A homeowner has expressed fury after discovering their neighbour had secretly entered their property to use an outdoor tap, hooking up a hose to fill a swimming pool. The incident, which occurred shortly after the homeowner left the house, was captured on camera and later shared on social media for advice.
Neighbour caught on camera using tap without consent
According to a Reddit post by the homeowner, the neighbour entered the back yard minutes after the homeowner departed, connected a hose to the outside tap, and ran water for approximately 30 minutes. The homeowner stated: “Got the whole thing on camera. He used my water for about 30 minutes without even asking.”
When confronted, the neighbour initially denied the act, then changed his story and offered a weak apology. The homeowner described the neighbour as “entitled” and expressed disbelief that anyone would consider such behaviour acceptable.
Homeowner takes extreme measures to prevent recurrence
To stop further unauthorised use, the homeowner installed a padlock on the outside tap, acknowledging that this created an inconvenience for themselves as well. They asked the online community: “Anyone else dealt with neighbours like this? What would you have done?”
The post quickly attracted numerous comments, with many users supporting the homeowner and labelling the neighbour’s actions as theft. One commenter suggested calling the police and filing a report, stating: “This is theft. Call the police and file a police report. They will take it seriously.” Another recommended demanding reimbursement or taking the neighbour to small claims court, emphasising it was “the principle.”
Legal perspectives and similar experiences shared
Several users pointed out that in many jurisdictions, using someone’s water without permission constitutes a crime. One wrote: “In many jurisdictions, this is an actual crime. You can call the non-emergency line and report it.” Another shared a personal anecdote: “My neighbour filled his pool from my faucet. When I got the water bill I called the city and they came out – 22,000 gallons. They asked, ‘Did you fill your pool?’ I don’t have a pool, but my neighbours do. They spoke to them — denials all around — but they took it off my bill and we locked up the faucet on their side of my house.”
The homeowner’s predicament highlights the potential financial impact of unauthorised water use, as they feared being left to pay the water bill for their neighbour’s pool. The Reddit community largely agreed that the neighbour had crossed a line, with one user joking about using the neighbour’s pool in retaliation.
