My Neighbor Secretly Rented Out My Home While I Was Away — But I Took Back My Power
1. The Favor That Seemed Harmless When Genevieve (let’s call her that) booked a month-long business trip, she turned to the person she trusted most on her street: Lisa, the friendly neighbor who’d watered plants, collected mail, and kept an eye on pets for more than ten years. Genevieve handed over a single front-door key and left town with a light heart. For the first few days, Lisa’s cheerful check-ins—“Cactus is blooming … mail’s stacked neatly on the table”—confirmed everything was fine. 2. A Business Trip Cut Short Four days in, the trip collapsed when a major deal evaporated. Stunned and newly unemployed, Genevieve re-booked the earliest flight home. Her only comfort was the thought of her own bed. 3. The Shocking Homecoming Pulling onto her street at twilight, Genevieve spotted a strange minivan in front of her house. Through the living-room window she saw a couple, two kids, and several take-out cartons spread across her kitchen island—as if they lived there. Inside, the startled father explained that he had rented the house on HomeAway for the weekend, complete with electronic check-in instructions sent by “the owner.” Before the family left (Genevieve refunded them on the spot), she learned something worse: the… CONTINUE READING…