One thing you cannot avoid as a human is interactions with other humans, and as much as some of us would like to avoid that completely, it is almost impossible. Living around people has its advantages and like, everything in life, its disadvantages. One of them being nosy neighbors. In this article, we will see about ‘How To Deal With Nosy Neighbours?’.
How To Deal With Nosy Neighbours?
Dealing with nosy neighbors can be tricky because while you want to maintain a good and cordial relationship with your neighbors, you also need them to respect your boundaries. To deal with this, you could choose to:
- Ignore them.
- Confront them
- Build a fence around your house or create some physical boundary
- Keep your doors closed and curtains drawn
- Pretend to be busy whenever they are in the vicinity
- Install security cameras
- Talk to the appropriate authorities
Let us discuss the above points.
1. Ignore Them:
It is a way to get a nosy neighbor off your back. Simply ignore them until they get tired of invading your space. People don’t like to be ignored, and when they notice you are not giving them the attention they seek, they’ll move on to someone else. When you are asked a barrage of questions you’d rather not answer, consider giving a polite but vague answer and walking away. Smile at them when you see them walking towards you and feign a phone call, or make up an excuse on why your attention is urgently required somewhere else.
2. Confront Them:
Ignoring a nosy neighbor may prove to be inefficient as sometimes, it gives them the idea that they can get away with invading your personal space. In this case, you could politely ask them “if you can help them” the next time you find them peeping into your property or simply tell them off by saying “that is a private information,” “that isn’t any of your business” or informing them that, “you’d like them to please respect your personal space” when they get too close for comfort. This would hopefully pass on the information and get them in line. Of course, this may hurt your neighbors’ feelings, so keep that in mind.
3. Build a Fence around Your House or Create Some Sort of Physical Boundary:
If possible, build a fence around your house to keep them out of your space and force them into minding their business. While this is a good option, it may not be possible in all cases due to various reasons such as insufficient space, unavailability of funds, etc. if such is the case, another option is to plant flowers around your house to create a demarcation between your property and theirs thereby fostering a sense of boundary. What’s more, you get to beautify your environment.
4. Keep Your Doors Closed and Curtains Drawn:
If your neighbors like to peep into your house, keep your doors closed and curtains drawn. If they are met with this barrier every time they try to play peeping Tom, they would quickly learn that you do not appreciate their actions and would like some privacy. Most efficient is when you close your door or curtains when you catch them in the act. This may be embarrassing to your neighbor but they should also, learn to mind their business.
5. Pretend to Be Busy Whenever They Are in the Vicinity:
Whenever you spot an extremely chatty neighbor who loves to ask personal and invasive questions, pull out your phone, and stare at it briefly like you would if you get a call, place it on your ear and start a faux conversation on an important topic. Remember to place your phone on silent so a call doesn’t give you away. You could also wear your headphones around areas you are most likely to run into them, so they don’t approach you. Another way to achieve this is to act completely engrossed in whatever you are engaged in and pretend not to hear them when they speak. Act distracted until they tire out and leave you alone.
6. Install Security Cameras:
Install security cameras around your house to pass on the message that you don’t play with your safety and you mean business. Ensure that it is placed in a location where it can be seen easily, by everyone and a place where it can spot every activity around your house. Whether the camera is active or not, it sends a distinct message.
7. Talk to the Authorities:
It goes without saying that if you find your neighbor sneaking into your house or trying to if you find that they stole from you or your instinct warns you that something is creepy and fishy about them and their activities around your house seem sketchy, report to the appropriate authorities. You are better safe and sound than worrying if reporting may have been taking things too far.
Conclusion
Now we have learnt ‘How To Deal With Nosy Neighbours?’, There are different ways to deal with nosy neighbors that would pass on your message. In doing this, remember to be polite and kind while passing on your message, but firm. You deserve to live comfortably and peacefully without worrying about snooping neighbors.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the Signs I have a nosy neighbor?
The fact that you are worried about this should be an answer in itself, but other signs include:
- They know confidential information about you
- You often catch them looking at you into your house or your property.
- They ask personal questions that should be of no concern to them.
- They keep track of your schedule and daily activities.
