Nasty Neighbors, Having neighbors is thrilling. Unfortunately, dealing with bad people is a vulnerable business, not to mention having to deal with them on a regular. Remember, you don’t have the power to choose or predict the type of neighbors you will have.
Bad neighbors can make a beautiful home chaotic or make your life a nightmare if they are next door. Does it mean you bear their unpleasant behavior? Of course not. The best solution is to find ways to protect yourself.
In this writedown, we offer you multiple ways to deal with your nasty neighbors and develop a great relationship with them. Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Bad Neighbors
Every person has flaws, and none is perfect. However, there are those whose demeanor becomes annoying and intolerable. Here is a list of the offenders:
The slobs are neighbors who leave trash cans out a few days after cleaning up.
The property line lover– Those who trim boundaries and let you sort out the bills
The noisemakers – include fighting couples, screaming mothers, loud music and late-night parties.
The extreme weird doers– drug dealers, drunkards, and the mute neighbors
The reckless pet owner– then you know the type of neighbors
How To Protect Yourself From Bad Neighbors
Protect yourself from your bad neighbors through these four steps:
-Call ahead and set a time to have a talk
-Always meet on the property line or the sidewalk. Alternatively, you can meet at a coffee shop
-Just let your neighbors know how their problems are affecting you and offer suggestions to resolve them together
-If all avenues fail, search and understand the local noise and disturbance regulations.
How Do You Handle Your Nasty Neighbors?
It is easy to detect what your neighbors do that gets into your nerves but hard to know how your conduct may affect them. Therefore, here is how you can handle bad neighbors.
Ensure You Are Not the Culprit
The first step before approaching them is examining yourself. Here is a list of some questions to help you
- What is the level of your nose? Here we refer to music, TV, machinery, or even normal noise. It is to avoid what can cause disturbance of your neighbor’s sleep, especially early in the morning.
- Do you uphold property lines? Never let any encroachment of trees, fences, etc. on your neighbor’s boundary unless your neighbor is clear about it.
- Are your pets friendly and quiet? Roaming cats and threatening dogs can be frustrating to your neighbors.
- Never engage in a tit-for-tat with your neighbors, as it is not the best way to deal with situations.
- If you’re confident in your behavior, you can now approach your neighbor politely to discuss the concerning behavior.
Assume Good Intentions
Always approach your neighbor in a friendly way because your neighbors may not be aware that their actions or behavior are offensive. Don’t address the issue by assuming their behavior was out of ill motive towards you.
Create a Friendly Relationship
Do you know your neighbor’s name? You must develop a good rapport with your neighbors to resolve disputes effectively and peacefully. It is difficult for a neighbor to grieve you with issues when they view you as a friend.
Good communication is paramount in every relationship, including that of your neighbor. If you’re renovating, planning for a party, or any event that can cause disturbance or commotion, notify them in advance.
Sympathize With Your Neighbor
Raise an issue in a constructive way to your neighbor. Be friendly and accommodating rather than trying to prove a point. If you’re to enjoy your living experience as neighbors, both of you must make efforts to improve.
Document Your Conversation
First, it is worth resolving the issue willingly and calmly. In case you need to involve a city, attorney, building department, or homeowner association, you must keep a record of times, emails, texts, dates, etc. All facts should be handy when you need them.
Before Any Action, Do Your Research
Be aware of all the neighborhood regulations before filing your complaints to the authorities. Go ahead and Google to learn more on the matter and inform your neighbor that the law favors you if it is genuine.
What Is the Magnitude of the Issues?
Not all friendly dialogues solve problems, and you cannot fix everything despite being correct. Some neighbors won’t cease their offending conduct regardless of your attempts to resolve the conflicts. Thus they leave you with no choice other than to report them to the authorities.
Avoid Conflicts
Some circumstances between you and your neighbor can escalate to a significant conflict. For instance, you’re on a property where you share a driveway.
How Can You Tell Your Neighbor Is Bad?
Check the neighborhood during the day and at night to have a clear picture of what transpires.
Watch out for the tell-tale signs of the racket-maker
Watch and listen for your neighbor’s unleashed dogs
Do a thorough search on the rules of the local disturbance ordinances by visiting the registries online or the town’s clerk’s office.
Take Away
It is essential to note that each case differs and will require a different approach. Therefore, it is upon you to weigh all options before acting. For instance, a case where your neighbor has tampered with your property line won’t be the same as a loud party at night. So look at the magnitude of the problem.
Regardless of your take on your neighbor’s nasty manners, it is essential to protect yourself. But before pointing fingers, you should start by asking yourself what kind of neighbor you are. Secondly, it all trickles down to the situations at hand. Remember, you cannot guarantee the outcome of your approach to your neighbors with allegations against them.
Most importantly, master how to deal with your neighbors, for you will live with them for the longest time possible. So, develop a good rapport with them. That way, it will be easier to resolve problems whenever they arise. Understand the ordinances surrounding the case before filing a complaint against your neighbor.
