Couple installs security cameras after learning that their neighbors have been throwing pool parties at their place for years without permission while they're out of town

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 10, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Some neighbors have open-door policies, but one should never make assumptions that this applies to everyone. For instance, friends of mine who grew up in quiet, suburban neighborhoods often played in their next door neighbors' backyards and in their pools. This was agreed-upon, of course, by all parties as long as everyone was respectful of people's private property. However, unless my friends had a strong and close relationship with these folks next door, they would not just break into their backyards and swim in their pools without permission. Unfortunately, these residents learned that their neighbors were not exactly generous enough to ask before they used what was not theirs to begin with…

In fact, the author and her spouse discovered this in the worst possible way. Evidently, when they were out of town during every major holiday (but especially over fourth of July weekends), their neighbors would throw pool parties for their family every year without the author's knowledge. Keep scrolling below to find out what transpired when the author discovered the truth about what was going on for years…

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    Cheezburger Image 10527135488
    via Unsplash+ (Kateryna Hliznitsova)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • The other neighbor who revealed the truth to the author and her husband was shocked to learn that they didn't know. Like any decent neighbor, this person assumed that the family of six had been given permission to throw literal pool parties on property that did not belong to them. Apparently, some people seem to think they don't even need permission anymore…

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    A few years ago my husband and I purchased a house with a pool. Now we are acquainted with most of our neighbors but definitely not close friends with any of them. They all seem nice but well
    via Robyn_withaY
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    just don't have much in common other where we live. Nextdoor to the right is a family of six, twin daughters attending the local university, high school age son and a young elementary school age daughter maybe first or second grade and the parents.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    Now normally we open the pool in early May and leave it keep it open until the end of October. But this year our weather was off and we had a very cool and very wet month of May and then June went straight to 100+ temperatures. I am currently on a
    via Robyn_withaY
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    medication that makes it difficult for me to tolerate being in the sun and heat for an extended time. Plus we have been helping two extended family members
    via Robyn_withaY
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    who are having health issues. So because of this we haven't had our pool opened yet this year.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    Normally we go to the family lake house for a week during each of the three major holidays, but we didn't go for Memorial Day because there was flooding around the lake this year, and
    via Robyn_withaY
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    because a family member was just discharged from the hospital yesterday and July 4th being a Thursday this year we decided to stay home this week and be available to help this family member.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    Now several times in June the little girl nextdoor has seen either my husband or myself outside and she has asked when we are opening the pool. We first told her maybe later, but the last time
    via Robyn_withaY
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    (yesterday) she asked and I said we are probably just not going to open it this year, and she started crying. Now we have never had
    via Robyn_withaY
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    any of the neighbors over to use our pool so I didn't understand why she was crying over us not opening our pool.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    Cheezburger Image 10527135744
    via Unsplash+ (Kateryna Hliznitsova)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Well I spoke with the neighbor on the left later and apparently our neighbors on the right have been having a small family party at our pool every 4th of July when we are gone. They have always cleaned up really well afterwards
    via Robyn_withaY
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    and because we have scheduled pool maintenance and weekly yard service occasionally things are moved around in our yard and we never thought much about it.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    The neighbor on the left thought we had given the other neighbors permission to use our pool. We did give them permission to retrieve any b lls or toys that ended up in our yard, but never permission to use our pool
    via Robyn_withaY
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    especially when we are not at home. We have a special latch on the gate and my husband did show the neighbor how to open the gate to retrieve his kids toys.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    So now my husband, who loves gadgets, is going to have several more cameras installed around the exterior of our house, covering the gate and pool area.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    And have the gate latch made where we can grant remote access for the pool service and yardmen. Luckily we have a friend who does cameras and home automation systems.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    I'm annoyed our neighbors have been using our pool without permission, but my husband is happy I am letting him get more gadgets around the house. Now
    via Robyn_withaY
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    do we confront the neighbors and let them know we know they have been using our pool, or just wait and see if they say anything. about our new security cameras?
    via Robyn_withaY
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    CaliPirate Lawyer here, though not yours. You need to put up "no trespassing" signs, tell your neighbors they are not allowed on your property without explicit permission and change the lock to the gate.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    Now that you know, you are on notice and could be held liable if they are injured visiting your pool. S ks, but it will be much less trouble than a lawsuit.
    via Robyn_withaY
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    neophenx I don't know what would be more fun.... to tell them up front to not use the pool, or to not say anything and next time you find them on camera using your pool, just calling the police for trespassers on your property to surprise them.
    via Robyn_withaY

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Tags

neighbors neighborhood neighborhood-drama pool party bad neighbors neighborhood-stories petty revenge pool entitled people karma swimming pool entitled people
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