What’s a reasonable time to knock on their door?

[MinnieMountain]

We’re staying in a holiday let. It’s a middle terrace with a right of way over next door’s garden.

I’ve just noticed that they have blocked our gate with bicycles. We need to use it to put the bins back.

What’s a reasonable time to knock on their door to ask them to move them? I suspect it’s an attempt to stop us using it as they were in when we came that way yesterday.

I’d message the letting agent and tell them, but otherwise about 9.30 / 10, or pop a note in the door.

9? When you hear movement and know they're awake?

Why did you come in through their garden if its a right of way for the bins primarily - that sounds anti social and must be horrid for people with a holiday let next door.

We came through the back yesterday so we could take our sandy shoes off in the garden rather than getting sand in the house. Perfectly reasonable to my mind.

And I didn’t say it’s primarily a right of way for the bins. Neither did the information from the people we’re renting it from,

They are probably just used to using that area to put their bikes etc. can the bins be left where they are for now, just catch the neighbours later today?

It’s definitely another holiday let @Saucery . We’ve been here since Friday and saw the cleaners come first thing yesterday.

Oh, in that case I’d knock on about 9am and ask them to move the bikes! They might be going out earlier than that, on the bikes, so problem solved for you.

If it’s another holiday let, maybe they don’t know about the right of way.

If its another holiday let then that changes my sympathy!

9 I reckon.

It will be for access, for things like bins that can't come through the front door. Not people traipsing past with sandy shoes.... you're not giving them quiet enjoyment of their holiday let.

I probably would minimise my use of the right of way more than you are, though I recognise you have a right to use it as you are.

I have a right of way across the back of my house. I'm lucky enough that my neighbours only use it for things that would be highly inconvenient to do any other way (bins, lawnmowers, bikes) rather than just moderately (like the shoe thing you mentioned). Obviously it's a risk I took buying this house, and I would have to live with the consequences if I did get someone who wanted to use the RoW all the time, but it does make life easier for me that they don't.

Given it's another holiday let I do think that makes life easier. Do you know what time the bins need to be out by? If it's not super early I would probably go and knock around 10 but if it's anything like where I am it would need to be earlier than that (but where I am the bin men have been and gone by now!).

@BusyCM I’m a residential property solicitor. I’ll bet my practicing certificate on it being a right of way on foot at all times and for all purposes. I don’t think once a day when we come back is excessive. And we don’t have a contract of any sort with next door, so “quiet enjoyment” is bollocks.

Bins have been collected. I need to bring them back in so they don’t block the pavement.

I have a right of way across the back of my house. I'm lucky enough that my neighbours only use it for things that would be highly inconvenient to do any other way (bins, lawnmowers, bikes) rather than just moderately (like the shoe thing you mentioned). Obviously it's a risk I took buying this house, and I would have to live with the consequences if I did get someone who wanted to use the RoW all the time, but it does make life easier for me that they don't.
Me too, house next door is an HMO, I'm so so glad they have all been lovely and respectful and use it to put bins out only. I live with dread that the house may one day be sold to people who use it it just because ( sandy shoes etc) again risk I took when buying the house but it could be awful with the puppy and GC

Ah that explains why you've been acting as you have! Spoiling their holiday out of principle, nice!

I haven’t been “spoiling their holiday” @BusyCM . We’ve been that way ONCE since they arrived. We’ll have to use it again for the bins and to put the keys in the keysafe when we leave.

Ah, a solicitor. I bet you could start an argument in an empty garden.

Around 9 seems reasonable. I'm in the same position, we have a right of way across ours, but like @Ineffable23 we have considerate neighbours who only use it for the bins etc. I would have thought it easy enough to take your shoes off at the front door.

Can you not move the bikes out of the way yourself, bring the bins in, and then put the bikes back where they were? Why do you need to knock on the their door at all? And if they "catch" you moving the bikes, surely it'll be obvious why you're doing it when you start to bring the bins in. And aren't the neighbours' bins also on the pavement??

Yes, this.

Just move the bikes.

Access means just that. Unless they were dancing the cha cha and singing loudly on their way through the garden, I doubt they spoiled their holiday.

I’m a bit confused. Why the urgency with the bins? Why can’t you just move their bikes if you are so worried about said bins.

If the access is only for bins then I really wouldn’t be using it that much. You’re on holiday. If you knock to wake them about bin moving then that’s a bit annoying.

This does explain a lot

For those who were bothered: the bikes were locked together, so couldn’t be moved. Only our bins were out, no idea why as ours have been emptied. I knocked at 9:35, was polite, they hadn’t realised, all good.

What do you mean @SpringerFall ?

Glad it worked out amicably @MinnieMountain . I think people who aren’t used to shared access just don't ‘get’ that yes, you might have someone walking past your house with bins/mowers etc.

I always put the bins out on Bin Day in a holiday cottage. I have several glowing reviews from house owners because of it

Why you even bothered if it's just a holiday let 🙄