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AIBU?

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Neighbours using our drive as their path

158 replies

Peedoff24 · 02/08/2024 19:19

We live in adjoining terraces, both with driveways. All other houses in our terrace have walls or hedges between them. We don’t but there is a decorative border type thing to delineate them. So it’s very obvious when you step off their property into ours.

They fit 2 cars onto their driveway but this is only possible because we don’t have a wall. They need to open their car door across our drive to be able to get in and out. This I don’t mind.

However, because it’s a squeeze to get between their cars they and their visitors, deliveries etc use our drive as a pathway to get to their front door. It’s got to the point that people literally step out of their door, step over the decorative stone thingy and then walk across our drive to the street.

We have a ring doorbell so get alerted every time somebody does this. It’s now got to the point that our drive is used as their pathway even when they only have one car parked and therefore plenty of space on their drive.

These are neighbours that don’t acknowledge my presence if we see each other since I complained when they had builders dumping rubbish on part of our garden.

WIBU and petty to go and buy some trellis and put it up to stop them from doing this? It would also mean they’d have to rethink their parking!

OP posts:
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Peedoff24 · 03/08/2024 08:57

TikkyTokker · 03/08/2024 07:42

Where are they walking to? I can't picture why they're needing to go that way after parking up.

To/from the street so that they don’t have to squeeze past their cars. A few weeks ago they had guests who all trundled up our drive with wheeled suitcases.

OP posts:
newbeggins · 03/08/2024 08:57

Absolutely get a fence if you don't want people using your driveway but expect they will start parking on the road.

ThePassageOfTime · 03/08/2024 08:54

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Why make someone's life harder for no real reason? You might need a favour or their good will one day.

WrongSortOfPoster · 03/08/2024 07:46

Good diagram. A prickly hedge should do the trick.

Rudicoolcat · 03/08/2024 07:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

😂

TikkyTokker · 03/08/2024 07:42

Where are they walking to? I can't picture why they're needing to go that way after parking up.

Leanmeansmitingmachine · 03/08/2024 07:06

Peedoff24 · 03/08/2024 00:10

We have plenty of space so a fence wouldn’t affect us.
I think they already hate me as like I said they don’t acknowledge me. There were a few things that happened to sour relations. Again all linked to them taking the piss with our land.

Then fuck them. Build the fence.

SD1978 · 03/08/2024 00:35

Fence, but as others have said it will need to be solid- I'd imagine a trellis will just get knocked down. It will however probably cause conflict, so I'd be 100% sure you're happy for that as long as you both live there.

justpeachy1234 · 03/08/2024 00:25

Peedoff24 · 03/08/2024 00:10

We have plenty of space so a fence wouldn’t affect us.
I think they already hate me as like I said they don’t acknowledge me. There were a few things that happened to sour relations. Again all linked to them taking the piss with our land.

Fair enough then. If it's on your land, do what you want.

As others have said, they might end up parking on the road. But hopefully that won't bother you.

Peedoff24 · 03/08/2024 00:10

We have plenty of space so a fence wouldn’t affect us.
I think they already hate me as like I said they don’t acknowledge me. There were a few things that happened to sour relations. Again all linked to them taking the piss with our land.

OP posts:
Delphiniumandlupins · 03/08/2024 00:00

I was concerned that a fence (or whatever) would stop you getting two cars in but looks like you have plenty space. If you think their displaced car might become a nuisance then it might be worth speaking to them first about how they keep setting off your ring doorbell

justpeachy1234 · 03/08/2024 00:00

I have similar, but I'm the neighbour. We have 2 cars, they only have 1.

We do walk on our drive and park as far over as possible. I will walk in the tight gap between our cars with a buggy etc, but still open our doors slightly over our neighbours boundary.

I guess it's hard to control delivery drivers etc. I wouldn't ever encourage anyone to walk on their drive.

I worry that our neighbours will do what you're suggesting. It would make our lives difficult/ tighter. It wouldn't help neighbourly relations if/ when they do put in a fence.

I guess you have to think if it's worth the hassle? And do you care if your neighbours hate you?

Abitofalark · 02/08/2024 23:52

I have a similar thing with neighbours trespassing on my drive; there are covenants about what height of wall allowed to be built between the drives so check out your title documents to see if there are any rules or restrictions before you build a wall or fence between them.

Dusta · 02/08/2024 23:41

Just tell them your doorbell keeps recording them

they’ll be more fucked off they’re being recorded let’s face it 😂

Sunshineafterthehail · 02/08/2024 23:26

Boulders.... Not fence. Boulders..

needmoresheep · 02/08/2024 23:25

Trellis is not strong enough. They will bash that down to squeeze in two cars. Just put in a proper fence or build a wall like everyone else

Ponkpinkpink15 · 02/08/2024 23:24

I'd start with telling them I was 'ok' with them parking right up to the edge & getting out on your driveway to enable them to have better parking in their side, but NOT 'ok' with em using your driveway every time to get to the pavement as it sets off your notifications & it's driving you mad, but you'd hate to have to put a fence up.

see how it goes & if they can't accept & respect that then just go & put a fence (or trellis) up.

HappiestSleeping · 02/08/2024 23:16

Oh, those decorative stones would be coming out and a fence put in.

Tommeetippee · 02/08/2024 23:12

Pyracantha is your friend

Peedoff24 · 02/08/2024 23:12

Waaaaaahh · 02/08/2024 23:05

It sounds similar to ours. These are some of the things people on our street have done. The one with the red flowers is what we all had originally.

The one with the red flowers is similar to what we have. Only with a bit of retaining wall between steps coming down from both houses.

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Peedoff24 · 02/08/2024 23:10

Terrible diagram attached.

Neighbours using our drive as their path
OP posts:
Waaaaaahh · 02/08/2024 23:05

It sounds similar to ours. These are some of the things people on our street have done. The one with the red flowers is what we all had originally.

Neighbours using our drive as their path
Neighbours using our drive as their path
Neighbours using our drive as their path
Neighbours using our drive as their path
Neighbours using our drive as their path
Peedoff24 · 02/08/2024 22:55

Waaaaaahh · 02/08/2024 21:42

Who owns the gravel piece? I've lived on a new build estate like this. People did start growing hedges and putting up fences for just this reason. The actual drives were taken up with vehicle.

It sort of sits across the boundary. We put it in when we did our drive to prevent their block paving from collapsing. We should have made a wall but wanted to be nice.

someone asked about them reversing in. They don’t reverse and it’s the driver getting out our side. I don’t mind that. What I mind is that people are now not even attempting to walk on their drive instead of ours.

OP posts:
Waaaaaahh · 02/08/2024 21:42

Who owns the gravel piece? I've lived on a new build estate like this. People did start growing hedges and putting up fences for just this reason. The actual drives were taken up with vehicle.

Helpfullright · 02/08/2024 21:26

Planters are your new best friend!

our old house we’re dragging bins the lot down and I just saw red! The CF knocked on and told me I wasn’t being very neighbourly….pots on my land! Do one!