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.