Lake house owner advertises neighbor's private dock to Airbnb guests, protests when neighbor proposes charging $25 a day to use it: 'They're just sitting on it'

Since when did private property become shared use?

There is no question about it; having neighbors is a much more pleasant experience when you are willing to help each other out now and again. Doing favors for each other and sharing what you have is a foundational building block in creating the community that so many like to claim is an important part of a good quality of life.

At the same time, there is a pretty big difference between sharing with one another and feeling entitled to a neighbor's belongings or space simply because it is close by and convenient to use. When someone owns or rents a property, they generally expect that they can have that property to themselves. Anybody else being there should be an invitation-only kind of situation.

It is pretty surprising how many people want to lay claim to parts of the land that is owned by their neighbors whenever it seems to benefit them. It's not an uncommon issue, and it is something that can really be a nuisance for whoever is getting their yard, driveway, or other outdoor area commandeered by somebody without their permission. It isn't fair, and at its worst, it can really affect their day-to-day existence when it doesn't even need to be an issue in the first place. All it takes to fix the problem is to be honest and upfront, and for people not to use things that aren't theirs. It is the kind of lesson that we were supposed to learn in kindergarten.