The kind of neighbor you have can make or break your living environment. If the folks next door are rude or unhelpful, it can make things much tougher for you. It becomes even worse if they refuse to cooperate or go out of their way to make things difficult.
This is the situation a person found themselves in after their neighbors went through their mailbox without asking. Even though it’s a federal crime to do something like that, the people next door threatened to keep doing it to get their way.
More info: Reddit
A peaceful neighborhood can suddenly turn into a battleground if two neighbors are pitted against each other
Image credits: Max Vakhtbovycn / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster had received a neighbor’s parcel by mistake and kindly went to their house to return it to them
Image credits: Abstrakt Xxcellence Studios / Pexels (not the actual photo)
When the mix-up with the parcel happened the second time, the folks next door took it upon themselves to open the person’s mailbox without asking
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The person only came to know about their neighbor’s actions as they were caught on the ring camera, but when they were confronted, they said they’d do the same thing again
Image credits: jrowll
The poster tried explaining to the folks next door that going through someone’s mailbox is illegal, but they replied by stating, “It’s not illegal, it’s ours”
The OP had never previously faced an issue with the people next door and shared that their neighborhood was fairly peaceful. The only thing out of the ordinary that happened was when the poster received their neighbor’s parcel by mistake. So they decided to give it to the folks as soon as possible.
Getting someone else’s parcel by mistake can happen to anyone and it’s something that 19% of folks have faced. It’s perfectly fine if a person gives their neighbor the package, but it would be a crime to keep the item or hide it. It can also cause problems if a person signs for someone else’s parcel, especially if the items turn out to be damaged or spoilt later on.
Usually, the best thing to do if you get your neighbor’s mail is to put it in their mailbox. In situations where their letterbox is locked, you can place the package outside their door or directly give it to them. Even if you don’t have a good relationship with the people next door, never discard the parcel, as that can get you in trouble.
To get an expert’s opinion on dealing with situations like this, Bored Panda reached out to Myka Meier. She is a 2x best-selling etiquette author, entrepreneur, and media personality. Myka is the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, a New York-based etiquette company, and the co-founder of The Plaza Hotel Finishing Program.
Proudly of mixed ethnicity, Myka is a powerful keynote speaker on topics including women’s empowerment, equality, entrepreneurship, and of course all things etiquette. Myka told us that the best way to politely deal with pushy neighbors is to “be warm but firm. Acknowledge them politely while setting clear limits. Keeps things friendly yet firm.
“It’s very important as early on in the relationship when a boundary is crossed to communicate clearly and calmly, repeating your boundary if needed. If they persist, a written note or involving a third party can reinforce your request respectfully.
“Tampering with mail is illegal, and addressing it directly is necessary. A calm, ‘I noticed you in my mailbox—please don’t do that again,’ sets the boundary without escalating. For legal purposes, emailing the person so it’s in traceable writing is another option,” she added.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The OP went out of their way to hand-deliver the neighbor’s package. Despite their kindness, the other people decided they were entitled to open the poster’s mailbox whenever they needed. The only reason they got caught is because of the ring camera that was recording everything. Otherwise, they would have probably kept sneaking around and doing things like this.
The poster calmly confronted the neighbors and found out, shockingly enough, that they had been taking packages from other people’s boxes for years. They were also aggressive about the entire situation and asserted that they would keep doing this regardless of whether it was illegal or not.
Federal law states that anyone who unlawfully comes into the possession of another person’s mail shall be fined or imprisoned for up to five years. The OP was right to inform the people about the law, but it’s possible that they didn’t understand the full extent of the punishment they would receive if they kept opening other peoples’ mailboxes.
Netizens advised the poster to secure their letterbox as quickly as possible to prevent people from breaking into it and taking things. The best way to do that is to get a lock for it. The other way would be to sign up for informed deliveries so that you immediately know when your mailbox has something in it.
Nobody wants to get into a standoff with their neighbors. It can make things uncomfortable if both parties disagree and don’t want to come to a compromise. Obviously, since the couple said they’d keep opening other peoples’ letterboxes, the next best course of action for the OP would be to protect their mailbox and convert it into a fortress.
How would you handle such entitled neighbors? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Folks felt that the poster was being too meek and advised them to take a stand against the people next door
