How to Handle Suspicious Neighbors

Ever had your suspicions about the guy next door? Late-night visitors? A lot of people "dropping by" for quick visits? Gunshots?

"At the first place I rented in college, I was pretty sure the guy upstairs had some kind of a business going on out of his apartment," says Dusty Wymon of Dublin, Ohio. "I didn't want to jump to conclusions and say he was dealing drugs, but there were all manner of unsavories coming in and out of his apartment."

The thing about doing-the-right-thing and maintaining a peaceful home is that sometimes there is a fine line. In the same way that a neighbor's barking dog can sometimes lead to a Hatfield-and-McCoy-level conflict that can span years -- you might want to avoid creating some unlivable mess with a person who lives in spitting (or shooting) distance. And when you are dealing with someone who thinks himself or herself above the law, you might be stepping into something that isn't just emotionally trying but is actually dangerous.

So here are tips for successfully dealing with neighbors who have sold their way from pesky to blitzed -- and are wreaking neighborhood havoc in the process: