How Can I Deal With an Annoying Neighbor?
No matter how much you love the area in which you live or how much you love your home, having an annoying neighbor can take away from your pleasure. While it is often best to try to ignore minor or infrequent annoyances, that isn’t always possible with a particularly annoying neighbor. You may eventually have to confront the person who is keeping you from enjoying your home or yard.
If the transgression isn’t extreme but is still a nuisance or an inconvenient disturbance, consider approaching the annoying neighbor in a friendly manner. Invite him or her over for coffee, and attempt to discuss your complaint in a gentle way. In some cases, the person may not even be aware that his habits are bothersome.
A good example is a neighbor that mows his lawn late in the evening while you’re children are trying to sleep. It may be that he only wishes to cut grass when it’s not so hot outside, and he may not be aware of your children’s bedtime. Once aware, he may simply agree to mow earlier, and you will have settled the difference and may even end up liking your once annoying neighbor.
There are however some worse situations as well. If your annoying neighbor encroaches on your property, doesn’t maintain the home or yard appropriately, or does other things that could decrease your property value, you may have to call the appropriate agency to lodge a complaint if your neighbor fails to act after being asked to take care of the situation.
You may also find yourself living beside the kind of annoying neighbor that creates real problems. He or she might throw parties or play loud music, fight loudly with a boyfriend or girlfriend, drive too fast up and down the street, or engage in any number of inappropriate behaviors. The best way to approach this type of person is to avoid the heat of the moment confrontation. Don’t storm over to the annoying neighbor’s home while angry and while or while the person is drinking.
Problem neighbors can sometimes be dangerous, and you don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a physical altercation. You might approach the annoying neighbor at another time to ask for some consideration. You may also find that you have no choice but to call the police if the problems persist. This won’t help your relationship with your neighbor, so you might consider making the report anonymously. However, it may help quiet things down.
Written by Sherry Holetzky
