How to Deal With Bad Neighbors

How to Deal With Bad Neighbors

At one point in time all of us have had the dreaded ‘bad neighbor’ experience.  <Maybe it was the unruly child leaving chalk drawings or bicycle tire skid marks on your drive way.  Or maybe it was that small, not-so-adorable little dog that barked day and night seemingly without needing to stop and take a breath.  Or it may have been the long-winded adult that would rush up to you the moment they saw you walk out your front door, intent on sharing with you the latest neighborhood gossip that you had no time for.

While there’s no one good way to deal with bad neighbors, short of selling your home and moving to another part of Nanaimo (which might not be practical in today’s market), here are a few suggestions to consider if you’ve got a bad next door neighbor:

1.  Kids will be kids and the odds are that they’ll quickly grow out of the chalk drawing and tire skidding stage before you know it.  But if you don’t feel like time is on your side, one approach that might work is to clean up the drawings or tire marks when your neighbor is outside – and strike up a conversation while you’re cleaning, then lead the talk around to what you’re doing and why you’re cleaning up after their kid.

2.  Try befriending the dog and get the owner’s permission to give the dog treats.  Some dogs frankly don’t have the highest IQ in the litter, and the pup simply may not recognize you despite seeing you day in and day out.

3.  Neighbors who like to talk or gossip are probably just bored.  If you’ve got one of these, it’s a good idea to start off with a soft approach at first and gradually increase your level of ignoring your neighbor if you need to.  Glancing at your watch and suddenly remembering an appointment, cake in the oven or phone call to make are always effective and good, inoffensive ways to start.