If you’ve spent your life living in nice, peaceful neighbourhoods, you might not know how chaotic and stressful it can feel living in a not so nice one. But it’s just the same as saying that if you’ve spent your life living in chaotic and stressful neighbourhoods, you might have no idea how much your nervous system can relax when living in a nice, peaceful neighbourhood.

Because knowing that you can come home at night to a property where everything is safe, and that you will sleep through the night without excessive noice or disturbances from the street and neighbours around you? Knowing that you and your neighbours look out for one another, and that your kids and pets can play safely outdoors, in your yard or in the quiet street?

That’s a kind of tranquility that many people in the world would give anything to have.

The homeowner in this story certainly falls into that category, since he bought a home that seemed perfect on paper, but by night turned into a nightmare.

Read on to find out what happened here.

Neighbours keep drilling into our garage roof, other neighbours keep playing loud music until past midnight and law enforcement doesn’t do anything, or gets angry at me for reporting

Recently, for the second time, our neighbour drilled new hooks into my garage roof from his side to hang up a tarp.

I called the local police. Police came over, took a look, told me that because the garage wall faces his yard he can do what he wants.

Legally, he can’t: we’ve had a property survey done and some free legal counsel which said otherwise.

I tried to explain this to the cops and they yelled at me and told me it’s a civil manner and they’re not going to “deal with this again.” They stormed off.

Uh-oh. And this isn’t even the end of this neighbourhood drama.

Other neighbors keep playing very loud music. I always keep all my windows and doors shut at night but it’s so loud I can feel the vibrations in the furniture and windows.

Outside it’s over 100 decibels (as recorded by my phone, which may not be fully accurate).

I’ve called law enforcement. Long story short the cop said that she couldn’t hear any music until she was in the neighbor’s driveway, and to only call after 10pm.

I waited until 10pm and called again. I didn’t hear back from law enforcement. The music stopped around 1-2am. Similar noise-related incidents happened with other neighbours multiple times throughout the year.

Read on to find out how this situation just kept getting worse.

One of my neighbors tried to steal a decoration from my front yard. I had to run after him and argue to get it back.

I did get it back, but it’s still aggravating.

Another person in the neighbourhood did donuts and burn outs on the street a few months ago.

Despite rain and condensation, you can still see the tire marks in the streets. Multiple cars on the road had their alarms go off when he did. It was around 11:30pm when this happened.

Let’s see how this has left the person feeling.

I am a fool for not spending enough time researching this neighborhood and visiting it at night to see what it’s like. I am a fool for buying this place (and potentially being financially stuck for the foreseeable future here).

I am a fool for dragging my partner out here and making her go through these things.

Combined with other stressors in my day to day – work and other things – I just feel so incredibly tired, dejected and stupid. I know, it’s a first world problem and I shouldn’t complain.

What’s even funny is I have been through far worse situations. I shouldn’t feel as bad as I’m feeling now all things considered, and yet I do.

It’s so clear how low all this neighbour drama is leaving this guy feeling – and that is so unfair.

You should be able to relax and feel safe in your home, not have to be alert at all times.

And law enforcement not even taking him seriously? It’s so unfair.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a townhome owner who is at his wit’s end with the noise from next door.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person felt sorry for him, and encouraged him to be less hard on himself.

While others told him to start compiling evidence.

Meanwhile, this Redditor encouraged him to seek out legal advice.

This guy isn’t a fool for not checking out the neighbourhood at night, it’s an easy mistake to make. And you should be able to trust your neighbours are at least semi-decent people who have a little respect for those living around them. It’s a shame that he’s found himself stuck in such a difficult situation with not just one dodgy neighbour but loads of them – it’s no wonder the previous homeowners sold the property.

The truth is, he’s not stuck there. As difficult and costly as it might be, he could try to sell the house and relocate to a nicer area. It might seem like a lot of upheaval and totally unfair, but in the end the family’s mental health and physical safety is worth so much more than cash and time. Because what should have been a safe and happy home for them to return to in the evenings, and spend family time together in, has become a site of stress and tension – all because the neighbourhood is contaminated with a lot of bad apples.

And that’s not his fault. Not at all.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a woman who was in love with her dream house – and then spring came and her neighbor’s trees caused her to question the purchase.