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AIBU?

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Original poster

to find this really fucking annoying even though it doesn't really affect me much

237 replies

walkway8 · 15/08/2024 15:52

I live in a detached house with a walkway between myself and the neighbours to access both our gardens at the back (diagram attached).

The neighbour has a front garden whereas I have a driveway. They have a gate that opens to the side of my house to allow them access to the walkway to get to their back garden. The walkway is shared land according to the deeds but stops at the top of my driveway (basically my driveway isn't shared but the walkway is).

Whenever my neighbour is doing anything in their garden, bringing this in / out of the garden/ taking things from the garden to their car on the road or whatever, they will go up and down my driveway instead of going through their gate and then down their garden.

It really annoys me. I don't really know why but AIBU to think this is just an odd thing to do?

My living room window looks onto my driveway and some days they will be working in the garden and making multiple trips up and down my drive and I feel awkward and like I need to close my blinds.

I don't even have a bad relationship with them, not friends or close but fine neighbours and we say hello how are you etc when we see them.

But I just find the whole thing really weird. I would never dream of strolling up and down their garden path repeatedly.

We also have cars on the drive so when they are bringing things in and out it worries me they will get scratched.

Aibu to find this annoying and tbh a bit rude?

to find this really fucking annoying even though it doesn't really affect me much
OP posts:
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13
teenmaw · 15/08/2024 16:25

There's no gate at the bottom of their garden? How could they get from the road to their garden without using the shared path? And where is their car? Presumably not over your drive? It doesn't make sense. Either way they shouldn't be on your drive they should stick to the path.

StarryDance · 15/08/2024 16:25

I don't think I'd get worked up about someone walking on my drive. But I'm not a petty person and quite like my neighbours.

Happyher · 15/08/2024 16:25

I think you best option is to establish your boundary with a fence if it will still enable you to park your cars - doesn’t have to be high - just something that marks out the boundary line. And close the blinds if they are constantly going past your window

Original poster
walkway8 · 15/08/2024 16:24

Showing gate to street

to find this really fucking annoying even though it doesn't really affect me much
OP posts:
Lucia573 · 15/08/2024 16:24

Long term solution is a gate to street at end of your drive. In the short term, I’d park as closely to the gate and their garden fence as possible to make it less convenient than going through your drive. It would annoy me too!

MilkyCappuchino · 15/08/2024 16:24

Put a little decorative fencing on the front and grow some bushes on your front window. Apparently people just bother you. Are you HSP?

MikeRafone · 15/08/2024 16:24

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Not if they can’t get between the fence and the car

YellowphantGrey · 15/08/2024 16:23

Can you put a fence up on the part that is yours to stop them? They are going to continue doing it until you stop them.

goodgirlwannabe · 15/08/2024 16:23

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SaintHonoria · 15/08/2024 16:23

Why can't you just say, "Hello Maureen and Brian, please can you not walk on my drive and use it as an access route to the front.Thank you. '

The end.

Original poster
walkway8 · 15/08/2024 16:22

YellowphantGrey · 15/08/2024 16:21

The walkway is shared you're right, but instead of using their own gate and front garden to access the shared walkway, they are using her drive, which isn't shared, to access the walkway.

Show quote history

Thankyou , not sure what PP is struggling to understand so much.

OP posts:
YellowphantGrey · 15/08/2024 16:22

StarryDance · 15/08/2024 16:21

So the bottom bit of the walkway is your land?

Yes, it's her driveway and they are using that instead of walking through their access gate

goodgirlwannabe · 15/08/2024 16:22

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Hadalifeonce · 15/08/2024 16:22

I think my car would be parked as close to their fence as possible.

YellowphantGrey · 15/08/2024 16:21

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The walkway is shared you're right, but instead of using their own gate and front garden to access the shared walkway, they are using her drive, which isn't shared, to access the walkway.

StarryDance · 15/08/2024 16:21

So the bottom bit of the walkway is your land?

MikeRafone · 15/08/2024 16:21

I’d literally park on car so close to boandry and near the pavement- then park the other car further forward but close to the other car leaving very little gap

after a while they’ll get used to not being able to use your drive

habits are breakable

Samcro · 15/08/2024 16:20

speak to them, that wold annoy me. never get why posters pretend that they would be happy for people to use their land.

BurntBroccoli · 15/08/2024 16:20

walkway8 · 15/08/2024 16:18

Sorry I didn't think to mark it on the diagram but yes they do have a gate that opens onto the street. They could go from the street, into their garden, through the gate into the walkway.

I'm not quite sure how else to say it but none of my driveway is shared. I have looked at the deeds. The land is actually equal for both houses as they have more back garden than we do and we have more land at the front.

Ah right - can you mark where the new gate is on the plan?

goodgirlwannabe · 15/08/2024 16:19

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BurntBroccoli · 15/08/2024 16:18

walkway8 · 15/08/2024 16:10

Rough red line showing where the boundaries are on the deeds. And the dotted line is where neighbour walks up and down to go through the walkway.

They must have a right of access across the bottom part of your drive though from their gate to the road? Otherwise how do they get out?

Original poster
walkway8 · 15/08/2024 16:18

Sorry I didn't think to mark it on the diagram but yes they do have a gate that opens onto the street. They could go from the street, into their garden, through the gate into the walkway.

I'm not quite sure how else to say it but none of my driveway is shared. I have looked at the deeds. The land is actually equal for both houses as they have more back garden than we do and we have more land at the front.

OP posts:
lingmerth · 15/08/2024 16:18

OneFrenchEgg · 15/08/2024 16:12

Op has not put a gate in from the street to the neighbours garden which confused me. I think she wants them to come down walkway, go into front garden, exit from front garden onto street

Is this what you mean op?
Otherwise how do they get from their front garden to the street if all the drive is yours?

StarryDance · 15/08/2024 16:16

Unless the neighbours garden and your drive meet with no walk way in between, then I can't see what they are doing wrong.

Toooldforthis36 · 15/08/2024 16:16

You need to fence your garden at the bottom of your drive next to the road, on your boundary. But you should politely clarify to the neighbours where the boundaries lie, and ask them to not trespass.

be absolutely certain first perhaps, with solicitors advice, that they haven’t used long enough to entitle them to it?