When does neighborly kindness turn to neighborly exploitation?

It is undeniable that the experience of living in a place is made that much nicer when you are on good terms with your neighbors. They are more likely to want to help out when you’re struggling, cut you some slack when your circumstances are less than perfect, and perhaps most importantly of all, provide you with friendship that is practically on your doorstep. It pays to develop that relationship, even if just by doing a small favor for them now and then.

At the same time, almost everybody has experienced the irritation of living close to somebody who is not very neighborly. This can manifest in multiple ways; it is more common to think about the people who make noise at unsociable hours or start petty property disputes, but they can also come in deceptively friendly packages. Some individuals see a nice enough person living in close proximity to them, and they become interested in their friendship as a tool that works for them. They want all the benefits of having a nice, trustworthy neighbor next door without having to give back to them in any significant way or be conscious of their needs.