• Home Home

Homeowner frustrated by nightmare neighbor's disturbing household habits: 'It smelt like hell'

"We're selling because of people like your neighbor."

"We're selling because of people like your neighbor."

Photo Credit: iStock

A bad neighbor can make everyday life an everlasting headache. The subreddit r/BadNeighbors is teeming with examples of this unfortunate experience. 

In a recent post, a user shared a story about a neighbor who not only holds their peace of mind hostage but harms the environment while they do it.

The post is titled "Nuisance Neighbour," and that honestly underplays the situation. The original poster describes several awful instances of their next-door neighbor showing no consideration for other folks on the block.

"The first incident many months ago we caught her burning garbage in her backyard under the deck of her house," the caption says. "It smelt like hell."

As if that wasn't bad enough, the OP explained that their neighbor's more recent behavior is even more agonizing.

"What she's been doing lately for months now is idling her truck in the driveway for literal hours on end. While I get it's winter now but it takes no more than 10-15 minutes to heat up," they added. "Today she was out there from 9ish AM to almost 1:00 PM. Sometimes she comes home close to midnight and does the same thing."

Watch now: AITA for making my neighborhood look 'trashy'?

AITA for making my neighborhood look 'trashy'?
0 seconds of 1 minute, 3 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:03
01:03
 

Not only is this nightmare neighbor creating a nuisance and keeping people awake, but they're unnecessarily creating dirty energy pollution in the process. The OP's efforts to end it have all been fruitless.

"I've submitted multiple complaints to by-law and they mostly say nothing can really be done unless it's excessive noise like revving the car or has an usually loud exhaust."

This whole post is something of an illustration that we can't necessarily change the way others impact our environment. All we can control is what we do to protect our planet.

Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?

Absolutely not 💯

Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝

Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️

We should ban HOAs 🚫

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

That can include choosing to walk or bike when we can, opting for public transportation, or choosing an electric vehicle. It may not shut the rude neighbor up, but it can offset their pollution-heavy behavior.

The comment section offered some advice to the OP.

"Contact code enforcement?" one said. "We're selling because of people like your neighbor."

"Band together to drive her out," another suggested.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.


Cool Divider