'Buy me a fridge, or I'll fine you': Resident pays neighbor $2,200 for new refrigerator in exchange for property line adjustment after he built a shed on neighbor's fence

Eleonora Bader

May 15, 2023 1:00 PM EDT

Certain neighbors aren't especially keen on acting under your city's local zoning rules and regulations; often you find yourself in a bit of a pickle with people you have to see on a near-daily basis. This neighbor in particular built his shed that was supposed to be at least 10 ft from his OP's property line, right on his property line, a foot off his fence. OP approached this neighbor who had a ready excuse at the tip of his tongue, claiming that because of the slope of his yard and a drainage ditch, there was no other logical place to set up his shed.

Tough luck dude, as this isn't really OP's problem, right? But being a bit of a 'nice guy', he had his wife step in and do the negotiating. OP's wife was well aware of the local zoning rules, and used this knowledge to her advantage, stating that she could actually just call the zoning enforcement and get this dude fined. Instead, the more she thought about it, she realized she could 'sell' this land, AKA exchange the property line adjustment for something else she was in dire need of… a refrigerator. She did some quick calculations and realized she could get this neighbor to pay 3 times the value of the land she was prepared to 'sell' to him.

Scroll down to read what happened next. For more stories like this, here is a Karen who entered a petrol station and demanded that the cashier 'collect her car' from down the road, unaware that petrol stations don't work like that. After being refused service, she made a scene, contacted the company's HR, and got herself banned. Way to go, Karen.