in the interests of neighbourliness I'm going to have to let this go but am I reasonable for being niggled?

[hatwoman]

Our neighbours of several years have moved abroad. We got on well, had dinner together quite a few times. their house is standing emnpty while they are finalising the sale. We have builders in at the moment and we asked said neighbours if they minded the builders parking on their drive. They said of course not, in fact they liked the idea of the house looking occupied. We told them to make sure they told us when the house sale was completed as we wouldn't want our new neighbours to roll up as the new owners to find someone else on the drive. Just a few days ago old neighbours emailed and said the sale was probably going to be completed end March. Yesterday I came home from work to find a stip of red and white tape stuff across the neighbours' drive. The builders told me that the new people had been, told them they couldn;t park there anymore as they needed access as they were moving a few things in ahead of moving themselves in.

everytime I see this pice of tape it riles me. a. because it's not their house. b. because I suspect they have jumped to the wrong conclusion that the builders were using it without permission. c, because it does actually incovenience the builders and cause us expense in parking permits. d, because if the builders' car is there then the builder is there and they would happily move it in 2 minutes. e. because new owners only need very occasional use hence surely amicably sharing it until the sale is complete would surely work for us all . f. because the tape thing, (I mean - they went to the effort of finding this tape and putting it up) just seems really arsey.

so ladies. am I being unreasonable?

[Davenid]

did they put it up or did the builders

[southeastastra]

no they can't do anything until the sale is complete, (i thought!)

[MerlinsBeard]

can u not post anote thru the door explaining the situation?

[Cappuccino]

oooh... they are going to be your neighbours right?

if I were you I would contact the estate agent and ask if you could pass a message onto the buyer - that they were using it with permission, and that it would be really nice if you could keep using it, explain why, though of course you'd be happy to move if they wanted access, and how nice it will be to have new neighbours oh yes and they must come round soon to sample your lemon drizzle cake

you can always spit in their coffee when they do come round if it goes wrong

[DizzyDave]

oh dear. they're going to fun to live next door to aren't they?!

[bigcar]

Not at all! Try speaking to your old neighbours so they can pass the message on that you had asked first. Maybe they have got the wrong end of the stick. It would be awful to get of on the wrong foot with people you have to live next to.

[itsmeNDaveP]

new neighbours sound weird.

Have they got permission to move stuff in yet, given that it is not their house yet ?

[scotlou]

Could teh sale have been completed earlier? I would have thought it impossible for them to get access before sale was completed. I would let your old neighbours know though in case they are moving tehmselves in early!

[edam]

I can see how they might be peeved to find builders occupying the drive of the house they are buying when they know the owners are overseas. Did the builders know and tell them that you had permission to park there from the owners?

Still, as has been said, it ain't actually their property until they complete. They need to have permission to access the house themselves.

[Caligula]

I'd be tempted to cut the tape, but can see it wouldn't make for a good start.

Would approach the estate agents and ask when completion date is, as you understood that the present owners wanted the builders to use the drive as a security measuer (or some such guff) and as they're still the owners, what they want should stand until completion date.

[Freckle]

If contracts have been exchanged, it may well be that the old owners have given the new ones permission to go in ahead of completion to sort things out. Doesn't happen that often because of the risk of something going wrong (such as new owners causing massive damage and then disappearing or somesuch), but it does happen.

You could email your old neighbours, explain what has happened and ask if they could pass a message on to the new owners that your builders had their permission. If the new owners don't have the go-ahead to go in ahead of completion, the old owners will be aware of what is happening. If they do, the old ones should email back and apologise for not informing you.

[divamumplus]

im sure they should not do that untill the sale is finalized. if you sure its not finalized yet, i would put note thru the post box, but on the other hand, they are your new neighbours so its a bit awkard sitiuation.
definately asj old(present) neignbour to talk to them, i guess, to avoid having a problems in the future.btw, my lovely beloved neighbours selling house, so im so worried who comes next to us

[knittingfog]

It's not up to them to grant or deny permission to use the driveway at present.

If it were me I'd remove the tape and make a plastic covered/laminated notice for the builders to put on/inside their van windscreen saying that they temporarily have the permission of the owners of the house to park there temporarily and will be only to happy to move the van for anyone else requiring immediate access to the property.

I fully understand about the parking permit thing but they probably haven't thought about that and what it is costing you in extra daily permits.

You could also leave a really cheery, chummy note through the door referring to the matter in the nicest possible way and asking them to pop round and introduce themselves and have a cuppa so that

[hatwoman]

interesting reponses. dh says we should just leave it. he thinks contacting old neighbours is a bit like telling tales. I'm less laid back than him (and I know we're in the right!) Ideally I'd like to just bump in to new neighbours and explain - it would be the most amicable way. I am assuming they have permission to move some stuff in - they must have got a key for one thing. I guess old neighbours just didn;t say anything about the possibility of strange cars on the drive. It is a strange way of reacting though isn't it? If I was in new neighbours' shoes I'd have talked to the builders and then scuttled away and got in touch with the vendors (ie the owners), not taped up the drive. I so hope they're not going to be difficult neighbours. Old ones were fab - as well as occasional dinner and drinks the four of us we managed to put up new railings, choose the style, split the cost between us, without a single issue or even without putting anything on paper. they were great.

[Caligula]

Yes Hat, it is an odd way to act.

But bear in mind that they might have been advised to act this way by the estate agents, who as everyone knows, can be guaranteed to take the maddest course of action available in a list of options.

[piglit]

Oh dear. Your new neighbours sound really arsey - the tape is way OTT. I agree that you should "check" with your old neighbours and once they have confirmed that the new neighbours do have permission to be in there you ought to pop in and see your new neighbours and explain what happened. Essentially, your old neighbours should have told you what was going on and saved you the embarrasssment.

[stevie74]

I had a similar situation when I was selling my house. The purchaser hired gardeners to come & "renovate" the garden before the sale had gone through & whilst I was still living there without my permission. First I knew of it was the noise at 08am. I told the gardeners to clear off & spoke to my solicitor who in turn told the purchasers not to take the piss
I know it's slightly different in your case, as it's your neighbours, but until they own the property, not alot that they say stands. I'd do as knitting fog suggests if you don't want to contact your old neighbours

[NadineBaggott]

if the sale isn't finalised it's not their property yet!

I'd just take the tape down if it was me!

[MrsGoranVisnjic]

they must have agreed with vendors that they have access to the house and can move things in (although that sounds strange)

I think if I was buying a house and was allowed access I wouldn't want that to be infringed by someone else's car

I think you're right in your feelings though .. it might be worthwhile emailing old neighbours to see if they are aware and happy

[NadineBaggott]

even if they have permission to move stuff in, the property still isn't legally theirs.

[Freckle]

They may have been given the key by the agents on the basis that they want to measure up for curtains or something - not to move stuff in or start turf wars with their neighbours.

I would seriously check with your old neighbours in case they know nothing about it. If they do know, you would have expected them to tell you as they know you are using their drive. If you don't tell them and something dreadful happens as a result of the new owners unauthorised access to the property, you'd feel awful.

[LIZS]

Agree contact the Estate Agent and/or the owners . We have exchanged on a property and sought an Access Order to be able to get some roof work done and move some unwanted times out before we move in but the preconditions, some of which were to do with courtesy to the neighbours, were prohibitive so we have left it until completion. You may want to ask your ex neighbours if they have made such an agreement or if they could make them aware of your existing gentlemans' agreement re the use of driveway. It is probably a misunderstasnding.