Welcome to the ever-entertaining world of people who live close together. On one side, you’ve got the sweet older couple who leaves zucchini on your porch, and on the other side there’s the guy who mows his lawn at sunrise.
But somewhere in between lives the neighbor who believes your business is their business. No matter how tall the fence, they’re convinced they have a say in what you do on your side. Just like one Redditor’s neighbor thought she could demand they move their fence by 6 feet so she wouldn’t lose her tree view.
More info: Reddit
Friendly neighbors water your plants, entitled ones flood your patience
Image credits: lenblr / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One homeowner refuses to give up 6 feet of their yard by moving their fence just so their neighbor can look out at the trees
Image credits: marinamos16 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The new homeowner puts up a fence so their dog can run around, but is confronted by their neighbor for blocking her “view”
Image credits: wirestock / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The neighbor asks the homeowner to move their fence, as the view of the trees belongs to her, since she’s lived there for 15 years
Image credits: rosygiggleswish
After refusing to move the fence, the homeowner finds branches in their yard, and catches the neighbor peeking over the fence
After finally landing their first home, a cozy place with just enough backyard space for their dog to run around, the OP (original poster) did what any reasonable pet parent would: installed a perfectly legal, wooden privacy fence. But unfortunately, the new fence also served as a direct hit to one neighbor’s sense of entitlement.
Linda is the kind of neighbor who waltzes in with a coffee mug and a smile that says “I have a favor to ask” but a tone that screams “I’m about to ruin your day.” Turns out, Linda had grown fond of gazing out her kitchen window at a stand of trees that just so happened to be on the OP’s property.
Never mind that the OP had paid for a survey and built the fence on the property line, Linda decided that the view belonged to her by virtue of seniority. Apparently, 15 years of looking at something means permanent ownership. So, when the OP declined to “donate” 6 feet of yard space, Linda’s inner passive-aggressive artist emerged.
Leaves and branches began mysteriously appearing in the OP’s yard. Then came the cherry on top of the fence – Linda, on a step ladder, trying to peek over. When confronted, she didn’t even pretend it was innocent. She claimed that the OP’s “selfishness” was forcing her to such extremes. Well, that’s a new one for me.
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See, sharing a street with other people can be a mix of charm and drama. You get the friendly waves, the borrowed tools, and family updates from folks you barely know. Neighbors can be delightful, exhausting, nosy, generous, or all of the above before breakfast. So, building healthy neighbor relationships requires respect, communication, and small acts of goodwill.
Keep your property tidy, respect shared spaces, and give a heads-up about anything that might impact them, like construction or large gatherings. Most importantly, know and respect boundaries, both physical and personal, so everyone can enjoy their space without unnecessary friction.
But when a neighbor believes they have the right to use your space, you might be dealing with an entitled one. Entitlement is basically a sense of “I deserve this” without doing the homework. It shows up when people expect perks, favors, or special treatment just because they exist.
You can spot it in someone who interrupts, demands favors and exceptions, or gets upset when life doesn’t hand them what they want. So, why does it happen? Well, sometimes it’s upbringing, privilege, or just never learning to take “no” for an answer. But, at the end of the day, you’re not obligated to feed anyone’s ego.
What do you think of this story? Would you give up part of your property for your neighbor’s happiness? Let us know in the comments below!
Netizens got creative, suggesting the homeowner invest in a security camera and a good hose
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