my house but it's next door. This is not uncommon unfortunately as my place is quite new so the maps haven't been updated and couriers get confused.
Obviously this lady is wearing all blue with blue nail polish took my box so I went to her house and asked her and guess what, she denies it! She said she didn't receive anything! She's even wearing the same outfit. I showed her the photo and she said it's not her.
I explained to hello fresh and they are issuing me a full refund and advised the delivery to make sure it won't happen again, but this always happens and our stuff always gets stolen.
#17 My Neighbor Sent Me A Text Last Night Forcing Me To Pay For Her Daughter's Towing Charge Because She Parked In Front Of My Driveway
#18 Neighbor Moved A Rotting Mobile Home Next To Our Property Fence
My dream of a tiny home in the meadow is now over. I’m distraught that my retirement dream is gone. The barbed wire fence is along my road/driveway back to my meadow. I can’t look at that rotting garbage.
To give a more concrete example, Ackerman described a scenario in which a neighbor plays loud music late at night. In such a situation, she urges phrasing the request in a collaborative way, something like:
“Do you think we could find a quiet window after 10 p.m. on weeknights so we can both get enough sleep?”
#19 Our Hallway Neighbor Loves To Treat It As An Extension Of Their Own Apartment
#20 Unknown Neighbor Started Parking Their Bike In The Entrance Of Our Building
