Living in my neighborhood had always been peaceful, and I made verbal agreements with my neighbors when I wanted to put up a fence.

Things took a drastic turn when they moved, leaving me with a problematic neighbor who soon faced karma.

My home on Maple Street was my sanctuary, especially the backyard where I could relax after a long day. Shortly after moving in, I decided to build a fence for privacy.

To save on costs, I reached an agreement with my neighbors, Jim and Susan, rather than hiring a surveyor. We settled on a spot close to the property line, shook hands, and I began building the fence.

Jim and Susan were pleased, as they didn’t have to pay anything for it. A year ago, Jim and Susan sold their house, and Kayla, a realtor from the big city, moved in.

She was different from the locals, always dressed formally and boasting about her new home. Six months later, a land surveyor appeared in the neighborhood, marking boundaries. The next day, Kayla knocked on my door with a stack of papers,

informing me that my fence encroached nine inches onto her property. She demanded I move the fence or pay for the land. I explained the agreement I had with the previous owners, but she was unimpressed and insisted on following the rules.

She threatened legal action if I didn’t comply. With no proof of the previous agreement, I had no choice but to take down the fence, a task that was both grueling and disheartening.