Living next to an entitled neighbor is one thing, but catching them stealing from you is entirely different. You may need to take drastic measures, but as this homeowner showed, you can do so incognito without ruffling feathers.
The man lived next door to an elderly landlord, who, he found out, stole water from him. Instead of taking an aggressive approach, he simply turned off his water supply.
But his simple act of flicking a tap off caused a ripple effect of consequences, ultimately leading to the old man’s loss of livelihood. Scroll down for the entire story and some reader reactions.
We also had the opportunity to chat with etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore, who shared her insights on appropriately dealing with an entitled neighbor.
This homeowner bought a fixer-upper home in a less appealing neighborhood
Image credits: Ryutaro Tsukata/Pexels (not the actual photo)
One of his neighbors attempted to steal his property but failed
Image credits: Luis Quintero/Pexels (not the actual photo)
However, an old landlord living next door had more success, as he was able to steal from the homeowner’s water supply
Image credits: Maurice Engelen/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Ekaterina Belinskaya/Pexels (not the actual photo)
The author went on to plot his petty revenge, which seemed harmless
Image credits: Khanh Nguyen/Pexels (not the actual photo)
However, his small act caused much more significant consequences
Image credits: Ron Lach/Pexels (not the actual photo)
The landlord ended up losing his livelihood and moving in with his daughter
Image credits: TheMusicFella
Any form of revenge isn’t advisable when dealing with a nuisance neighbor
On the surface, it is understandable to side with the author and how he handled the situation.
However, he also admitted that his total bill wasn’t affected by his neighbor’s stealing. He also knew how much of a hassle the outcome would be for the tenants because of the issues his actions may cause.
From a bigger-picture standpoint, his retaliation may not have been necessary. Likewise, experts like Whitmore do not condone payback in any form, especially against a neighbor.
“Revenge is not the answer, especially if you have to live beside each other,” she told Bored Panda.
Based on his story, the homeowner didn’t try to converse with his neighbor about the issue. Instead, he took matters into his own hands, and doing so does not always end with little consequences.
Whitmore suggests that if a conversation does not suffice, the best action is to escalate the matter to the proper authorities.
“Legal action, even though extreme, may be the last resort if a civil conversation won’t solve the problem,” she said.
A calm and honest conversation is still the best solution
Revenge plots on annoying neighbors won’t always end as docile. Some end in violence, which is always unnecessary. And as Whitmore pointed out, it wouldn’t be wise to start trouble with someone you’re living next to.
Handling conflicts like a mature adult mainly involves a calm and honest conversation. Whitmore suggests introducing yourself to your neighbor to voice concerns, especially if you’re new to the neighborhood, like the author.
“It’s best if you stay calm instead of confrontational or defensive. Give your neighbor a chance to explain his situation,” she stated.
The author remained calm but did not allow his neighbor to explain himself. He also automatically assumed he was dealing with a potential headache, which he says compelled him to take action.
While he did express his disapproval of the landlord’s actions, he could have done so without such severe repercussions.
What do you think? Do you agree with how the homeowner handled his neighbor dispute?
Many commenters applauded the author for how he handled the problem
However, a few readers thought he may have gone overboard
