AIBU to object to neighbour using my garden as their main access?

What are the " reciprocal rights noted above"? And it looks like they should have paid for half the gate! It's obviously not a public right of way, just for the specified neighbours. I guess its legal advice as to exactly what that covers.

Have a look on 'The garden law forum'. There are people in the know on there that will be able to help with this.

I've never heard of this setup before but it would annoy me too. I don't know if its reasonable to try to change how your neighbours live despite them being nuisances.

I guess the modern day solution is what my friend has as the middle of a newbuild 3 house terrace; a path that fully encircles the neighbours garden round to their own gate.

I'm not one for a side argument but I was clearly not suggesting denying access, just setting boundaries back to what the right of access was originally for. Access through the garden wasn't intended so that her garden was the main route to the home. I doubt this will end up in small claims.

I live in a house like this (mid terrace) and had never heard of access through someone’s garden! We just access our garden through our house, no options to access it any other way

And so you had to pay for the fence on your own why? She has to contribute according to those specifics. Also sounds like you have a right of access over her garden - assuming that is correct, start using it and she might not be at so much pains to let all and sundry use yours when you start directing the Tesco delivery man through her garden! In all seriousness, pay for half an hour of a lawyers time to sort out who can do what and when and who is responsible for what and if necessary get a letter sent to set out the terms. That way if she is being a CF, you know exactly where you stand

You need to check the exact wording in your deeds. We’ve just sold an end terrace cottage and the side access was only for the neighbour to use for special circumstances- such as a gardener doing work etc. definitely not for them to use as their main entrance nor tell everyone else to use it! I’m sorry I don’t remember the exact wording but you should go back to your solicitor and get them to confirm what and how much access is allowed! Good luck.

ummm no, all it shows is that the neighbour is using the ROW as though there are no restrictions, which is a different thing

Check the deeds, and if it's only for ad hoc access and bins get a code lock such as padlock on the gate and let her know you'll happily accommodate by arrangement her bins coming in and out weekly and any other access that necessitates direct garden access, other than that you're garden is a private restricted area, end of and should not be the exclusive access to her home. There is not a neighbour in the street who would think using your garden for constant access to her home is appropriate when she has a perfectly functional front door. I would actually think many of the people using it find it awkward embarrassing and inconvenient to trail through your garden.

We live in a terrace that sounds like this and we have full access over our neighbours land to get to our yard/garden.

We don''t use it other than for bins and if we are doing any gardening that needs things taking around the back but we have every right to use their pathway (which includes their back yard) as a right of access whenever we want.

When we bought the house we knew that we would rarely use it but there is no way in hell I would buy a house with access through my yard!

My house is semi-detached and on the end of the row. I still don’t have side access because the land next to my house belongs to the neighbours across and not us. Access would have just been through the garage but the extension means it’s now through the garage and the dining room. Annoying but really not the end of the world.

These are not your deeds (title information document) for your house, this looks like a report from your conveyancing solicitor from
when you bought the house.

You should have something that looks like this either in that pack or when your purchase was confirmed. That will contain the details of the right of way or the easement and what the terms are

My two neighbours are the same. We have identical houses with hallways. I don’t understand it. 🤷‍♀️. Thankfully one neighbour has moved as their back gate creaked and would wake me up late at night and then early in the morning. New neighbours have installed a less noisy gate.

Snap! Was just coming back to add exactly the same to my post above

We did a self close Yale lock too. Worth every penny

To add........put it on an auto close with a yale lock, so she has access but has to go out every single time someone wants to deliver. She will soon get over her aversion to the front door.

Do put up a security camera, which would clearly demonstrate how often she is letting people use the pathway and how often they walk past your windows and eave the garden gate open.

Just came on to say this.

My last house had and easement with a difficult neighbour. Almost word for word exactly the same on our deeds.

We took legal advice from our home insurance and were told we were well within our rights to secure our property and install a lock. All we had to do was provide a key to our neighbour.

We still had a bit of a fight as she kept leaving it unlocked to let friends and family waltz in and out. Until we pointed out she would be liable if she didn’t lock it and something was stolen from our shed etc. She eventually kept it locked and slowly foot traffic moved to her front door

If that’s in your deeds then I assume the area marked in green is the path? It clearly seems to mention that have to pay towards maintenance? So get some
money of them

That is likely to end in legal consequences. Bad idea.

no easement involved but my neighbour goes in and out through her kitchen door. Inside the house is a perfectly normal house with a hall, coat storage and so on.

Speak to her and back up with a note along these lines.
The back access is being over used and is taking away the privacy, safety and enjoyment of my property. I have put a padlock on the gate and will remove it on dustbin days. If you are having any gardening work done and need access except for dustbin days, then please inform me in advance so I can unlock the gate.

I agree. We had to install a door on the entry which is technically my property because my neighbour, who has the right to use it, had his motorbike stolen from his back garden. As long as we both have keys its fine. He actually stores work stuff in it as he is a plumber and sometimes has some very long pipework. I dont mind at all, we have all been here circa three decades, it does worry me how it would work for the other household if either set moved.

This. Easements are usually only allowed for specified purposes and not instead of using the front door. Additionally the easement may only be for the use of residents in the house and not their callers and visitors.

Probably if the front doors opens straight into the living room with no hallway. Much easier to keep coats and shoes by the back door which will be off the kitchen or even a little back porch. You don’t want wet shoes on your living room carpet, plus the cold air in winter.

Surely the bins are only emptied by the council once a week?