Is this even legal?

[WellingTonBooty]

I have nightmare neighbours. We share a drive and they absolutely take the piss. They never leash their dogs so there’s always shit all over my drive which they ‘forget’ to pick up. During summer they put a massive old campervan in their only parking spot. Except they deliver parcels, so now they get parcel deliveries daily that are dumped all over the shared drive. The van that delivers them blocks the drive and then drops parcels all over it. It then takes them hours to move the parcels. If I’m in they block me in to sort the parcels out and load them in the van. If I’m out, they park on my drive despite being asked not to.

its awful, we’ve had arguments about it. I’ve complained to the shared landlord who has completely ignored the problem. Except they’ve now moved a random person into the campervan. He clearly has a drinking problem as I’ve seen him drinking as early as 8am. And now he’s living there, on the drive. Is this legal? The landlords are aware of the situation and seemed shocked, but again they've not done anything to rectify the situation. I’ve told the landlord I want to leave because of this family, but houses are hard to find where I live and expensive. And I love my house, I just hate these nightmare neighbours!

You are making out it is impossible to move, I don't buy it.

@1457bloom i haven’t said it’s impossible to move. I said I’ve been trying and haven’t managed. I’m also annoyed that I’m being forced out of my lovely house because my neighbours can’t behave like decent human beings

Where I live in the SE a recently on the market one double bedroom/1 small box room, 2 bed flat is on for £1500 PM...
12 viewings in one day alone and no problem in being rented out again before the inplace tenant moved out.

That's reasonably priced for the area, doesn't have to be in top top condition either, few and far between at that price come on the rental market and are snapped up.

Complain to the company they deliver parcels for about the lorry dropping parcels on your driveway for starters!

Why not contact local letting agents? Tell them your budget, your needs and ask if they can contact you if something comes in

put ads up in your local shops etc

Can you separate the drive with pot plants or something? https://www.wayfair.co.uk/Forest-Garden--Living-Screen-Planter-Home-Delivery--LIVSCRPLANTHD-L349-K~EAJL2034.html?refid=GX666874790088-EAJL2034&device=m&ptid=293946777986&targetid=pla-293946777986&network=g&ireid=245942456&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADgW2yKvAO0Ixd-Mx1uPl-N_TDkQd&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl57p64H2iQMVc5JQBh1U5wRXEAQYCSABEgIn4_D_BwE Maybe or just a row or rectangular pots with mini firs in them?

@Quitelikeit inhave done. I’m on all the lists and check regularly :(

@Knockmealdowns its a single road that splits into the separate parking spaces so I can’t put anything in it to separate. When I’m in my space, he parks on the single road part and blocks it completely

@WellingTonBooty do you have house insurance, if so you might have legal cover, it might be worth ringing them to see if they can help. If not the council. I'd also draft a letter and post it through their door to explain that if they trespass on your private land they will be fined!

As mentioned if you have insurance check if you have legal cover.
It's a last resort but I'd speak to CAB or even ask shelter for advice to see if you can apply to the courts for an injunction against the neighbour.

You shouldn't have to be doing anything once you've asked your neighbour and I know you'll have to live with them but seriously these absolute selfish gits get away with doing these types of things because 9 times our of 10 people stand back and allow it to happen. They're inconsiderate, waste of a good human skin type people.

I really do understand about not being able to move at the flick of a finger, I suspect because you rent it's thought of that you just pack up and off you go, doesn't always happen like that.

If the caravan is being occupied by someone separately from the main house you could contact the planning enforcement department of the council as well as the environmental health section.

This thread is completely outing now, but what the hell. I’ve had a full argument with the neighbour this morning. He didn’t shut his shed properly and it banged all night in the wind. Full door slamming shut bangs every few seconds all night. I saw him this morning so asked him to shut it so it wouldn’t and he said it was fine and hadn’t made a noise. I completely lost my temper. All the pent up frustration came out in a shouting rant about the mess, the dog shit everywhere, the hideous van. He kept trying to gaslight me and saying he always picked up after the dogs (i told him to go look at the side of my house and say that again). He told me the drive was shared so he had every right to use it for parcels and to store his things. I told him I wasn’t willing to argue with him anymore and would be speaking to the landlords. So I’ve been in to their office to have a discussion. I’ve been told they’re ’dealing With the situation’ and I need to give them time. No idea what that means, but I feel much better about it all now. I walked past him earlier and just blanked him completely. I don’t need the stress and I’m very uncomfortable with confrontation so don’t want to engage with him again

Is he running a business from home? If so, then the council might be interested as it might not be permitted to do that in certain residential areas, and he could also be liable for business rates as well as council tax.

Good for you OP...

I'd definitely of got him to clear the dog shite up while you were going at it though, that way he couldn't have denied there was any on your garden.

People like them think they can bully others and get away with it.

He also needs a reminder that a shared driveway is just that, to be shared, it's not for him to use as a storange place, clear access to the rear of properties should be available to all parties at all times

@Trumptonagain he ran off and cleared it as soon as I’d slammed the door in his face. I think he was panicking that the landlord would come and have a look around since I’d said I’d be going to discuss the situation with them. So at least that’s gone for now! It’s been suggested I should throw future dog turds into the parcel pile but I think I’d feel guilty if I did it

Is it also legal to have someone live in a caravan on his property, think a look on your local council website may throw up the answer.

Not that you want to report him if not, just a bit of ammunition under your belt to keep him on his toes.

@Trumptonagain thsts good thanks. I actually feel bad for the bloke in the campervan. I can’t imagine anyone would choose to live in one in this weather if they had an alternative

Can you not put a deterrent down for the dogs? (There are cat deterrents so there should be something harmless for dogs?)

We have friends who recently put a fence up down the middle of their shared drive - nothing fancy or 6ft, just enough to divide.

They had similar issues with overspill and it stopped immediately.

I see you rent, but would you pay the price for the peace and to save you moving?
Might be worth asking the landlord if you can do this.

Otherwise, your lease (and therefore theirs too) should have something about not being a nuisance in common areas/to other tenants or similar. I'd cite this formally to the landlord and claim they are in breach of lease.

@steppingin it’s hard to explain but the drive is a bit like a fork. The handle is a Single lane for us all coming in and then splits into parking spots. A fence wouldn’t work because it would have to be open to the single lane and then the dogs would still walk up it. It wouldnt fix the issue of his parcels and parking because he blocks the single lane that we all use, so I can’t fence that off either :(

He sounds like an absolute arsehole OP and I really feel for you.

For everyone saying move, it’s really not that easy and why should she?

It’s annoying that it can’t be fenced. I live at the end of a culdesac where delivery drivers like to take their breaks, blocking my driveway. They used to use my lawn to turn around on too which drove me insane! Thankfully some large planters solved the lawn problem but the drivers parking up for a break still drives me mad (they can see straight through my window.

Keep collecting the evidence and reporting it. I’d also be inclined to put the dog poo on their front step