Most people are able to go to work and not worry about their home or yard. Granted we may have the occasional fear or concern such as, "Did I remember to turn the stove off?" However, for the most part we are all lucky enough to return to our homes and find them exactly how we left them. Unfortunately that was not the case for the Tennessee woman. She came home after work to find her neighbor digging a 40-foot trench in her backyard.
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Woman Finds Neighbor Digging 40-Foot Trench In Her Backyard
We can't always choose our neighbors, although I guarantee at this moment, this woman wishes we could. The other day she ventured off to work without any worries. However, when she returned she was met with quite the surprise. Ms. Linda Riddle returned to her Tennesse home to find her neighbor digging a 40- foot trench in her backyard.
Naturally, as any of us would be, she was upset by this. This massive trench went right through the center of her backyard. Not only was it a hazard but it was a real eye-sorer as well. The Daily Mail shares that the trench was about three-and-a-half feet deep as well. 40 feet long and three-and-a-half feet deep is enough to cause some serious damage.
When confronting her neighbor about the trench it was clear that there was some sort of misunderstanding.
Misunderstanding Leads To Unwanted Trench And A Lawsuit
Ms. Riddle's neighbor swears that she agreed to his digging of the trench after the clay pipes for his property broke. He continues that without access to her property, he would not be able to connect his pipes to the city's sewer system.
However, Riddle argues against this. She claims that she gave him permission to use the space behind her backyard, not directly through it. To add insult to injury, Ms. Riddle claims that the plumber who was conducting the work did not have a license to do so. Additionally, her own connection to the sewer was severed in the process. Now, she has a neighbor digging a 40-foot-long trench in her yard and no access to sewage.
Luckily, The Daily Mail reports that "The City of Knoxville issued a stop work order after they were alerted to the situation in mid-February 2024." After all of this madness, complaints were not enough. Ms. Riddle filed legal proceedings against her neighbor and his ditch. Those proceedings are still ongoing today.
Riddle Seeks Compensation
In her proceedings, Ms. Riddle is seeking compensation for the damages and costs incurred due to her neighbor digging a 40-foot-long trench in her backyard. Furthermore, she now has to deal with the safety issues that come with this open trench.
She fears that those who are passing by her property could misstep and end up in the trench. To prevent such matters, she has placed a bright orange fence around the area to signal to people to be cautious.
