“Gave The City Official A Good Laugh”: Couple Finds Loophole In Rules To Get Back At Neighbors

Many of us have likely dealt with a difficult or frustrating neighbor at some point in our lives, though they probably weren’t as persistent as the ones the couple on Reddit had to handle.

In the U.S., more than half of Americans report having an annoying neighbor, according to a survey by Lombardo Homes. Most of these complaints come from those living in single-family homes, but apartment residents aren’t far behind—sharing walls with others is bound to lead to some conflicts.

Unsurprisingly, noise is the number one issue. After all, who likes being woken up by a leaf blower at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning or a party that rattles the entire neighborhood?

Other common gripes include people who don’t clean up after their pets, nosy neighbors, parking disputes, unsupervised children running wild, aggressive pets, upstairs neighbors with heavy footsteps, cigarette smoke, poorly maintained landscaping, and passive-aggressive behavior.

But there’s only so much one can tolerate. In fact, 1 in 7 people have chosen not to renew a lease solely due to troublesome neighbors. Around 14% have packed up and moved entirely, and 20% have filed formal complaints.

But disliking a neighbor is one thing; confronting them is another. About 37% of people have had a face-to-face conversation to address their concerns, while 13% have left a note instead. Another 15% have resorted to calling the police. And then there are those, like the family from Reddit, who prefer a more subtle approach—getting petty to settle the score, as 17% admit to doing.

Of course, sometimes your neighbor doesn’t have to do anything wrong for you to dislike them—you might just not click with certain people. 70% of Americans say they talk to their neighbors, but 45% would rather avoid it, and 1 in 3 find overly chatty neighbors bothersome.

All things considered, it seems harder to get along with neighbors than not. But if you’re one of the lucky ones who can call your neighbor a friend, count yourself fortunate!