ULPT Request: Neighbor keeps blocking dryer exhaust vent.

Posted by KlimCan@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 98 comments

Let me start by saying, my elderly mom’s neighbor is a real lunatic. The way the neighborhood is designed, one wall on the side of my mom’s house is a shared wall. Her laundry room is on that side and the dryer exhaust duct goes out into her neighbors backyard. This is just how the homes are designed and she can’t do anything about it. Her neighbor claims “The hot air from the dryer is heating up her backyard” so she, without telling anyone, folds the metal of the exhaust duct in on itself to close the duct. Then she places a bunch of furniture in front of it so we can’t open it back up. Well not only will her clothes not dry, but we are concerned about possible carbon monoxide coming back into the home.

We have asked her repeatedly to clear the duct and stop doing it. She will clear it for a few weeks or days, then suddenly it’s blocked again. She also claims that my mom’s HVAC unit in my mom’s the backyard is heating up her own backyard, but that’s another story. We’ve reported to the HOA and to the Police, but no one will do anything about it. This woman is a menace and now is dumping her dead leaves in my mom’s driveway after cleaning her yard. There are dozens of other encounters with this woman that I won’t get into, and apparently all her other neighbors have similar issues with her.

I don’t know what to do, but this woman is becoming a problem for my sweet mother. I would like to just go over there and wring her neck, but I’d like to stay out of jail. Someone please give me some ideas on how to handle this.

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M1lud@reddit

"Heating up her backyard"- can you call local health authorities for a mental capacity assessment?

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igg73@reddit

Remind the neighbor you know where they fckin live. Put ink on the vents to cause a mess, add razorblades or sharpen the edges if you can. Perhaps some sort of acid?

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BallsDieppe@reddit

Call the fire department.

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

Can’t believe we didn’t think of this

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Exshot32@reddit

The fire department is about the only government service that actually serves its citizens....

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

Amen, every encounter I’ve had with them and paramedics has been awesome. They actually give a fuck.

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Internal_Essay9230@reddit

Pretty arrogant and protective of their operation, too. Very involved in politics. Very well compensated for what amounts to a manual labor job (the firefighter aspect, not EMT)

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Internal_Essay9230@reddit

You're forgetting the water and sewer departments, unless you don't shower every day and flush with a bucket from the creek.

In fact, I'd say the water department serves more people than the fire department.

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What_The_Dill@reddit

I really want to give you another upvote, but you're at 69. My inner child just won't let me.

My family has worked for several fire departments for generations. The fire dept is underrated & really cares about the safety of the community. Thank you the recognition of their service.

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Graflex01867@reddit

Make sure you have a smoke detector as well. The smoke from the burning house will be just as bad as the dryer exhaust.

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JerkyMcFuckface@reddit

This is also a building code violation. Call code enforcement/inspections, and have a lawyer write a letter to the HOA, and the neighbor to cease and desist.

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Lopsided-Beach-1831@reddit

With this, get a camera to catch the neighbor vandalizing your mother’s dryer vent, otherwise your mom is going to be fined as the homeowner by the HOA or code enforcement.

The Fire Dept though will def speak to your neighbor about blocking the vent and how she would be liable for damages from carbon monoxide or fire. If someone is injured- homeowner or firefighter- she can face criminal charges.

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moon_apes_unite@reddit

This is the answer.

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demwoodz@reddit

And get your mom a CO detector

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

Got one already!

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Agoraphobe961@reddit

And adult protective services

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Hot_Connection6073@reddit

That old lady is going to make your house burn down, dryers burn down houses all the time due to vent issues

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

The crazy thing is she’s maybe in her early 40s

Too young to be this bitter and awful, or so I thought.

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Cross_22@reddit

That's what you call "elderly" 🤦

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Shufflepants@reddit

Thinking the vent is making the outside too hot, I assumed she had dementia.

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Plane_Berry6110@reddit

Call her homeowners insurance company

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just-4_you@reddit

Sounds like her own house too

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nanoatzin@reddit

That could be considered to be attempted murder because of the intent to cause carbon monoxide buildup inside the living area.

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DorisMaricadie@reddit

Buy a heat pump condenser drier, no vent no problem, enjoy life and leave the neighbour to wallow in a pit of spite.

I guess also sign them up for scientology/jw publications visits to hit the unethical part

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IrradiantFuzzy@reddit

The heat from the vent will quickly mummify her corpse, obscuring time of death.

