Living in a condo has its perks—convenience, 24 hours security, shared amenities, and a sense of community. But it also comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when you find yourself surrounded by suspicious neighbors or inconsiderate people who overstep boundaries.
A month ago, a group of Chinese nationals moved into the unit next to ours. At first, it seemed like any other new neighbor situation, but soon, things started to feel off. Every day, I noticed new faces—always men—coming and going. They didn’t look like regular office staff. They would always avoid eye contact with me and would quickly go back to their unit when I came out of my unit. This raised my suspicions. From my phone, I could see more than 14 WiFi names in our vicinity, most of them in Chinese characters. The sheer number of WiFi networks and the constant influx of different men made me suspect something fishy was going on. Were they involved in illegal activities, perhaps even scammers?
The situation was further aggravated by their heavy smoking. The odor of smoke was so bad that it permeated our bedrooms, making it difficult to breathe. We weren’t the only ones suffering—neighbors from other floors also complained to the condo management. The guards came up one day and spoke to me about our neighbor, confirming that they too were aware of something amiss. The owner of the unit told the office that his unit was vacant but it was in fact occupied.
It wasn’t just us who were concerned. My other neighbor, who is on the condo’s committee, and I started gathering information. We teamed up with other suspicious neighbors and eventually decided to lodge a police report. The condo management also suspected something was wrong, which added weight to our concerns.
Long story short, I believe these men suspected they were being watched. Exactly a month after they moved in, they suddenly moved out yesterday. It was such a relief—not only were we no longer subjected to seeing new, unfamiliar faces walking in and out every day, but the air was finally clear of that awful second-hand smoke. The whole ordeal was a reminder that if something feels off with your neighbors, it’s crucial to stay alert and take action if needed. Making a police report could be the first step in addressing a potentially dangerous situation.
But the condo drama didn’t end there. Today, another incident reminded me of the importance of standing your ground. I keep a shopping trolley in my parking lot for convenience. After shopping today, I returned to find my trolley missing. I searched everywhere for it, suspecting the contractor working on the floor above ours, whose car was parked inconveniently close to mine, with his tires touching my parking lot and making it difficult for me to get out of my car.
Frustrated, I went up to my unit to see if anyone had taken the trolley up but couldn’t find it. When I finally went back down to the basement, there it was—the contractor was unloading his tools into his car using my trolley! I was enraged. He had taken my trolley without asking, causing me to waste time searching for it. When I confronted him, he nonchalantly claimed that he thought anyone could use it. What nonsense!
I immediately reported the issue to the chief guard, who reprimanded both the contractor and the owner of the unit. It was a small victory, but it reminded me of the importance of standing up for your rights, even in small matters.
Living in a condo can have its convenience, but it’s important to stay vigilant and protect your space. Whether it’s dealing with suspicious neighbors or inconsiderate individuals, taking action and standing your ground can make all the difference in maintaining your peace of mind.
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