What To Do About A Bad Neighbor
If you live in the city, you likely avoid eye contact. If you live in the country, you might be able to avoid the bad neighbor altogether, but there are almost bound to be times when you will come face to face with your bad neighbor, and rather than reacting, perhaps it’s best to solve any problems beforehand.
Pick allies wisely – Bad neighbors are all in the eye of the beholder. You might hate the purple house with the sofas in the front yard, you might hate the loud music, you might hate the loud cars or the overgrown lawn, but there is someone in the neighborhood who loves all of that, and more importantly, there are likely people in your neighborhood who are friends with your bad neighbor. Tread lightly. You want to engage allies, but don’t ruin relationships while you’re at it. Feel your other neighbors out. Ask what they would like to see changed in the neighborhood. If someone mentions weird colored houses or loud noises, you might have an ally.
Confront them – Be careful. As in so many Hollywood movies, people can get a tad defensive when they are told they are doing life wrong, which is how they’ll take criticism of their paint choices. The best thing to do is to befriend them first. Cookies are cliche, but they are effective. Patience is your friend here. Don’t bring up touchy issues when you bring over the cookies. Wait a few weeks. Most people don’t want to be rude, but sometimes it takes someone pointing out their foibles.
The creepy neighbor – We all have one of these. You can check the sex offender registry. If nothing is there, but you still get a bad feeling, listen to your gut and stay away. Don’t hesitate to call the cops if warranted. No one wants to be “that person,” but things will only get worse if you don’t.
Call the landlord – If your neighbor is a renter, too much noise or messy yards are probably a violation of the lease.
For the neighbor who talks too much – I work from home and my neighbors seem to feel I have nothing better to do than talk to them. Sometimes, I have to not answer the door or the phone. Other times, I simply tell them I am on a deadline.
Regardless of your neighbors, remember you live in a neighborhood. Sometimes, the weird members are what gives your neighborhood character. Some neighborhoods, especially those with homeowner’s associations, are much less accommodating to those whose homes look less than pristine. They won’t help with difficult personalities, though.