How to deal with a neighbor that seems to be a nuisance

The most frustrating part of it is when you have to share a toilet and kitchen, you may not easily avoid friction daily.

Bad neighbors come in all shapes and sizes and cause trouble in a myriad of ways. When dealing with bad neighbors, you mustn’t allow them to bully you or disrupt your peace. The nuisance of a neighbor can come in the form of disorganization, dirty habits, loud parties, incessant fights, illegal activities, etc.

Do you also know that living with a careless and dirty neighbor is toxic?

Two ladies lived in a flat, each occupying a room. Out of them, one was extremely dirty, careless, and untidy. It’s so bad the other lady had to keep cleaning after her at some point.

She would leave used plates in the same kitchen they share for days, leave dirt scattered all over the house and leave the toilet unflushed (they share a toilet too). The other lady complained but she refused to change.

As if that was not enough, she had a boyfriend who was into drugs, so, whenever he came to visit, he smoked and left the whole place messy with the ash. When the other lady brought her attention to it, it always ended up in a big fight.

The other lady kept tolerating this until she (the dirty one) brought in a dog as a pet. Someone who doesn’t clean bringing a pet is a lot more difficult to deal with. When the apartment was almost looking like an apartment occupied by a mentally deranged person, the other lady reported and stood for her eviction. Enough is enough!

Whether they have expressed their nastiness from the onset or not, set boundaries. Don’t get too familiar and playful with them. Let them know what you can’t tolerate when you begin to see that they are going beyond their boundaries.

Don’t be gentle or let things slide. When you are lenient, they would likely take you for granted and this will amplify their nasty behavior.

If they share the same concerns, it gives you justifications for your issues- and also supports you when you decide to confront troublesome people or go to your landlord. Your neighbors might also have suggestions for solving the problem or approaching the troublesome tenant.

If you are going to tell a neighbor to stop an act, make sure you are not doing the same. For instance, if you want to tell the dirty neighbor above not to leave the toilet unflushed, ensure you are also not leaving the toilet dirty.

Bad neighbors tend to hold onto the mistakes of others to justify their actions. Don’t give them any chance.

Let’s assume that they are oblivious of their actions. Probably, they didn’t realize that what they are doing is wrong, you can take a step to iron out things, highlight the wrong things and proffer practical suggestions on what they could do to get better and be less of a nuisance.

If talking out doesn’t work, then stop playing nice and call them to order. Be prepared to have a big altercation with them but if that’s the only way you can find a solution, then, be expressive as much as you can.

Living with a neighbor that appears to be a nuisance, you have to stop playing nice at some point, and calling the landlord or agent may be your next option. The landlord may not want to hear your worries out and your hands may be tied.

But if issues are extreme enough, the landlord ought to step in. In defense of your actions, saying you tried to talk to your neighbor before pestering the owner shows you are not just overreacting.