30-year-old homeowner discovers his next-door neighbor is his ex-friend from college who almost got him kicked out of school: 'I refuse to move at all because one person is unhappy'

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jan 21, 2026 8:00 AM EST

This new resident recently moved into his new home, only to learn that his former friend-turned-enemy was living next door.

Imagine going through the arduous process of buying a house. Yes, if you're a millennial, this might be a hard reality to consider, but stay with me here. Let's say that you found an affordable residence in your dream neighborhood. It's not far out of the city where you commute a few times a week for work. It also happens to be close to where your mother's ashes were spread, so it's a place of sentimental value for you. 

By the time of your move-in date, you've signed all the paperwork and done your due diligence. There aren't any problems with the home itself, and everyone you've met in the neighborhood thus far seems friendly and kind. Then, after you finally get settled, you wake up one morning to find a delivery man asking if you could drop a package in front of the home next door, as the residents aren't there right now. Of course, you promise to do so, and you let the delivery man continue finishing his work.

But something strange happens. You check the address on your next-door neighbor's package, and you see a name you thought you'd never see or hear from again. That name belongs to your former friend from college who almost got you kicked out of school after copying your paper. This is, unfortunately, what happened to this author. Keep scrolling below for his full account of what happened next.

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  • We stand by the author's refusal to move. After all, this is his dream home, and if he's not too bothered by this loser's presence, then he should be able to keep on living his life the way he intends to live it. Meanwhile, if his ex-friend cannot seem to get over the fact that he moved in right next door, it probably has more to do with her inability to reckon with what she did back in college than anything else. That's her problem to fix, honey!

  • A white and red concrete house near green trees during the daytime.
    via Zac Gudakov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "[Am I wrong] for buying the house next door to my former friend?"

    I (30M) used to be friends with a woman (30F) who I met at university. We were that close we were hanging out every day and got to know each other.
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  • We had a falling out as she stole a piece of my academic work and I faced an investigation from the academics and staff from higher up.
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  • While we were friends she told me she was from "x" town and I told her I'm from "y" town, both seaside resorts.
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  • I was shocked she was from x town because my mother went on holiday there every year and I scattered her ashes there when I was 19 after she lost her battle with brost c_cer.
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  • X town is a really popular and sought after area in England, prices can go up to 800k for a 3-bedroom home and doesn't come by that easily.
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  • I searched the town on Rightmove to see if any properties had come up for sale and there was one going for 325k.
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  • However, this property was so affordable because it needed modernising and renovating. This property was also in a perfect location.
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  • It's by the seaside, I can go on long runs on the beach every day, which I do for my mental health.
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  • A man and a woman look at one another with shocked expressions.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • It's a five minute walk from where I scattered mum's ashes, it's an 8 minute walk to the train station, I can get the train to Central London (I work here) two days a week and so forth, it's cheap to live in this area.
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  • I did not step inside my property until after New Years Day because there were a lot of jobs builders needed to do.
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  • After New Years Day, I got to work doing the renovations I can do. A few weeks ago, an Amazon van pulled up to drop off packages, next door wasn't in.
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  • He asked me if I could drop off a package, I saw the name, realised I'm living next door to my former friend as it's a unique spelling and said no.
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  • Ex-friend has now found out I live next door to her and her parents and b ged on my door causing a commotion, all the neighbours came outside.
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  • From speaking to relatives, I'm apparently an a ole because I won't move house. I guess I'm a probably an a ole for letting there be tension in the street.
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  • But, it doesn't bother me that I live next door to her. As far as I'm concerned, I've moved on from this incident with her, it's in a dream location and I refuse to move at all because one person is unhappy.
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  • A man and a woman stand back-to-back with crossed arms.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • GrammaM NTA but cameras and fences are your friends! Edit: Wow! Thank you for the award!
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  • Entire-Complaint-479 Original Poster's Reply Getting camera's fitted internally and externally tomorrow. Luckily there's an alleyway detaching our houses between us so it shouldn't be too much trouble.
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  • Sudden-Car3033 NTA but what is this British curtesy that your relatives are telling you to move AWAY FROM WHERE YOU SCATTERED YOUR MOMS ASHES?! I can not imagine telling someone to move away after finding a steal of a price for something so close to a heartfelt place
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  • Entire-Complaint-479 Original Poster's Reply I didn't actually see it like this, now I'm a little annoyed they had the audacity to tell me to move from where I scattered mum's ashes.
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  • Dj_Batman Why didn't they look into her work if it was serious enough to you to be investigated?? Cause like others may have thought this could have been the sticking point for her as she clearly hasn't moved on. Might there have been repercussions in her work field from this incident?
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  • Entire-Complaint-479 Original Poster's Reply This is a very good question as well. If I remember correctly, she handed in her assignment first, so she wasn't suspected of anything. But, I handed my assignment in later on after editing it (I think). The collusion and academic misconduct came from my assignment due to it being handed in second, so I think this was how the process worked at the time.
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  • ringslingleader Info What was the outcome of the theft of academic work?
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  • Entire-Complaint-479 Original Poster's Reply No further action on both our parts. I was the one being accused of collusion and academic misconduct by the academics. I proved from my past notes the paragraph was mine, she didn't get punished and the cohort became divided.
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  • Tylerinthenorth NTA either way but in curious what the outcome of the investigation was and what punishment she faced
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  • Entire-Complaint-479 Original Poster's Reply I was the one being investigated for collusion and academic misconduct. In the end, from my past notes I was able to prove it was my paragraph, but she didn't get into any trouble at all. She stayed on the course and graduated, I remember it caused a great divide between our cohort.
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  • Ok-Complex5075 NTA. She doesn't own the neighbourhood. You're a reminder of something bad she did, and I expect she doesn't like it. Not to mention, you put time and money into that house, and it's in a perfect location for you. She'll either get over it or move. You don't need to worry about it. If she harasses you, involve the police. ETA: clarity
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  • MorganFreemanCoPilot NTA but be ready for a rocky road. A grown woman with friends and family in her home town is likely to do whatever she can to make your life miserable and difficult. She had her parents banging down your door, for crying out loud. Get good locks, camera, and security. If you have the room in your heart and home, a ferocious dog with a formidable name like Mephistopheles might be good in helping keep the peace.
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  • Secretnumb NTA as long as you keep to yourself. you picked the house for your own reasons-location, lifestyle, memories-not to mess with her. Just stay lowkey and let her make a fuss if she want as long as you don't engage with her, it's her problem, not yours
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  • DankyMcJangles Install some cameras and keep living your best life. NTA. It sounds like there is plenty of sand around for her to pound
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  • MezzanineSoprano I bought a house across the street from a coworker that I often found to be difficult although I always tried to be nice to her. 11 years later, it's fine. We very seldom see each other. Either of us ever banged on the other's door, though. If they do it again, can you have them trespassed? And do get cameras & an alarm system.
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Tags

aita neighbors bad friend plagiarism friends neighborhood-drama college entitled people
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