Neighbour coughs up for my debts in the right spirit

One day last year I went around to my neighbour and announced that he would start paying my mortgage with immediate effect, and that he had no choice in the matter.

I explained that as we were living in a semi-detached property, one half his, one half mine, that we were effectively under a shared roof, so our debt was ‘kind of shared’.

Incredulous, my neighbour remonstrated for some time, citing stuff about fairness; generally whiney stuff. I assured him that I had checked with my creditors and the local authorities, who had assured me that should he not take on my mortgage then the whole house would collapse around our ears. My neighbour checked with the authorities, who reassured him that it was indeed the case should he not take on the responsibility I had outlined.