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AITA for not letting the previous owner of my house come back in to see it again after she had moved out

· 4 min read

Picture this: you move into a charming old house that’s been in the same family for decades. The previous occupants were a carpenter, his wife, and their daughter. The carpenter’s friends built a whole block of houses, so you basically joined a neighborhood of relatives. Fast forward to 2020, the carpenter dies, the daughter moves away, and you’re left with a house full of dusty heirlooms.

When you unpacked, you found boxes of vintage family photos, an arsenal of expensive carpentry tools, and a kitchen that could make Gordon Ramsay weep (thanks to the ultra‑expensive cookware). Naturally, you try to return everything to the daughter. She’s as responsive as a dead mouse – you email, text, call, even enlist your neighbor to make the call. Finally, in 2022, she answers your call, yells at your mom, slams the phone, and refuses any of the “family treasures.” She even hurls some colorful profanity at your mom. After that, you all give up, sell the tools, ditch the cookware, and hand the photos to a friendly neighbor who used to know the carpenter.

Then, last week, your neighbor brings a younger woman—she claims to be the daughter you just talked to—and she shows up at your door. She thanks you for the photos (like a grateful tourist) but then demands to see the tools and cookware. You tell her you sold them. She loses it, calls you a liar and a bitch, and insists on seeing the house “for old times’ sake.” You politely decline, feeling a little like a gatekeeper at a high‑security museum. She, your neighbor, and the rest of the neighborhood all erupt into an impromptu neighborhood drama, with banging on doors and nearly denting the front door. After a full hour of shenanigans, they finally storm off.

Now, every neighbor looks at you like you’re the villain in a soap opera, and you’re left wondering: “AITA?”

The Reddit Rant (in our own words)​

  • You: “We’re the new owners. We tried everything to return the items. We sold them because she won’t accept them. She’s a nightmare. We’re not letting her in. She’s basically a person with a vendetta.”

  • Neighbors: “We’re the victim. She’s the villain. She’s messing with us.”

The Comments (in a nutshell)​

  • “NTA!! File a police report on them for trying to break in.”
    (Because apparently the best way to handle a disgruntled ex‑owner is to involve the police. No one needs that drama.)

  • “Yeah, they started banging on my window… I would call the cops right then. Not her house anymore, and her intimidation tactics are completely unwarranted.”
    (This comment is basically a call‑out that you’re the hero and she’s the villain.)

  • “NTA. She made a choice to treat you guys terribly in 2022, and when she showed up… you definitely need to make sure your parents have changed the locks since moving in and none of the neighbors have keys.”
    (Because if you’re not changing your locks, you’re basically giving the whole neighborhood a free pass to your living room.)

  • “Massive NTA. You tried your absolute best to return her things, and she didn’t want them. What else are you supposed to do, be her free storage? Also, you’re legally entitled to refuse entry.”
    (A reminder that you have the right to say “no” and that this woman has no legal claim to your property.)

  • “NTA. She was aggressive when you told her you sold the stuff, and could have been a personal safety issue if you let her in.”
    (Because “aggressive” is basically a euphemism for “dangerous” in the eyes of the internet.)

TL;DR​

You were right. You’re not the villain, she was the drama queen. Keep the locks changed, the neighbors on a short leash, and maybe invest in a doorbell that says “Leave me alone, I’ve got a life.”