Bad neighbors can make your life miserable. If you have to deal with them on a daily basis, it can really put a damper on your mood and make you dread going outside. There are a few things you can do to try to improve the situation, but sometimes it may just be best to move.
If you have bad neighbors, it can make your life quite difficult. Here are a few tips on how to get bad neighbors to move:
What Makes a Bad Neighbor?
There are a variety of things that can make someone a bad neighbor. Some people are simply inconsiderate, and don’t think about how their actions might affect those around them.
Others may be intentionally disruptive, making noise or causing other problems on purpose. Still others may be dangerous, either through criminal activity or simply by being careless.
Additionally, if they don’t keep up with their yard work and let their lawn become overgrown, it can make the whole neighborhood look messy.
Finally, if they are always parking in your spot or blocking your driveway, it can be frustrating and inconvenient.
Whatever the reason, living next to a bad neighbor can be a real nightmare. If you’re dealing with someone who is disruptive, it can be hard to get any peace and quiet. If they’re dangerous, you may constantly worry about your safety. And if they’re just plain inconsiderate, it can be frustrating to deal with their constant thoughtlessness.
How to Deal with Bad Neighbors
Bad neighbors can make life miserable. They can be loud, obnoxious, and just downright unpleasant to be around. To deal with bad neighbors, first, try talking to them directly.
Sometimes, people don’t realize how their behavior is affecting those around them. By calmly explaining how their actions are impacting you, they may be more likely to change their ways.
If talking doesn’t work, you can also consider involving your landlord or the police. If your neighbor is being excessively noisy or disruptive, your landlord may be able to help resolve the issue. And in extreme cases, the police may need to get involved if there is a threat of violence or property damage.
How To Get Bad Neighbors To Move
1. Be a Nosy Neighbor
If you have bad neighbors, the best thing you can do is to try and find out what they’re up to. This may mean spying on them a bit, but it will be worth it if you can find out what their intentions are.
If they’re constantly causing trouble, then it’s likely that they’ll eventually get tired of it and move away. However, if they seem to be generally decent people who just happen to be a bit loud or messy, then you might be able to work out some sort of compromise with them. Either way, it’s important to be proactive in dealing with bad neighbors before they cause any serious problems.
If they come home from work, engage them in long conversations about their job, their family, and their life in general. Interrogate them about their lives until they wish they had never met you.
2. Inconvenience Them
Do things that are guaranteed to make life difficult for your bad neighbors? If they have a nice lawn, let your dog use it as a bathroom like once a week and apologize. If they have an immaculate garden, let your kids play in it. Be as disruptive as possible without breaking the law.
If you live in an apartment order food they hate to their address and have it delivered there often. Play loud music at odd hours, or have friends over frequently and loudly late into the night.
The goal is to make their life so unpleasant that they feel compelled to move away. Obviously, this isn’t a very neighborly thing to do, but if your neighbors are making your life miserable, you may not have any other choice.
3. Doorbell Ditch Them
This is a classic prank that kids have been playing on their neighbors for generations. It works like this: you ring your neighbor’s doorbell and then run away before they can answer it. This will annoy them and may even make them a little scared, especially if they don’t know who did it.
You can do this multiple times or just once. If you do it multiple times, make sure to vary the time of day so they never know when to expect it. Make sure they don’t see you otherwise they may confront you and the prank will be over.
You can also take this a step further by leaving a note on their door that says something like “we know what you did” or “you’re being watched.” This will make them even more paranoid and likely to want to move.
4. Be a Noisy Neighbor
If you and your neighbors share a party wall, try to be as noisy as possible during the daytime. Play music loudly, bang on walls, and have shouting matches. You can also create other types of disturbances, such as drilling holes in the wall or hammering nails into it.
Another option is to have friends over often and throw raucous parties that last well into the night. If your neighbor has young children, schedule your parties for nap time or bedtime so the noise will be especially disruptive.
