Neighbor demands homeowner pay to dig a $10k drywell to stop stormwater coming onto her property from his, and submits various other policy violation complaints. He applies for a permit to play loud music while she has people over to ruin her event

Living next to a bad neighbor is sure to cause you a terrible existence. Try as you might, these people seem to be an existential and very corporeal thorn in your side. They will test your every amount of endurance and patience and push you to your very last nerve.

These neighbors are like that coworker who wants nothing more than to catch you out on the slightest policy violation or for not following the process to the letter, so that they can report you to your exasperated manager, who is too afraid to tell them to mind their own business because they technically have a point. Except instead of a manager, the higher authority being appealed to here is the actual authority, usually an exasperated police officer or some local code enforcement agent, who would be very glad if they never heard their voice again.

Ultimately, communication and proactive calculation—and a little resiliance—are your greatest tools for dealing with someone who seemingly exists to pass their misery onto others.

In this case, this landowner found that proactivity came in the form of applying for a permit to play loud music for a date and time that just happened to be exactly when they overheard their neighbor inviting friends over for a barbecue. This came after the neighbor had reported him for a bogus noise complaint not long prior.