While some neighbours are accustomed to kicking up a fuss, one man has claimed that the residents next door have taken it one step further after leaving him £200 out of pocket.
The car fanatic was putting his mechanic skills to the test by restoring an old motor, but this didn't sit well with the new neighbours who moved in across the street. After the man received a hefty fine in the post for not having his car "properly licensed", he decided to get the ultimate revenge.
Taking to popular forum site Reddit, the anonymous user explained: "I had a classic Cadillac that I had been restoring. I had already completed all of the interior and exterior bodywork and paint. I had the engine out and was slowly rebuilding it." The man went on: "The car sat in my driveway beside my garage. This is about the time a new neighbour moved in across the street from me. A few days after he moved in I received a violation of the city ordinance that all vehicles on private property must be fully registered and licensed.
"When I called the city wondering why after more than two years, they were hassling me. I was told there had been a complaint. So I threw a cover over the car. A week later I got another violation. The cover wasn't enough. I moved the car to my back yard, parked it between two sheds with the cover….another violation and this time there was a fine. I took it to court.
"I was told that the ordinance was clear. No vehicle could be parked on private property unless it was properly licensed. It was part of the blight laws. It cost me $250 (£200). So I got even with the city and my new neighbour. I owned the lot next to my house and generally used it for family gatherings. I now decided that this would make a great place for an art exhibit. I moved the car to the front of that lot, put it on a foundation, and painted it purple, pink, and green."
He added: "I said it was an art sculpture and let them take me to court. I took a pic of Cadillac Ranch in Texas as one of my exhibits that my car was a piece of art. The judge agreed and that 'work of art' stayed in my yard for the next eight years until I moved." Since sharing the thread online, Reddit users flocked to the comment section to discuss the hilarious ordeal.
One person wrote: "Why do people complain about stuff like this? It is none of their business and these cars aren't hurting anyone." Responding to the comment, someone else wrote: "Because they're miserable and have apparently nothing better to do than make others miserable like themselves."