If your neighbor has a pet, try to make it bark or meow as often as possible. You can do this by making loud noises or by throwing things at the animal.
5. Become A Creepy Neighbor Yourself
Change your appearance or behavior in order to freak out your neighbor. For example, try playing creepy music at odd hours of the night. This will definitely freak out your neighbor and make them want to move.
You could also try dressing in all black and acting strangely. This will make your neighbor think you’re a creepy person, and they may want to move away from you.
6. Start a rumor about them
One way to try and get bad neighbors to move is to start a rumor about them. This could be something as simple as saying that they’re selling drugs out of their house or that they’re secretly hoarders.
If enough people believe the rumor, it could make the neighbors feel uncomfortable enough to want to move. Of course, this isn’t a guarantee, but it’s worth a shot.
7. Complain to the landlord
If you’re renting, your first step should be to speak with your landlord. Your lease may have a clause that prohibits disruptive or dangerous behavior, in which case you can ask your landlord to enforce the terms of the lease.
If there isn’t such a clause, you can still explain the situation to your landlord and request that they take action. For example, they may be able to speak with the neighbors or require them to sign a good behavior agreement.
8. Call the Cops
If the bad behavior is illegal, you can call the police. This is an extreme measure, but it may be necessary if the neighbors are engaging in activities like drug dealing, theft, or violence. Make sure to document each instance of bad behavior so that you can provide evidence to the police.
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9. Talk to the neighbors
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can try to speak with the neighbors directly. This is often the best solution, as it allows you to resolve the issue without involving third parties.
However, it’s important to approach the conversation in a calm and respectful manner. For example, you could say something like, “I’ve noticed that your music has been very loud lately and it’s been keeping me up at night. I was wondering if there’s anything we can do to fix the situation.”
10. Report to the Home Owner’s Association
HOA otherwise known as association of homeowners or condominium owners manages the common areas of a residential development and enforces the rules created by the community’s developer.
If your neighbors are breaking rules set by the homeowners association or condo association, you can report them. This may not necessarily make them move, but it could lead to disciplinary action, which might make their life so unpleasant that they’ll decide to leave.
11. File Class-Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit is a type of civil suit in which one or more plaintiffs sue on behalf of a larger group, or “class”. Class action lawsuits are often used to resolve disputes involving large numbers of people, where it would be impractical for each person to bring an individual lawsuit.
Class action lawsuits can be filed in federal or state court, and they typically involve claims of fraud, product liability, or other injuries. In some cases, class action lawsuits may be used to challenge the legality of a company’s business practices.
If you’re dealing with bad neighbors, it may seem like there’s nothing you can do to get them to move. But if the situation is truly unbearable, there are some steps you can take to try to convince them to relocate.
One possibility is to reach out to other neighbors who are also affected by the problem neighbor and see if they’re interested in joining forces with you in a class-action lawsuit. This could potentially put enough pressure on the bad neighbor that they decide it’s time to move elsewhere.
Of course, this isn’t always possible or practical – but it’s worth considering if you’re at your wit’s end with a particularly troublesome neighbor.
12. File a Petition with the Rental Office
If you’re living in an apartment complex, you can band together with other tenants and file a petition with the rental office.
This is most effective if a majority of the tenants are on board. The petition should state the specific issues you’re having and how they’re negatively impacting your quality of life.
Final thoughts on how to get bad neighbors to move
It’s not easy living with a bad neighbor. You never know when they’re going to make noise or cause trouble. It can be really frustrating, especially if you’re trying to enjoy your own home. Above are some of the best ways to help you make your bad neighbors move.
References:
Meet Mike O’Connor, (a DIY enthusiast), living in Cincinnati, a city ranked as the noisiest in the USA.
As a work from home dad, I have a first hand experience of how noise can truly affect your well being.
Soundproofing isn’t something that should be taken as a hobby, it should be a skill that every homeowner should be equipped with.
Most of the work documented on this blog comes from purely first hand experience, and the products recommended work as indicated.