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AIBU?

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Original poster

C.F Neighbour?/parking.... aibu?

81 replies

Dunkling · 25/08/2021 14:21

I don't think iabu, but at the same time am questioning if I'm petty.

Our house shares a private drive with 2 others. This entire area is owned, not just a right of way, by all 3 houses, equal maintenance etc, and not split down the middle in ownership or anything.

The shared drive after a few metres splits to privately owned drives, side by side, with their garages for us and ok neighbours. It then continues in the opposite direction to house of the C.F's in my mind, whereupon it then enters into their privately owned drive area. This area is 2 parking spaces and a turning area, all within their own land, as without this turning area they would have to reverse all the way out, all along the drive, and down a hill before leaving the drive which is a total blind spot even going forwards. This is because the shared drive area is only one car width, so manouvering is not possible in any way for them. They also have their own car entrance directly from the street on another side of their garden.

Ourselves and ok neighbours are able to turn and manouvre using the shared driveway as our drives lead onto a bend, so providing a swing.

As is usual with this set up, no parking except for quick unloading is allowed as this leaves the drive completely blocked. So actually, ok neighbours are not that ok as they frequently park, let their friends park, have put a skip on the bend with no heads up, park overhanging into the shared area leaving it impossible to turn, wood delivery dumped. So pretty sh!tty neighbours actually!

But, the aibu. House 3, have built a decking /bbq/seating area filling their parking area. They have also extended the house into their turning area, and with an already virtually non existent garden, now have next to no space. They have also built a shed in the gate from the other side of the house, so that is totally blocked.

So, C.Fs have taken to parking on the shared drive outside their boundary as they have run out of space. This doesn't block us as it only leads to them, but due to the hill and length, drive in forwards. Then, they utilize our drive to turn around when leaving. They have also built a storage shed (garden equipment type size) on the shared drive alongside where they park. They are also planning, as their garden is now no longer able to house their car, to build a wall at the end of the drive with just a pedestrian access for them.

We have told them we are not in agreement as this is shared ownership with costs to all.

Day to day it doesn't affect us, but I can't help thinking... "CFs have bought a house with tiny garden made even tinier by more building so decided to remove their parking and turning, claiming the end of the shared land to use as their own personal parking, along with storage shed, and using our personal land to turn instead.

Are they CFs? Am I being petty and need to get a life? And if/when they build a wall making it a dead end, seeing as they park there, and as it will definitely not block any other cars, wibu to park there also on a 1st come basis to p!ss them off and reclaim what is also still ours, something they seem to have forgotten?

C.F Neighbour?/parking.... aibu?
OP posts:
BruceAndNosh · 25/08/2021 17:21

I I've on a similar shared driveway but I am lucky to have lovely reasonable neighbours.
It is possible that removing their parking spaces contravenes planning. I would check with council and they may be made to remove decking. We extended our house under permitted development, but we are not allowed to ever convert our garage and so reduce the allocated parking of the house.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 25/08/2021 17:09

You definitely need to tackle it before it gets worse.

We have a similar issue on our 3 way shared driveway. However, our neighbours absolutely DO have the space in their garden and large driveway/massive garage to turn around, they just don't want to. They instead back into our gateway to turn around (several large vehicles and it happens multiple times a day. It's quite funny watching them realise we're in the garden as they're reversing towards our drive and instead trying to do an 8 point turn Grin.

I think what pisses me off most is that they're knackering up the drive in front of my gate - which I'm paying to upkeep. Never mind the state of the shared driveway due to them flying up and down with their massive cars and vans.

Your neighbours are massively taking the piss by putting storage on the driveway. You absolutely should not have to pay to maintain the area they are (possibly) damaging. Whether you can get out of that I don't know as I haven't had to go through a driveway shared cost yet - although from the state of it, it's not far off Shock

MrsRobbieHart · 25/08/2021 17:03

Cool name! Catchy Grin

Original poster
Dunkling · 25/08/2021 17:01

Can't remember all the questions so here goes... Grin

Dogs name is don't be silly that would be so outing lol, but it does look like her, damn, him!

The wall will sit at the end of the shared bit edging their garden, so replacing their current vehicle gate. Shown on the diagram as open.

They already know the legal ownership as on their application they lied (oh yes!) that they had served us with the relevant certificate of shared ownership of some of the land involved.

We've seen the original planning documents and yes, they do remove permitted development rights, and also state that everyones spaces must only be used for parking vehicles to keep them off the road.

They never applied to change the parking (lawfulness planning application)

They drew the wall on the application, but made no reference to it I assume deeming it permitted development. We commented but it was considered not material but civil and disregarded.

I subsequently pointed out to planning the covenant. Nothing!

Yep, when our drives are full, they reverse the whole way. So dangerous.

The shed on the drive doesn't stop them turning. They've squeezed it in next to where they like to park.

Neighbours ok'ish would not be willing to draw the battle lines with us as due to kids ages and friendships made when newly moved in, they are rather buddy.

Yes, the liability! Our conveyance documents state that we all own the drive and are all liable for upkeep. So I'm guessing we now have 1/3rd of the bill for damaged tarmac caused by shed. Skips. Oh, and their "private but not actually" parking spot!

I have been so so tempted to also dump some storage on that area seeing as they think of it as fair game, to lay claim so to speak, but I would hate to lose the moral high ground.

I suppose if I got a penguin bollard but didn't fit it just sat him in situ, they would get the message, but only if MNers lol.

OP posts:
Winnona · 25/08/2021 16:42

Lovely diagram. I would get a solicitor to have a look. This may be covered on your home insurance. Good luck OP.

Leftbutcameback · 25/08/2021 16:15

Actually, looking at the diagram again is it just the shed that stops them turning? It needs to go either way but if that fixes the problem it needs to go even more urgently.

