tips-for-dealing-with-an-awful-neighbor

As nice as it would be to have a friendly relationship with your neighbors, that’s not always the case. Sometimes you find yourself at odds, or even annoyed by the behavior of someone you live near. If you find yourself living next to an awful neighbor, it’s never good to yell, threaten, or argue. Instead of losing your cool try one of these tips on how to deal with an awful neighbor.

Approach the Neighbor.  One of the best ways to deal with an awful neighbor is to talk to them about the problem. Make sure to approach them in a non-confrontational manner. You’ll want to do this in person, and not leave a note. If you leave a note telling them not to do something, it could seem aggressive or rude.

Never talk to them inside your, or their house/apartment. Meet outside on the property line, or on the sidewalk. This is for your safety in case they have a temper, or things get heated.

Contact the Landlord.  If you live in an apartment, or complex in which you have the same landlord, tell them about the awful neighbor. This is a great way to deal with the neighbor if you want to stay anonymous. Just make sure to tell the landlord that you don’t want your name brought up.

If you’re going this route, make sure to make detail notes about how your neighbor is being annoying. Make a list that shows the date, time, and what they did and give it to your landlord. If your neighbors know someone’s keeping track of their bad behavior, they might stop.

Talk with other Neighbors.  If you’re friendly with other neighbors, ask if they share your concerns. If they do, that’ll reassure you the issues aren’t in your head. You should also ask them for tips on how they deal with the awful neighbor.

In case they are friends with the awful neighbor, don’t talk bad or say rude things. Keep it a light, and friendly conversation. If they are friendly with the person you’re having problems with, that’s a good thing! Ask them for advice on how to deal with the situation.

Hire a Mediator.  If you feel as if the situation is getting out of control, hire a mediator. It’s a lot cheaper than taking them to court, and a professional mediator has experience with all types of disputes. If your neighbor agrees to this, the mediator will help you two talk out the problem in a civil manner.

Get the Cops Involved.  If this is an extreme situation in which your property was destroyed, or safety was compromised, it’s time to call the cops. They can defuse the situation and the threat of jail will hopefully scare your neighbor into leaving you alone.

If the awful neighbor is having a loud party and disrupting your sleep, you could also call the cops. Most neighborhoods have noise ordinances, and if the music is loud enough to keep you up, it’s probably violating the ordinance.