要想与邻居和谐相处并不容易。住在他人的隔壁，很可能会因大大小小的事情而起争执，最常见的问题有宠物叫声、装修噪音、垃圾堆放、停车纠纷等。

 

Do you know the names of the people who live next door? Chances are you live next to someone, but do you actually know them? Sadly, the only time we do seem to hear about people's neighbours is when things go wrong – hearing people say things like they have the neighbours from hell! So, what does go wrong?

 

When talking about famous feuds¹ with people who live in proximity², you only need to think of the Montagues and Capulets in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Thankfully, most real-life quarrels don't go that far. These days, especially in cities, many people live in condominiums, tightly packed into apartment blocks. Our neighbours are all around us – so what issues can come from that?

 

The first obvious cause of dispute is noise pollution. Loud bass³ pumping through the walls, construction, or people arguing next door can disrupt the harmony of your living space. Asking someone directly to turn the music down can cause you to feel anxious. However, getting someone like a building manager involved to speak to your neighbour and making complaints official can make things more awkward down the line as you didn't speak to your neighbour directly.

 

And then what about smells? If your neighbour likes eating especially pungent⁴ food, something that offends your nostrils⁵, and that smell drifts through your window, what can you do? Some other common issues include water leaking through the ceiling, pets making noise, and littering from the balcony above you.

 

And then, if you're lucky enough to own a garden, that can present even more issues to fight with your neighbour about! This could include hedges and fences that are too high, balls and toys invading your garden or hitting your windows, and boundary disputes over where your neighbours' land ends. All these can create animosity over time.

 

It's not easy living next door to someone, especially if they're noisy. But having a clear and honest line of dialogue might help. Also, try considering if the things you are doing could upset your neighbours. If it's something that would upset you, maybe think again.

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