# How do I politely get my neighbors to stop mowing my lawn? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 22, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556 "2012-03-22T23:39:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556/61 "2015-12-08T20:28:31Z")
I know this is a zombie thread, but the answer is to proselytize and convince both neighbors to mow their lawns to 3 inches. That’s **Prelude’s** main gripe - that they shear the lawn back too far. Get them properly trained and there’s no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556/62 "2015-12-08T20:39:19Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > proselytize and convince both neighbors to mow their lawns to 3 inches. He could do it like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8249ID_xBU). That oughtta teach them. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556/63 "2015-12-08T21:15:37Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > But isn’t that exactly what he does own? > > Adverse Possession is thing. And by allowing him to mow your piece of property it can become his piece of property. [Couple loses land to squatter's rights law](http://standardspeaker.com/news/couple-loses-land-to-squatter-s-rights-law-1.308398) > > Right now things are friendly but what if that nice neighbor moves on and a not-so-nice neighbor moves in. Then things can get sticky. > > We actually do mow a swath of the neighbor to the right’s yard but it’s for our own protection: she only mows maybe twice a year so between fleas, critters and mosquitoes we want a bit of a buffer. If her mom ever sells that place we’ll stop mowing it… as long as the new neighbors do mow it. Yes, that’s exactly what he owns. But there is such a thing as being neighborly, especially when it doesn’t change my life one bit to let him mow it and feel a bit more satisfaction about his back yard. I don’t lose sleep at night worrying about my neighbor laying claim to a little swath of property I never set foot on. And as for selling him the property, wow, I can’t imagine knocking on his door and asking for money for that little chunk of property he mows. I don’t where you folks live, but around here _I’d_ be the jackass in that situation: “Hey Bob, I know we’ve been neighbors for years and have never had any problems, but I’m here to ask for $1,000 if you want to keep mowing that little corner of my property.” I’d never be invited to another neighborhood party. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556/64 "2015-12-08T21:25:16Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > And as for selling him the property, wow, I can’t imagine knocking on his door and asking for money for that little chunk of property he mows. I don’t where you folks live, but around here _I’d_ be the jackass in that situation: “Hey Bob, I know we’ve been neighbors for years and have never had any problems, but I’m here to ask for $1,000 if you want to keep mowing that little corner of my property.” I’d never be invited to another neighborhood party. Why see it as a problem, rather than an accommodation? Suppose you were to sell your house, or die; would he not wish to be assured that the new owner wouldn’t muck up the arrangement he is accustomed to? I’ve seen a few little ‘real estate’ transactions like this. A small piece might be sold for just $100 and the cost of the paperwork. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-politely-get-my-neighbors-to-stop-mowing-my-lawn/616556.md?page=3)