Many of us would willingly lend a hand to our neighbours if they came seeking minor assistance.
Whether it’s to fetch something from our yard or to borrow a few teabags in an emergency, being a good neighbour is a pillar of community life. You don’t have to be best buddies with the people next door, but maintaining a friendly rapport is beneficial.
This also involves respecting each other’s boundaries, such as avoiding loud disturbances or not running household appliances during unsocial hours.
However, one man was left completely taken aback by his neighbour’s audacious request. Instead of a trivial favour, the neighbour boldly demanded free access to his Wi-Fi network.
They explained that they had “forgotten” to pay their own Wi-Fi bill, and as a result, service to their home had been disconnected – hence their need for his internet. When he kindly refused them, citing his own usage needs and security concerns, the situation escalated to a vengeful plot.
In a detailed account shared on Reddit, the man recounted: “I had a neighbour knock on my door, asking if they could connect to my Wi-Fi claiming they ‘forgot’ to pay their bill, and their internet got cut off. I politely declined, explaining that I pay for a service enough to cover my needs and don’t want to risk security issues.”
He assumed their conversation was over, but his neighbour apparently chose retaliation for being denied the favour – by spreading rumours to other locals. The man is being labelled “cheap” and “selfish”, with his neighbour working to allege he “lacks a sense of community”.
He recounted: “They got upset and left, but I thought that was the end of it. Turns out, they’ve been bad-mouthing me to other neighbours, saying I’m selfish and lack a sense of community. A friendly neighbour tipped me off that I was being called ‘cheap’ and accused that it wouldn’t cost me anything to help out.”
On Reddit, where he sought advice, users largely defended him. They suggested that others calling him “cheap” should share their Wi-Fi instead.
One recommended response was: “If anyone else comments on it to you, praise them for their generosity of offering to share their service with said neighbour.”
Additionally, someone warned: “Allowing access to your wifi router could set you up for fraud by a person who can hack into your network. Just say it’s for security reasons. If they have a problem with that, ask them if you can have a key to their house, because that is a similar request.”
Lastly, a commenter advised: “Not your problem, and I wouldn’t share either. They need to pay their bill. This is a great lesson for them to keep track of when their bills are due.”