Some neighbors can be your best friends; others might become your biggest nightmares. Disputes between neighbors are quite common. Whether it's about pets, noise, trash, property lines, or fencing, sometimes it can be difficult to find common ground with the folks next door.
This man had his elderly neighbor demand that he repair her fence, which he didn't even break. After he refused, the neighbor's adult son started vandalizing his property: riding the lawnmower on his driveway, cutting down his flowers, and leaving grass marks. The guy finally had enough and asked people online for advice about how to deal with these neighbors from hell.
An elderly lady asked her neighbor to replace her old fence that he hadn't damaged
Image credits: Nextasy (not the actual photo)
When he refused, she had her adult son vandalize his driveway with a lawnmower
Image credits: tommyandone/Envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: International_Toe800
Most neighbor disputes resolve on their own, without a third party getting involved
My grandmother always used to say that a good relationship with one's neighbors is crucial for a peaceful life. It's understandable why the OP might not want to escalate things: if he retaliates or rats his neighbor out to the zoning committee, he might never see a day of peace as long as the elderly lady keeps living there.
However, the homeowner is in good company: the majority of Americans don't get along with their neighbors. According to a 2022 survey by LendingTree, 73% of Americans dislike at least one of their neighbors. Ironically, 74% are friends with at least one neighbor.
Image credits: Altaf Shah/Pexels (not the actual photo)
The OP tried to be a good sport: he offered to repair and paint the fence even if he wasn't the one who caused the damage. That's the number one thing most neighbors do when there is a dispute – they talk about it. Yet, in this case, it didn't work, and the situation escalated to petty revenge and vandalism.
Calling the authorities and going to the zoning committee are also popular choices for solving disputes with neighbors from hell. According to a 2013 survey, only 14% of homeowners don't take any action when something similar happens. Sometimes, it pays off: 35% of respondents in that same survey claimed that the matter resolved itself; either the neighbor moved or the behavior simply stopped, etc.
The author of this story could wait as well, but there's no guarantee that the unwanted behavior will stop or won't escalate. Only 11% of disputes get resolved by a third party (police, court, or some kind of association), and most (40%) neighbors just make up on their own.
Disfiguring or damaging a neighbor's flowers is considered trespassing
Many homeowners have dealt with unruly or unwanted flora from their neighbors' side. Trees, shrubs, and flowers that encroach past the homeowners' property lines are common, but few people would dare to ruin their neighbors' landscaping on purpose.
It's not illegal to cut any vegetation that grows on your side of the property. If the property lines are marked incorrectly, that can present problems of its own: what you consider the edge of your property might actually belong to the neighbor.
Image credits: Gratisography/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Still, cutting down flowers, shrubbery, or trees that reach into your property is no crime – if you only touch what's on your side. However, destroying flowers that are clearly on your neighbor's side, like the elderly neighbor's son is doing in this story, is prohibited – that constitutes trespassing.
Disfiguring or damaging a neighbor's plants in any way can end in a legal battle. In such a case, most courts are almost guaranteed to side with the neighbor. Hostas can cost from $10 to $70, and while marigolds are usually cheaper (often under $10), the damage still includes labor.
But even when trimming something on your side of the property, always be sure to consult with your neighbor. As gardening expert Christy Wilhelmi tells The Spruce, "It is always good practice to communicate with the homeowner about the plant material in question. They may want to prune it themselves, or if not, at least give their approval to have it done by someone else."
Commenters offered the neighbor advice: to put up cameras, to block the lawnmower with his car, and to report them to the police and the road commission
