Owning your own home is often seen as a dream come true, a symbol of independence and a personal haven.
But sometimes, this dream can be clouded by unexpected issues, particularly with neighbors.
One story, shared by a Reddit user, is a classic example of how a dream home could become the center of a neighborhood dispute.
It all started with a new house.
The narrator, a 32-year-old woman, excitedly shared,
“My wife who is a 33-year-old woman and I finally bought our own home instead of renting. It took a lot of work but we got to do it and it’s a home we both loved and planned to spend the rest of our lives in. It even had a pool which was just amazing and something I’d always wanted but never thought I’d have.”
The joy of achieving this milestone, however, was soon overshadowed by an issue that arose with their next-door neighbors.
The problem began innocently enough.
“The issue was our next-door neighbors, I kept finding their kids using our pool having hopped our fence,” the narrator explained.
This intrusion stemmed from a past arrangement the children had with the previous homeowners, who allowed them to use the pool in exchange for cleaning it.
The couple’s stance was firm yet considerate.
They expressed their discomfort with the arrangement, primarily due to safety concerns and unfamiliarity with the children.
“I told them that was fine when it was the last neighbor but it’s something my wife and I were not comfortable with as we didn’t know them well enough plus if the kids were hurt we’d feel awful about it,” the narrator stated.
Despite their reasonable explanation, the neighbors seemed unyielding.
“They insisted their kids wouldn’t get hurt and asked if it’d be ok if the kids used it whenever we weren’t as they’re ‘Just kids’ and spoke about how it’s getting hotter now.”
Understandably, the Reddit user was annoyed – and suggested they “get their own pool.”
The situation escalated as the couple found themselves repeatedly chasing the children away from their pool.
This led to an uncomfortable atmosphere, with the neighbors now sending them dirty looks.
In response, the couple put up a sign declaring the pool private and stating that it could only be used with permission.
The narrator ended her story with a question, pondering if their stance was unfair.
“Was I really being unfair here? Yes, it sucked the kids had an arrangement with the last owners but it was our pool now,” she reflected.
Turns out, most people were on the homeowner’s side!
The post gathered hundreds of comments.
One person wrote:
“Nta. That’s a huge liability. You’re being completely reasonable in not wanting a bunch of kids unsupervised in your pool.”
Another said:
“Key word YOUR pool. NTA if your not comfortable that’s up to you. Sounds like some entitled parents and kids. If they keep doing it call the police and teach them a lesson”
Others agreed.
“You would absolutely be sued if one of the kids drowned in your pool. Lock the gate, put up cameras, and No Trespassing signs. If you find the kids on your property again, call the police and have them Trespassed.”
So, what do you think about this situation? Should the homeowners stay strong, or allow their neighbors’ kids to use their pool more?
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