When living in an apartment complex, residents are expected to abide by a set of rules for the sake of their fellow neighbours.
These usually include time curfews on making noise, ensuring all common areas remain clean and tidy, and not interfering with other tenants' property.
However, one 32-year-old man has divided opinions after speaking up when one of his neighbours "broke the rules" by hosting a pool party for their child.
Taking to Reddit, he said: "I live in an apartment complex with a pool. There is no active lifeguard or anyone really monitoring it like most apartment pools.
"On Saturday, my boyfriend and I went to hang out at the pool at about 2pm. We get there and it's packed - like way too packed." He went on to explain how about 25 to 30 people were dancing and drinking alcohol while their children were jumping in and out of the pool.
"[There were] people with beer in glasses, which is a double rule break, loud music, and they were also using both of the grills on the patio," he added. "After investigating further it looked like one of the small families that I’ve seen around the complex was having a birthday party for their kid."
He says his apartment complex insists residents check their guests in at the office before allowing them onsite - but this rule is widely ignored by all residents. The man said: "[The rules] do not specifically say no parties but it says to be respectful of others' spaces and not to hog items like the grills, hot tub, umbrella tables.
"My boyfriend and I tried to lay out in the corner but it wasn’t working. After another couple told us how displeased they were with this party too, my boyfriend suggested we say something. We left and stopped by the front office and told them about the party."
About an hour later, the entire party was shut down and its guests were ordered to leave the complex. Having thought no more about it, he was shocked to receive a note through his door from the hosts the following morning.
"I don't know how they knew it was us or what unit we lived in but that’s beside the point," he added. "The note called us a***holes for what we did and now said they are under a 'lease review' where the office could decide to evict them if they want.
"So they thanked us for potentially getting a poor, small family kicked out. I said we weren’t the only ones who had a problem and if we didn’t do it they would have eventually gotten caught.
"I also told them that whatever happens, it's their own fault for blatantly breaking the rules." Now feeling awkward about the entire situation, he has taken to social media to ask users whether he was in the wrong for shutting down the party.
One user said: "This is one of the grey areas. Legally you are alright. Morally? You had so many options. You could have talked to them. You didn't. Instead you put in an official complaint. Housing is a nightmare right now, you have given them more to worry about."
Another user added: "If they don't want to risk a lease review and getting kicked out, then they need to honour the rules of the lease, which you said includes signing all guests in at the office. They broke the rules. And inconvenienced other residents wishing to use faculties that they pay for. Their problem."
A third user said: "They broke rules and have to take responsibility for that. That being said, I would have talked to the family first, asked how much longer they were going to be there and remind them of how glass is really unsafe poolside."
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