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No-Jicama3012@reddit

Absolutely call the fire department and ask them to send someone out. They will take care of said neighbor

If it happens again call the fire department and the local police.

And notify the HOA in writing if there is one

Then I’d call a plumber and figure out a safer way to vent the dryer.

But first I’d make the neighbor feel your wrath.

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Loud-Ad-5@reddit

Have the HVAC guy relocate the vent at the highest point of the wall so it’ll be very hard for the old lady to access it.

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RobyMac85@reddit

I like where you’re going with this, but the plumber will just stand there scratching his head. Call an HVAC guy 👍

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P0Rt1ng4Duty@reddit

Where does the neighbor's dryer vent come out? I feel like it's your most logical point of attack.

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natesel@reddit

Claymore will fix the issue. It'll create a few legal and moral issues though.

For all intents and purposes the above comment is for humor and not a real suggestion.

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malikj98@reddit

I only see legal issues

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Xibby@reddit

There has to be a strong and hot pepper gel deterrent that could be applied…

“I put that there to keep mice out. Why were you trespassing and messing with my drier vent?”

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lelio98@reddit

Electrify it so she gets a good jolt if she touches it.

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WeaponBrain@reddit

Fire department

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Xibby@reddit

There has to be a strong and hot pepper gel deterrent that could be applied…

“I put that there to keep mice out. Why were you trespassing and messing with my drier vent?”

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Trying_to_be_cheeky@reddit

Liquid ass and piss discs are the only answer.

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strangelove4564@reddit

Insert a piss disc in the lint screen every time you dry clothes so it puts out any lint fires.

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Nearby_Dig_2398@reddit

Ok, this is ULPT so let's use the practical approach to do the unethical thing.

Yes, call the fire department but you must prepare first. Buy one of those exhaust cleaning brushes. They are extendable, flexible, and attach to a drill to clean your dryer vent from the outside. You are supposed to be doing it as a homeowner anyway, so keep it after this.

Get a few matches. Don't worry, you aren't going to start a fire.

Call the fire department. Tell them that your elderly moms neighbor is blocking the exhaust duct and has been doing it over and over. Tell them you are prepared to clean it out and the neighbor won't let you get to it. Get the brush thing, your drill, and those few matches. Put the matches in the box that holds all the pieces of that brush. Start the dryer on NO HEAT. You need air blowing out of the duct. When they show up, meet them at her door. Stick to the fire dude's butt and ask if she can let you in to clean it. Verbally say how worried how much lent has been building up. This will make the fire dude curious and he will want to see if he doesn't already demand to see it. The point is to get him back there while you clean it.

You may want to practice this next bit first. Know how to quickly put the brush together and when you are about to put the brush in, hold the few matches in your palm. You don't need to create a long stick for the brush to start the cleaning, start with 1 or 2 segments. As you are pulling the brush back out, drop the matches as the lint comes out. Yell something like WHY ARE THERE MATCHES IN MY VENT, KAREN?! Of course, she didn't do it but the fire dude is gonna be PISSED.

State that you are coming back to put a cover on it that she can't block. Ask the fire dude what he recommends. Finish cleaning the vent, it doesn't take long.

Then, when you can, get some sort of grate or something and go back, threaten her to let you go back there, and install it.

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strangelove4564@reddit

Verbally say how worried how much lent has been building up.

"I started finding all these fish and loaves of bread in the dryer vent."

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BigMackMoney11@reddit

Hire someone to smack the shit out of her

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AlaskanDruid@reddit

I would argue that is ethical.

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BigMackMoney11@reddit

Blow up their house

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ScrivenersUnion@reddit

Best solution is to put something around the dryer vent that can't be blocked, then a camera to monitor.

They make basket style PVC ends that might do what you want.

The important part here is that police and HOA are doing nothing, so you need to obtain evidence of damage (camera) then take it to a lawyer and ask for a restraining order.

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

The difficult part is we would need access to her property to make changes to the vent. It’s a ridiculous design. Also the way it’s laid out makes it impossible to have a camera on my moms property that can see that vent

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Mcjackee@reddit

You almost certainly will have an easement for maintenance on your own property. Such as putting a cover over a vent.

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ScrivenersUnion@reddit

Get an air quality monitor and measure the monoxide levels?

If the shared wall exits entirely on her side then you may not be able to catch her on camera, but it also means everything that happens on that side of the wall is 100% her responsibility. "Oh no I have no idea how that happened" can't be her excuse.

When she folds the metal down, don't fold it back - get a repair guy to come out and put a new vent in place that's plastic. Save the bill. When she damages that one, now you have a pattern and you can take it to someone?

