We all want to be kind to our neighbours, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

If your neighbour came to you asking to borrow a tool they were missing for a DIY project or a key ingredient they were lacking for their dinner, most of us would happily let them take what they needed. But this kindness can sometimes get the better of you, especially if your neighbours take advantage.

One woman is currently battling with a next-door neighbour who is so “entitled” that he’s begun taking over part of her property and filling it with his own belongings.

The woman said she lives in a rental property with her mum and sister, and they live above a garage that is technically part of their lease. However, they never got to see the inside of the garage when they viewed the property because “the neighbour had his belongings in there”.

They thought this would be rectified when they actually moved in, but he still uses their garage as if it’s his own – and they even have to “ask him permission” to access their own space.

In a post on Reddit, the woman said her neighbour has turned the garage into a “disaster zone” that’s filled with junk, and his children run in and out of the building all the time.

She said: “My mum needed to check the water heater during the winter. She had to ask the neighbour for permission to go into her garage, which she pays for. Let that sink in: permission to enter her garage. When she finally got in, she described it as a disaster zone. He has so much stuff from his wife and kids that he couldn’t fit it all in his basement, so he just crammed it into our garage.

“Now here’s where the real frustration starts. I take online college classes, and between his kids running around screaming, him opening the garage door just to hang out noisily, and his voice carrying through the vents, it’s been nearly impossible to concentrate. This has been going on for years.”

And that’s not the only problem either. The woman’s neighbour also has two cars parked directly in front of the garage, and parking has become “a nightmare” for the family.

The woman and her sister are both learning to drive, so they both have cars that they’d ideally like to park in the garage. It also makes things difficult when the family has friends over, as none of them can park outside their property.

In the comments, the woman clarified that the garage is included in the rent of the property, so they should have access to it. Commenters, however, said she should first get clarity on what is and isn’t included in her rent, as the landlord may have chosen not to include some or all of the garage and the driveway.

One commenter said: “Complain to the property management about your neighbour using your garage. Make him move his stuff out. Give him a deadline and tell him if it isn’t done by the deadline, you will move his stuff outside for him.

“Stop asking him for permission to go into your garage, just go in there and make it as uncomfortable for him as possible.”

Another added: “Your mum should make sure the garage is included in the lease and then tell the neighbour to get a storage unit and give him a deadline by which he needs to have everything out.”

A third wrote: “If your mother is paying for something someone else is not only using, but inconveniencing you while doing it, that’s ridiculous. And the fact that this has been going on for years is insane.”