A woman has been accused of making "a drama" out of a misunderstanding involving her neighbor and the fence dividing their two properties.
In a Mumsnet post shared under the username ElsLouise, the homeowner wrote that neighbors had "ruined" her fence after staining the wood on their side "without our permission." Some of the stain has seeped through, discoloring around a third of the 120-foot fence. The woman is asking them to rectify the mistake by "replacing the whole thing."
However, while the homeowner was adamant that this represented the best form of compensation, many on social media felt her response was out of proportion.
Disputes between neighbors are fairly common. A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by OnePoll for the property website Homes.com found 36 percent had experienced issues with a neighbor that ultimately ended up in full-blown arguments. The survey also found 25 percent of respondents were in a long-running feud with a next-door neighbor.
"They offered to go halves," the poster wrote. "In my eyes the only way to rectify this is by replacing the whole thing...this is criminal damage."
According to the post, the neighbors have now stopped responding to her messages, and things are in danger of turning ugly.
Shaun Martin, a real-estate professional who runs the business We Buy Houses In Denver, Colorado, told Newsweek that it was crucial for the woman to avoid this. She should instead try to communicate her concerns "calmly and constructively."
"Talk to your neighbor directly about what happened and try to come up with a solution that both of you can agree on," Martin told Newsweek. "If possible, work out the details in writing so there are no misunderstandings. It may also be helpful to get a third party involved, such as a mediator, if the situation becomes too heated."
Martin added that it was crucial to keep the lines of communication open. "Try to maintain an open and respectful dialogue with your neighbor to come up with a mutually beneficial outcome," he said.
Those commenting on social media disagreed, with many suggesting the woman was making a bigger deal of things than necessary.
"Yeah it's annoying but hardly fence replacing level of situation," one wrote, with another adding: "Stain your fence and get over it!"
A third posted: "It's not 'ruined'. Just a different color. What a drama..." while a fourth commented: "It's annoying but not worth a new fence."
This isn't the first dispute between neighbors to go viral. In February, one woman sparked fury after turning up on her neighbor's doorstep to demand they came over and cleaned her house for free.
Elsewhere, a series of notes left by a local resident complaining about noise levels went viral online. In October, there was the devious story of how one homeowner's intervention with the authorities ended up costing their neighbor over $100,000.
Newsweek was not able to verify the details of the case.
Do you have a dispute with your neighbor? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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