AITA for not co-signing a loan for my neighbour?! ?

A Redditor (30F) shares a story about her neighbor (60s, married couple) who went from being helpful with her dog to asking for a favor she found wildly inappropriate: co-signing a car loan. While she’s always tried to be kind and helpful, this request crossed a boundary for her, and she’s now questioning whether she handled it correctly. Read the full story below and share your take!

‘ AITA for not co-signing a loan for my neighbour?! ?’

A couple in my building, second marriages, 60s, she is American and he is Canadian. Me, 30, nurse. They are nice people. She had a very high paying, good pension job in the US, now retired. They frequently stop me in the hall to complain about healthcare and talk about how good their private plan was through her pension when they lived in the US (I guess red flag #1. If it was so good there, why are you here? Plenty of mountain towns in the US).

They know that I work long hours and have a dog walker, said they’d be happy to take my dog out while I work. My walker is only Monday to Friday so the odd weekend that I worked I did take them up on taking my dog out. Made them a key. He was let out to pee, nothing more. That is still SO helpful.

I got them a $100 gift card to a restaurant for Christmas 2 years ago with a card. They didn’t say if they got it or not until we ran into each other days later and I asked. Not my style, but meh maybe thanking someone for a thank you gift is redundant.

One year and many cornered hallway complaints about healthcare later I get a text from her asking if I have AMA (AAA). Keys locked in car. I told her if she got a membership today they will come same day. I told her I did the same once and it was $130.00 Canadian.

She said she doesn’t have that kind of money today (RF 2?). She said her husband wouldn’t come down and help because he was sick. It was -30 out and I was meaning to renew my membership so I renewed mine and sent them to unlock her. AMA had an” add a second person for $80.00″ promo so I added them and got them their own membership as that year’s thanks.

Quick side, the dog walks weren’t an every Saturday and Sunday thing, but maybe once a month. I also took in their mail when they traveled and occasionally dog sat for them if they had to go into the city, so I thought an AMA membership was nice. They once again didn’t acknowledge it.

Soon after she knocks on my door, I’m thinking she was just embarrassed about the car locking thing and wanted to thank me. She proceeds to tell me that she needs a new car because hers didn’t pass the Canadian inspection and her money is all “locked up” so she can’t get a loan and her husband doesn’t want her to have a car because they already have his (fair enough) so he won’t help.

She asked if I would co-sign a loan for her! She has kids my age so I used the old “I’m going to discuss this with my parents. I’m sure you’d want your daughter to do the same”. She then sends me texts with these signing bonuses I’ll get if I do it.

I eventually blame my parents and say they advised me not to (was never going to). She has gone back to normal with me but I have not. I just find that kind of request insane! I wouldn’t ask my siblings, parents, or close friends to do that for me! Neighbour who occasionally walks my dog? Hard no. All of my friends and family think she was entirely inappropriate and advised me to get my key back (I did).. AITA?

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

ShoheiHoetani −  NTA. LMMFAO a neighbor??? I wouldn’t do that for a fuckin family member

SunnyBunnyHopHop −  Obviously NTA for declining to co-sign the loan.  It would have been crazy for you to co-sign a loan for your neighbor.  With that, it sounds like after you said no, she hasn’t bothered you about it, pushed the issue further, or treated you any differently.  I think it’s fine if you want to distance yourself from the neighbor.  But overall, neighbor seems to have taken the r**ection well enough, so she doesn’t seem to be completely off her rocker.  

pixie-ann −  NTA it would be incredibly foolish of you to co-sign the loan. Are you sure you want this person to have a key to your apartment?

CobblerHuge3536 −  Change the locks on your door. I don’t get why people would give strangers keys to their house even if they are neighbors

Clean_Factor9673 −  NTA. Why didn’t she ask her kids to cosign? I would stop asking her to watch your dog and doing her favors. She seems to think you’re closer than you think.

Efficient_Art_5688 −  Regarding cosigning.. This was pre-1954. My maternal grandfather cosigned a loan. The borrower defaulted.. My grandfather didn’t. It cost him every single thing he owned. Things were so bad that my grandfather wasn’t even able to afford to purchase new shoes for my mother. In other words, don’t cosign unless you can afford to painlessly pay off the loan.

Alternative-Pop6452 −  NTA and I would find another weekend dog walker.My SIL is one of those entitled Americans, and while she hasn’t gone that far, she will complain about Healthcare to everyone who will listen. And everything else about Canada. So move back here…

SomeoneYouDontKnow70 −  NTA. Their reasoning sounds super shady. A sixty year old couple with 40 years of credit history should be able to get a loan on their own without issues, even if their money is “tied up” (why is it even tied up?). Every conman is super helpful and likeable, which is why they’re able to gain your confidence. Don’t sacrifice your credit for someone else’s payday.

Famous_Specialist_44 −  Of course you are NTA for not co signing.

Ok_Illustrator_7445 −  Why didn’t she ask her kids!

Was the Redditor right to draw a line and refuse to co-sign a loan, even after receiving occasional help from her neighbors? How would you have reacted in this situation? Share your thoughts below!