Some Common Things You Do That Secretly Annoy Your Neighbours

 

Being a good neighbour isn’t just about greetings and smiles. You could be annoying them without even realizing it.

Have you ever wondered if there are certain things you are doing that your neighbours might not like? A lot of people think they are good and friendly neighbours or at least, mind-their-business kind of neighbours.

But the truth is, sometimes, we might be the reason our neighbours are rolling

their eyes, whispering complaints, or even plotting revenge in silence.  

Here are some ways you might be annoying your neighbours without knowing.

1. Playing loud music at odd hours

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your favourite Afrobeats or gospel jams, your neighbours might not appreciate being part of your personal concert, especially when you are doing it at odd hours like 6 AM on a Sunday or 11 PM on a work night.

Just because you’re in a party mood doesn’t mean everyone else is.  

2. Running your generator non-stop

We all know the power in Nigeria is bad and generators are a must. But then, if your “I better pass my neighbour” or big industrial gen is constantly humming (or worse, roaring) through the night, you’re definitely disrupting someone’s peace.

If it’s belching smoke into their windows too? Even worse.  

3. Parking like you own the whole street

Limited parking is a struggle in many Nigerian neighbourhoods. But if you’re that person who takes up two spots, blocks someone’s gate, or expects everyone to adjust just because you came home late, your neighbours are probably not happy with you. 

4. Keeping a ‘security’ dog that barks all night 

A dog that protects the house is great, but if it’s barking at everything such as passing cars, shadows, the wind, your neighbours might be losing sleep.

If your dog is aggressive and always trying to attack people on the street, that’s another level of neighbourhood stress.  

5. Burning refuse and choking everyone

Burning refuse is common in some neighbourhoods, especially if there is no organised system of waste disposal. But then, burning in your compound can be quite a hazard as not everyone appreciates having smoke blowing into their house.

Worse, if you’re burning plastic, you’re not only annoying your neighbours but also polluting the air.  

6. Borrowing things and ‘forgetting’ to return them

In some neighbourhoods, community living where you can easily borrow stuff from your neighbours is common. But there’s a thin line between borrowing and outright collecting.

If your neighbour has to remind you five times about returning their bucket, extension cord, or even cooking gas, you might need to re-evaluate your borrowing habits.  

7. Having prayer sessions that go on forever

Praying is great, but if your early morning or all-night prayer sessions are waking up the whole compound, your neighbours might be praying too, but for peace and quiet. Not everyone is up for unsolicited deliverance sessions at 2 AM.