Neighbour blocked shared drive deliberately, AIBU or are they?

It’s really not that simple 😂😂

It’s pretty obvious that if she’d followed your suggestion the neighbours would’ve blocked the drive for the whole time, rather than the removal men being able to get at least a bit of the rubbish.

Right?

This is no longer the case unfortunately....

I used to live next to neighbours like yours and unfortunately things don't improve. People like this know what they're doing. If I could go back in time and give myself advice on how to handle such people, it is to be one step ahead of them. Give your neighbours the benefit of doubt if you manage to chat with them and see if they're reasonable, if not then take steps to protect yourself. Install CCTV and start logging this with police, it's the start of harassment. You need a trail of evidence if things escalate. In my case, I thought things would blow over but my neighbours are unhinged and would not leave us alone. Police were beyond useless.

Any update @WoesFromAuntFlo

you have got to stop being polite

you knock and knock and knock both back door and front if you can UNTIL THEY ANSWER

Failing that, call the police for a welfare check and let THEM do the door knocking

I doubt that would work in this case because it’s not just the land - there are two garages at the end of the driveway.

OP I posted previously about having been in a very similar situation. I completely empathise because unless you have ever experienced neighbours like this it’s very easy to say just knock round and tell them to stop. In my case the neighbour would have argued black was white she was so obsessed that it was her right to block us in for absolutely insane reasons. We had to get the police involved and it took 2 years for them to apply enough pressure that she moved. If you don’t want to move contact the police and ask them what you should do. We ended up having to keep a diary of all the crazy behaviour and not engage with her at all. We had a reference number to quote when we phoned up to log stuff and the pipe took it very seriously. My guess is that your neighbour will start putting pots in awkward places and it will escalate from there. My neighbour dispute culminated in her digging up part of our drive and planting trees in it when we were away.

Your neighbour is a massive dick

You don't have to get authorities involved.
Unfortunately your neighbour has got away with this for too long, they're being ignorant and you really need to shut it down.
Play them at their own game and do exactly what they're doing to you.

The only one having a quiet life in all this is your neighbour.

Agree with this!! You’re letting them get away with it.

This.

Your neighbour could be trying to gain the whole driveway and parking area by adverse possession. He only has to show he’s the only one to use both for 10 years.

How long did the previous owners of your house live there?

You do not need to worry about them calling the police if you block them in. My mum’s new neighbour threatened her and she called the police and they wanted absolutely nothing to do with the parking situation as it was a civil dispute and only approached him about the threat. The police said they couldn’t get involved - only the threat to her was the concern.

I think I would "helpfully" install a metal fence on the boundary between the garage areas. Too close and they damage their car and can't get out.

Seems like they bullied their old neighbours to the point where they think that the whole drive and shared access is theirs. If you play nice, they will do the same. Start out as a bitch, and stick with it.

OP, you have been generous and respectful towards your neighbours and they have taken advantage of you.
Unless the twats are paying for your side of the shared driveway and paying for your garage then they have no right to park on what is your land.
I realise this would be difficult but is there room to put a short chain link fence on your boundary between your and the neighbours garage, just long enough to not allow them to park right in the middle but to delineate parking areas?
The neighbours daughter is deliberately trying to cause an issue. I am furious on your behalf.

Just read your updates - WTF?? I’d be tempted to hire a van for a month and park it outside your garage and spray paint the border. And install a zoom floodlight opposite their door.

Reverse in, let them climb out their windows fuck them.

I never understand how anyone would prove that there was an official complaint anyway, because presumably any information would be confidential because of GDPR?

I should have added solicitors. However if there's no documented official involvement then it doesn't have to be declared.

This.

For goodness sake stop being so nice and just park behind them.

I'm not sure that's correct. The TA6 asks about disputes and if solicitors have been involved then that's clearly pretty serious!

Personally I'd keep knocking until they answered the fucking door if you know they are definitely in.
They are bullying you, do not let them. Knock, knock, knock and when they answer just say 'you need to move the cars as I wish to park mine on my property, if you want to make it difficult then I'll instruct my solicitor'
Don't take no for an answer.
Definitely get a camera on the garage to cover the driveway.

Is there enough room for you to put a fence up along the boarder line of your private part of the drive?
if so I would be doing so.
Do you know when they (and their car) will be out? Call me petty but I’d get hold of either a huge concrete block or a ginormous rock and put it right on the barrier of the property to prevent them even coming a fraction onto your side… or even better if you know anyone with a car they are going to SORN of the road, park that there and leave it there!
If he comes and knocks your door either ignore him like he has you, or tell him that you’re sick of his pathetic behaviour !
definitely put up a security light and camera on the garage. You might be able to fit the ring doorbell but at an angle so it isn’t on his front door… my friend has one and it’s pointing down her drive covering her front door and whole drive way. When you go out and come back I’d be tempted to hop out of the car at the end of the driveway then the other adult drive/reverse up the driveway into your parking spot, directing the other so your car is close to the boundary and get child out of side closest to your front door… if they realise that their parking prevents them from getting in their car door closest to the boundary then they’ll be forced (hopefully) to park closer to their own house !
I have to say I’d watch for them going out and spray mark the boundary or do something to make it clearer.

You need to get a step ahead of this.

I'd put up the flashiest (on/off) security light you can find on your property, across from their door.

Theyll be over!

I'd then make it very clear that the parking situation changes or the light shall remain.

Guarantee will knock them back into place.

They only have to declare it if police or local authority involved.