Oh wait, this is ULPT isn't it - connect the hot end of your 220 line to those metal tabs and wait for the ambulance.

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

If she didn’t have two dogs I’d be all over the 220 idea

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OblongAndKneeless@reddit

I'm sure someone would take care of the dogs after she gets zapped.

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

I’d be worried they’d touch it first

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PdxPhoenixActual@reddit

Only once...

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Mindlesslyexploring@reddit

Not a lawyer - but I’m pretty sure there is some code or language for access if the house itself creates the property border. She can’t prevent you from accessing the side of the house if the only it way to access it is on her property. Obviously don’t damage or harm anything on her property- and if she is in fact damaging the dryer vent - from her property- go file a civil case in your county courthouse. It’s about twenty bucks to file and she will get served a notice to appear in court over the issue.

As other have said , the fire department will certainly come and give her a good talking to own your mother’s behalf be sure a blocked vent could eventually cause a fire.

And what the fuck does she do in the summer time when the season itself heats up her backyard.

Some neighbors fucking suck.

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

It’s in AZ where it’s fucking 120F in the summer and she has this complaint

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Mindlesslyexploring@reddit

Yall should tell her the heat in her backyard is causing your moms house to get hot in the summer and she needs to contribute to the electric bill - in other words - just meet her crazy with better, more extreme crazy.

Go into “ fuck with the neighbor mode “

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Late_Resource_1653@reddit

Question - how old is the neighbor? And do they share a landlord?

Next time this happens, don't move anything. Call the local fire department and let them know what is going on. Good chance they will put something in motion/come over and clear it.

If the neighbor is also elderly, you are going to call adult protective services on both the neighbor and your mum and let them know what is going on and tell them you are TERRIFIED that your poor mum is going to try to do laundry and the neighbor's barricade will start a fire. A social worker will immediately get involved.

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1234frmr@reddit

My understanding is that this is a serious fire hazard..My first call would be the fire department. She needs to understand that vandalism resulting in a fire can land her saggy ass in prison.

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Biff626@reddit

If there's an HOA then there are typically bylaws. Given the setup I'd wager that there are provisions that simply say that she needs to be notified in advance of work being done on your mom's place that requires access to hers. You don't need permission usually, just satisfy the notification requirement. Say something like her dryer vent is being cleaned out (which might be a good idea given the crap the neighbor is doing). Install plastic cage style cover over flapper.

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MoriartheChozen@reddit

On this note, spam her with notifications of intent to do work 10 days before and after the actual work so she cant sabotage it.

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OblongAndKneeless@reddit

The house's wall is exactly on the property line? If there are no "No Trespassing" signs up you can go anywhere you want.

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limellama1@reddit

Call the local fire Marshal and ask they talk to the neighbor about the hazard she is creating.

Call the local police department and ask how the city/county bylaws cover your right to access your house for maintenance, even if it requires being on the neighbors property.

Once given go ahead by the police dept, have an HVAC contractor install a tamper proof vent cover.

Install a camera high up the wall looking towards the vent. IMMEDIATELY upon catching the neighbor touching the vent again you call the police and file a vandalism report. This puts liability of repair of the vent and any damage cause should there be a fire LEGALLY on the neighbor due to vandalism.

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tnemmoc_on@reddit

What would you do if that part of the house needed some other kind of maintenance? There has to be a way that people access their own properties to do that.

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TerraVestra@reddit

While this isn’t your best option here I just want to give you a heads up that they make all-in-one washer/dryer units that don’t require a vent, they’re “ventless”.

Call it plan c, d, or whatever.

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BuddyBrownBear@reddit

Fire Inspector.

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Flatulence_Tempest@reddit

Sue her in small claims court.

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GoodGoodGoody@reddit

Oh this should be good. Explain your proposed Small Claims Court claim.

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Flatulence_Tempest@reddit

No need to explain it if it's only purpose is for you to shit on it.

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GoodGoodGoody@reddit

Go on, tell us the main points of your small court claim.

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Phathed_b4itwascool@reddit

Seems like people are ignoring the sub we’re in here…

Go in and fix the outlet so it breathes again. Detach the dryer hose & fill it with cleaning vinegar and weed killer. Hook it up to a portable heat fan and turn it on. Eventually everything nearby will be dead and there will be no reason for her to complain about the yard.

Don’t forget your piss discs to place on all the outdoor furniture.

