When Petty Revenge Runs Hot and Cold: The Battle for Shower Supremacy in a Shared House
There are few things more sacred after a long, dirty workday than the promise of a hot shower. But what happens when that promise is snatched away by your neighbors—and you’re left shivering, soapy, and plotting revenge? Welcome to the wild world of shared utilities, where the real drama isn’t in the rent, but in the race for that sweet, steamy water.
One blue-collar Redditor recently shared their plight on r/PettyRevenge: after enduring a string of lukewarm showers thanks to neighbors who always seem to jump in at the same time, our hero hatched a plan worthy of the sub’s name. The tactic? Leave their own shower running (empty!) for half an hour, ensuring the neighbors’ hot water dreams ran cold. It’s petty. It’s effective. But is it just?
When Hot Showers Turn into Cold Wars
The original post (from u/Internetnames) reads like a modern fable: three tenants, one ancient house, one shared water line, and a landlord who (crucially) foots the bill. Our OP, grimy from work, wants nothing more than a restorative blast of hot water. But almost every evening, just as they lather up, another shower fires up next door. The pressure drops. The temperature drops. The mood? Positively icy.
What’s a frustrated tenant to do? According to OP, “If I can’t have warm water, neither can they.” And so, the Great Shower Stand-off begins: hop out, leave the water running, and let the heater work overtime—for nobody.
The Peanut Gallery: Reddit Reacts
Reddit, as always, had thoughts. Lots of them.
First, the legality police showed up in force. “Sounds like the building was illegally converted to me,” mused u/That-Alternative-946, drawing over 1,500 upvotes. Others quickly chimed in: would reporting the landlord just leave everyone homeless? Not necessarily, countered u/PollutionZero—usually, the landlord just gets fined until they fix the issue. The real pro tip? “A better way to check for an illegal conversion is to see if the Tax Assessor has it listed as a multifamily,” advised u/Beautiful_Matter_322, offering actual civic wisdom amid the snark.
But the real heart of the debate (and the highest drama) was whether OP’s move was genius-level pettiness or just childish wastefulness. “Should turn on the sink and flush the toilet for good measure. Really kill that water pressure,” suggested u/Mysterious-Tie7039, clearly a fan of next-level sabotage. Others piled on with ideas: do the laundry, wash the car, alternate hot and cold taps for maximum chaos.
Yet, not everyone was sold. “Did you communicate the issue to them?” wondered u/YeetusYouGae, echoing the sentiment of those who think a quick conversation could solve it all. As u/gonewildaway put it (with a touch of sarcasm), “That would require talking to people. Best to just make things worse for everyone involved for no benefit.” Sometimes, the real cost of pettiness is social awkwardness.
Ethics, Environment, and the Art of Being Petty
Beyond the laughs, the community raised deeper concerns. “Much of the world is experiencing water stress. Wasting 30 minutes of treated, drinkable, heated water is wasteful,” wrote u/plotthick, prompting a thoughtful sub-thread about environmental responsibility. “If water saved in places with abundance meant water distributed in places with scarcity, I would agree,” replied u/Firebrass, highlighting the complexity of water conservation in a world of shared resources.
Some commenters challenged the basic premise: why does OP get dibs on shower time? “Because ‘He actually needs one’ unlike his neighbors who don’t... need showers?” jabbed u/RealPudgeJudy, poking holes in the “I work harder, I deserve more” logic. Others pointed out that the neighbors may not even realize they’re disrupting OP’s ritual, and that basic communication—or a shared schedule—might solve the problem.
And then there’s the real villain lurking in the pipes: the landlord. “This is how the rich get the poor to turn on each other instead of focusing on the real issue,” observed u/Myaccoubtdisappeared. Maybe, just maybe, the real pettiness is having tenants duke it out over a single, underpowered water heater instead of investing in proper utilities.
Community Wisdom: Communication, Compromise, or Combat?
As the dust (and the steam) settles, the top community advice seems to be: try talking first, escalate only if necessary, and maybe—just maybe—don’t waste precious resources for the sake of a petty win. “If you really want to up the petty, turn the water off for 60 seconds. Then turn it back on. Repeat five minutes later,” joked u/sewingmomma, proving there’s always a more creative way to be annoying.
Others offered practical solutions: see if the landlord can upgrade the water heater, invest in low-flow fixtures, or—radical thought—just knock on your neighbor’s door and ask for a shower schedule.
After all, as u/Perfect_Bicycle_5107 so eloquently put it: “I know revenge is best when it’s cold, but showers definitely aren’t.”
Conclusion: Are You Team Petty or Team Practical?
In the end, this steamy saga isn’t just about hot water—it’s about what happens when “mine” and “yours” collide in the tight quarters of shared living. Is it justified to escalate a petty war, or is it better to swallow your pride and open a dialogue? Should the landlord bear the brunt, or is some neighborly understanding the answer?
Tell us: Have you ever waged (or won) a battle over shared resources? Are you Team Petty, Team Practical, or Team “Just Move Out Already”? Drop your stories, your solutions, and your best petty revenge ideas in the comments below—because if there’s one thing hotter than a shower, it’s a good Reddit debate.
Original Reddit Post: Neighbours Using All the Hot Water