What do they do if your drive is full? Do they reverse the whole way?

Leftbutcameback · 25/08/2021 16:13

I’ve noticed recently that the quality of diagrams has gone through the roof. Excellent work all. Also yes, top CFery putting a shed on a shared driveway. My concern would be that it’s too late to stop most of this. If you say they can’t reverse and turn around in your drive will they not just have to reverse the whole way out?

ILoveFlumps · 25/08/2021 16:11

Nothing valuable to add - but GREAT diagram OP. 10/10 Grin

Mamamamasaurus · 25/08/2021 16:10

P. S. Your diagram is bloody beautiful

Mamamamasaurus · 25/08/2021 16:10

Absolutely fucking not.

They started to putting a shed on a shared drive - you'll wake up one morning with one of them using your fucking shower.

They move the shed and don't keep impinging on shared land. Cheeky bastards.

Can you tell I'm fuming on your behalf?

phishy · 25/08/2021 16:08

Agree with trying to make your drive inaccessible to them. What could you do if not bollards?

Justabouthangingthere · 25/08/2021 16:02

Defo CF , but you need to do this properly , first stop land registry , then a letter with copy of boundary map legally showing where your & ok neighbours land ends , and CF 's starts ..
polite letter ( I know ! ) but having had a similar situation with a neighbour in the past .. it's best ,
Hopefully CF will do what's right , if not , then you do not have any choice but to go down the legal route .. ( which will be the same thing but with Solicitors letter giving them a certain amount of time to " remove" their shed .. and failure to do will end up in court )
The land registry map sorted my CF out , hopefully it will work for you ..
oh mine , did ask for 26k for "his" land btw
CF got told where to go , and moved soon after !!
TWAT !!! Good luck !!
YANBU !! ..

HP87 · 25/08/2021 16:01

Do you know if they have planning permission for their extension? If they're taking up more than 50% of their garden with an extension they need planning permission. Could be worth looking at as well?

lanthanum · 25/08/2021 15:59

Do you have the original planning documentation from when the houses were built? It may be worth talking to the council, because it might be that the turning area was a condition of the planning permission, in which case they might be able to intervene.

Bargebill19 · 25/08/2021 15:49

Fab diagram.

Yanbu. But do get it sorted as if you want to sell in the future, this will be a massive stumbling block.

Personally I like the idea of a cannon to blast the cf out of the way. We have a similar set up driveway area, and our neighbours have attempted to claim ownership of our drive, as I wasn’t allowed a cannon, I took to parking my car very awkwardly on the drive… just to make my point. The neighbours no longer talk to us, but don’t use my drive either. (Win win)

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/08/2021 15:45

*another neighbour’s driveway

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/08/2021 15:44

Definitely NBU! I wouldn’t be able to let that go. Neighbour’s daughter on our road swings into one of the public spaces using another neighbours driveway to make her route straighter. Drives straight over it. It’s a raised driveway as well so she knows she’s doing it. I’m incensed every time she does it and it’s not even my drive. Your neighbour would have me in a complete rage!

Lovely diagram as well. Please can you add where the wall is though.

MrsRobbieHart · 25/08/2021 15:34

I like your dog. What’s his name? Grin

SmokeyDevil · 25/08/2021 15:32

@FreeBritnee

And this is why one stipulation of our house move is NO SHARED DRIVEWAYS. Honestly this scenario is completely notorious for this set up. YANBU but it’s what you signed up for sadly.
And agreed with this. Sadly some building companies up here are now doing shared drives on some houses in the estates. I won't be buying one, you never know who the other person is and if they are actually sane. Sanity is lacking these days sadly.
user1471530109 · 25/08/2021 15:30

OP, my parents had a very similar issue (but they were the middle house 'ok' neighbours on your diagram. CF neighbours were parking their car in front of my parents house and not their own drive. It ended up getting nasty. CF neighbours actually caused damage to property. Police involved. The CF threatened my late 60s dad and made my parents lives a misery to be honest. My parents had recently retired and it ended up being the most stressful time of their lives. They made the decision to move in the end (I stupidly don't know whether they sold it or if they've kept it as a BTL for me to deal with at a hopefully much later time. Both options were discussed).

I would tread carefully. You are clearly in the right but if these CF are arseholes, you could be opening up a can of worms. I'd approach them with the other neighbours and see their response. If they get nasty I'd move rather than reporting as it will make it a nightmare for you to sell Sad.

SmokeyDevil · 25/08/2021 15:29

I would either park badly on your drive, so there is zero room for them to turn around, or buy an extra car to do the same thing. Just an old car that can be put off road and left, leaving you a bit of space to turn around.

MrsScrubbithatescleaning · 25/08/2021 15:27

Are they definitely allowed to build a decking area on their bit of drive or are there any restrictive covenants preventing this?
I'd be surprised if they are given that the road leading to their drive is owned equally by the 3 houses and shouldn't be used as a permanent parking space.

I think you need to check the property deeds and then speak to a solicitor.

myBumJuiceSmellsLikeRoses · 25/08/2021 15:25

I came back (saw the dog after the references) and realise forgot to congratulate you on the diagram!

Another point is - shared ownership means shared liability.
Which I guess means if the wall collapses on someone, or the shed blows down and damages a car.... it's then also your problem.

MyOtherProfile · 25/08/2021 15:20

Can you just park low down on your drive so they can't turn in it?

Cuddlyrottweiler · 25/08/2021 15:16

You definitely need to put a stop to it otherwise you'll lose this land to them, if it says on the deeds no parking on the shared drive then everyone needs to start obeying that rule.

I cannot for the life of me work out where the wall is going though!