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the_pretender_nz@reddit

I don’t know how these things work but…

Can you access the dryer conduit? Eg can you take it off the vent from the inside and push out the vent flaps with a screwdriver or something?
If you do that, can you put some kind of camera in there pointed out which would catch someone bending the flaps back in? Doesn’t have to catch the actual culprit, just that it’s being done
With every organisation I’ve been a part of that has had any level of bureaucracy, they HATE getting contacted about anything outside the day to day ordinary that they can deal with without engaging their brains. So, squeaky wheel, daily contact (although from what people have been saying, fire dept seems like a good first bet)
Going back to possible internal access - if they keep putting furniture in front of it, there’s possibly a way to rig up a system of flexes and pulleys or whatever to be able to put piss discs (may have to be broken first to fit through the vent hole - or, you could create Mini Piss Discs, which will be awesome but unfortunately will never properly catch on)

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Skeggy-@reddit

Get it on video.

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Mr_Fried@reddit

And buy some 6 fingered gloves and dress weird when you are cleaning up, so if she videos, you can claim its a deepfake.

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SeeMarkFly@reddit

GREAT tip!

Where can I buy some six fingered gloves? Asking for a friend.

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ultimate_sorrier@reddit

A 6 pack of condoms

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Konilos@reddit

Another tip to make it look like AI could be to suck your own head in through your lips.

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Mr_Fried@reddit

Haha gold

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Skeggy-@reddit

Don’t forget to wear a graphic clothing with the text misspelled.

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xmastreee@reddit

Get a condensing dryer, doesn't need a vent. And what's with the worry about carbon monoxide? Where's that coming from?

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

The dryer uses gas

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wisebongsmith@reddit

Seems like the fire marshal would like to know.

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Mr_Fried@reddit

Rig up a motion sensor and put the fan on a smart power socket. You could do this using ikea tradfri.

Ensure a surprise is delivered.

I suggest getting a bucket and shitting in the bucket until it is full.

Set up the shit bucket so when she triggers the motion sensor, the bucket of shit pours all over her. If cleanup is required, it will be completely worth it.

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ayjaylar@reddit

Freeze the bucket first

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I_be_lurkin_tho@reddit

Yup,just call fire department and have your mom say she was put a load in the dryer and started feeling "not right"..she doesn't have to mention the vent or the neighbor..the FD will figure that part out instantly...Hell even have the dryer running or freshly done with a cycle for authenticity...good luck!

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KlimCan@reddit (OP)

This is really good

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ViewReader@reddit

Can you not shoot the guy?

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ball_ze@reddit

I agree with wringing her neck. I would confront her and ask wtf and introduce the possibility of a neck wringing.

My folks worked to fucking hard their whole lives for douchbaggery like this.

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OwlieSkywarn@reddit

Put razor wire all around the dryer vent. Done

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Hot-Win2571@reddit

Search for metal dryer vent cage

But lint will need to be cleaned.

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Unusualshrub003@reddit

You know those big metal lock boxes that people in the hood put around their a/c unit? Put one of those in front of your dryer vent. Zip-tie hardware wire around the lock box. Then attach an electrical current to the whole shebang. Not enough to injure, but enough to teach a lesson.

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drumscrubby@reddit

Use unscented laundry detergent and perfume- free dryer sheets or non at all. Maybe those unregulated chemicals being spilled into where other people breathe will stop them stuffing it shut.

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Mindless-Comfort-232@reddit

Put some scary spiritual shit in there. Also don't listen to me.

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GrouchyVacation6871@reddit

Fire Dept. We'll fix that nonsense

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Objective_Attempt_14@reddit

Call the fire marshall. Make a report then call the police. It is a safety issue "she is try to start a fire or kill us" let them talk to her. Keep making calls every time it happens....

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ADMINlSTRAT0R@reddit

You have a HOA that you pay regularly. Make them work for their money.

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Key_Magician_3418@reddit

Wait what? How is there no easement? The neighborhood can be fucky, but there has to be a certain level of maintenance expected in that kind of situation. Codes and laws and shit. hoa might have some blue print of the lots, the city will have the boundary lines, and you will have to do the leg work there. But that's not what you're asking.

Chat gpt a cease and desist letter.

Make up a fake bill for fixing the vent, tell her if she breaks it again she will pay damages. Find a company that won't discuss quotes with other people besides the client.

Tell her if she really hates it that much you can go half on moving the vent and HVAC, quote her double the full price.

My personal choice is 2, because you've got some really messed up rules you're already dealing with between the HOA and the easement.

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