Some neighbors borrow sugar, but others just try to dictate your landscaping.

So when a dispute over hedges started growing wild, one homeowner pruned it back with a little creative compliance.

Read on for the full story!

Does the THREAT of malicious compliance count?

I lived with my sister for a few years a while back.

She’s never really been one to take crap.

She has a line of hedges on her property line next to her driveway

. It basically goes, from right to left: my sister’s house, my sister’s driveway, hedges, neighbor’s driveway, neighbor’s house.

But these hedges proved to cause some tension in the neighborhood.

One day, the neighbor decided that my sister’s hedges were too tall and she should trim them.

Being a good neighbor, she asked me to trim them down a little, as they were getting a bit shaggy.

I did so, leaving relatively square, seven-foot hedges.

But this didn’t satisfy them, so the homeowner requested they pitch in.

The neighbor decided this wasn’t enough.

She told my sister that the hedges were her responsibility and she should have them professionally done.

My sister said she’d be willing as long as the neighbor paid half.

The neighbor refused because, “They’re on your property!”

So she started pricing out what this might cost then informed the neighbor.

For giggles, my sister asked our cousins who are landscapers what it would cost.

It was much more than she wanted to spend, especially when she or I could do the job 90% as well for the cost of gas for her hedge trimmer.

She told this to the neighbor, who was not happy, and let her know as much.

Still, they refused to stop complaining about them.

“You have to do SOMETHING about the hedges!”

So the homeowner steps up their game to get the neighbor’s attention.

So my sister, after getting an earful, throws her hands up and says, “Fine, Denise. You want me to do something about the hedges, I’ll do it. I’m calling the landscapers right now and I’m just going to have them tear everything out. I can’t afford the maintenance every year.”

“You can’t do that! They’re on my property too!”

“You told me they were my responsibility.”

Then the neighbor finally gives in.

“Fine! I’ll pay for the trimming!”

And that’s the story of how my sister gets her hedges trimmed for free every spring.

Nothing grows entitlement quite like shared property lines.

What did Reddit have to say?

When you have good neighbors, you have to cherish them!

These neighbors need to pick a lane!

Seems like the only thing neighbors hate more than a poorly maintained hedge is no hedge at all.

Funny how quickly these neighbors changed their tune.

Sometimes all it takes to keep things neat is a firm boundary and an even sharper wit.

If you liked that post, check this one about a guy who got revenge on his condo by making his own Christmas light rules.