In theory, it sounds nice to live in the middle of nowhere. Among other things, there’s no traffic that doesn’t let you sleep, no schools around with children screaming in the mornings and no neighbors. But it also means having all the services far away and if you need help, it can take a while, which could be a big problem for a lot of people.

But living in a neighborhood can be fun too: you can have neighborhood parties, if you run out of sugar, you can ask the person next door, or sit down in the evening in your garden with them to have a nice cup of tea.

There is a condition, however. They must be a nice person. Reddit user begrudgedhome wasn’t so lucky and had a neighbor who didn’t like him for some reason. The man ignored her and asked her, as well as the HOA inspector, to leave him alone in a not very polite manner that he now thinks was unnecessary.

More info: Reddit

Nosy neighbor gets on this man’s nerves and when she calls an inspector on him, he tells them to stuff it and leave

Image credits: denisbin (not the actual photo)

The Original Poster (OP) has been living in a lakeside property since he was 19 and in those six years that he has been living there, he’s had a few neighbors and had different relationships with them, but only one has ever caused real problems.

It’s the neighbor who is living next door. Mariette moved in this summer after demolishing an old house and building a new one. There was no issue at the beginning, but when autumn started and the OP needed to heat his house, Mariette grew concerned about him using his wood stove and fireplace for that purpose.

The OP has been living in his house for 6 years and even though he is 25 years old, it legally belongs to him as his parents signed all the papers for it

Image credits: begrudgedhome

The first unpleasant interaction took place when the OP received his first shipment of logs that he would use for heating. Mariette came over asking for OP’s parents and didn’t believe him when he told her that he was the owner as his parents legally passed on the property to him.

She then didn’t say anything, but came back later with the same request and this time, it seems that she was convinced that there were no parents she could talk to, so she voiced her concerns about the OP using wood-burning fireplaces because it was against HOA policy.

The OP’s house didn’t belong to the HOA because it was old, but the woman somehow managed to make an inspector come to his house. The man got defensive because he caught the inspector lying and called him a moron, then told both him and Mariette to stuff it and leave.

This summer he got a new neighbor, but she didn’t seem problematic at first until autumn came and the heating season started

Image credits: begrudgedhome

According to HOA Leader, in some places, owners are being asked to replace their wood-burning fireplaces with gas fireplaces for safety reasons because wood smoke is bad for people’s health and the air in more populated places is already polluted from smog.

Another safety issue is fires, which are not always covered by insurance. On top of that, fires which are caused by wood-burning fireplaces sometimes contribute to the spread of wildfires.

The neighbor Mariette had a problem with the OP using a wood-burning fireplace because it was forbidden by the HOA

Image credits: begrudgedhome

Although it’s quite cozy to sit in front of a crackling fireplace and spend evenings with the family during cold and dark winter months like you see in those Christmas cards, it is true that wood-burning fireplaces are not very environmentally friendly.

Even if the wood stove is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency, they still emit more fine particles than a gas stove, which is what the HOA wants owners to install. Actually, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, wood-burning fireplaces have the highest annual pollution out of all heating options and the most environmentally safe heating system is electric as it emits zero fine particles into the air.

The thing was that the OP didn’t belong to the HOA, but the neighbor was not satisfied and called an inspector anyway

Image credits: begrudgedhome

But replacing the heating system can cost quite a lot and the older it is, the pricier it is to update. Angi, a service provider that helps homeowners with routine maintenance, repairs and renovations, suggests that the average cost to convert a fireplace to gas is $3,000, but it can range from $500 to $5,500.

It depends on whether you choose a vented gas insert, vented gas log, or ventless gas log, if you have a gas line installed and how complex the job will be.

The OP got irritated that the inspector lied to him about the house belonging to the HOA and wasn’t too polite when he ordered him and the neighbor to leave

Image credits: begrudgedhome

It is understandable that the OP wouldn’t want to waste money on replacing his heating system and dealing with all that hassle, especially if he finds it convenient despite the serious environmental impact fire-burning fireplaces have.

But the neighbor also had a point and wanted everyone to follow the same rules. However, she and the HOA inspector stepped over the line when they required the OP to follow the rules of an organization he wasn’t a part of.

Image credits: Alabama Extension (not the actual photo)

People in the comments didn’t think that the OP was that rude. They also had an issue with the HOA as a whole and didn’t like that it is so controlling and regulates how people have to live. They suggested that the OP should think about hiring a lawyer, because the matter might not end here.

Do you think the OP was wrong in the way he handled the situation? Do you also think he should get a lawyer based on what he told in the story? How do you feel about HOAs existing and their rules? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and if you have any experiences to share, leave them below as well.

People in the comments didn’t think the homeowner was out of line and warned him that this might not be the end and he should get a lawyer

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