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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that private property is just that :-/

144 replies

WithoutCaution · 31/08/2012 15:23

We have a drive, at the top of the drive there is a gate onto our yard. Through the yard there is another gate which goes to the fields and at the end of that track there is a gate onto a nice quite road - leads to some nice hacking areas.

The entire of our property is private so no public access/right of way...

Recently I've noticed (since I'm at home a lot more) that several cyclists and walkers are using our drive/track as a cut through to avoid a busy junction and cycling/walking on a busy road (the same reason that we put the gate at the end of the track). I've tried putting up 'Private, No access' signs and locking the gates but I'm finding that the ones who feel it is their right to trespass are climbing the gates Hmm

I've also been told to go fuck my self when I've pointed out that they aren't meant to be on our property. My main problem at the moment is that we will be dog sitting my Uncles 2 outdoor GSD mixes for a month starting next week. These dogs will be living on the yard (they live on my uncles yard normally but the lady who's looking after his horses is scared of the dogs - They are big, very vocal if they spot someone who isn't meant to be there and have no problem launching themselves at the gates my ideal yard dog - If they know you they're fine). These entitled cyclists/walkers who use our yard/track as a cut through are going to be met with three locked gates/signs saying 'private property' and two big powerful dogs. I also have CCTV.

I think I've done everything I can to prevent them entering but I'm concerned that since they are entitled nob-heads they will continue to use our track and then claim some sort of injury as a result of the dogs. Is there anything else I should be doing? - Refuse to use beware of the dog signs as that is admitting some form of liability.

... It's more of an essay than I thought Blush

OP posts:
Feminine · 31/08/2012 15:26

Are you very rural?

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/08/2012 15:26

Take a picture of the dog, put it on a poster with "I live here" written on it. No 'beware of' nonsense. YANBU.

ImNotInsaneMyMotherHadMeTested · 31/08/2012 15:29

Perhaps let your local police know that you are having a problem with trespassers and that you will be minding some big loud dogs - then if a trespasser complains to them about the dogs, they will be pre-warned of the situation?

They also might have some advice for you, they must have come across this before?

SinisterBuggyMonth · 31/08/2012 15:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

naturalbaby · 31/08/2012 15:31

You're being told to go fuck yourself by people trespassing on your property?!?
I would leave them to the mercy of the dogs if they're going to be such idiots.
Barbed wire on top of the gate? Wink.

shockers · 31/08/2012 15:31

Good idea MrsTP... you could add the words 'And I will be roaming loose on my own land'!

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 31/08/2012 15:31

You've done everything you can, I wouldn't do anything else except hope that the dogs do a good job of deterring people in future.

MrsTPs suggestion is a good one.

Maybe post on legal to find out if you would be liable for any kind of claim made by an entitled knob head, but I very much hope you wouldn't be.

MaureenMLove · 31/08/2012 15:33

I'm probably stating the bleedin obvious, but you have checked with the council that every part of the land in question belongs to you?

I'm sure you have, but anyway, I don't think there's much else you can do. How about a sign that says 'Dogs live here' rather than 'beware'? Not so much of a warning then, just a friendly notice iyswim!

The whole thing sounds really irritating though! Is there nothing the council can erect so that shitty cyclists can see you are within your right to tell them to piss off? I'm annoyed on your behalf that you were told to go fuck yourself! Angry

BrianButterfield · 31/08/2012 15:33

So if the OP has a large garden she should let anyone trample through it then? Mumsnet at its finest yet again Hmm

TheHeirOfSlytherin · 31/08/2012 15:34

What on earth is all that about Sinister? I would be royally pissed off with people thinking they could walk all over/through my garden whether it was big or small, owned or rented.

Toughasoldboots · 31/08/2012 15:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marquesas · 31/08/2012 15:34

I'm not sure anyone would be able to take any action against you if you make it quite clear that the property is private and that there are dogs that are likely to hurt them.

Having the dogs will probably be a good thing, if it's always the same trespassers they'll soon get the message.

But really, you have no right to complain if you have a lot of land Grin

QuietTiger · 31/08/2012 15:34

Don't use "Beware of the dogs" signs, use something along the lines of:

"Private Property, No Trespassing. Civil action will be taken against unauthorised persons found on these premises. Guard dogs running free".

We have something similar because we're mardy gits who hate people because we have problems with ramblers thinking they own the place and a couple of grumpy farm dogs who have been known to bite strangers, so if people are then found where they shouldn't be, they don't have a leg to stand on.

Good luck. :)

MaureenMLove · 31/08/2012 15:34

Grin There's always one, isn't there?

TittyWhistles · 31/08/2012 15:35

YANBU. It doesn't matter how large or small an area you live on, it's your property.

It's the same as if people cut across the end of my garden to get to the pub without going right round the road.

severinofinn34 · 31/08/2012 15:37

Anti-climb spikes or wire on the top of the gates (this must have a sign to warn people). An 'I live here' sign for the dogs.

I can understand that this would be very irritating.

MyNeighbourIsStrange · 31/08/2012 15:38

I would put pictures up of the dog, and I am sure they cyclists will find another route once they are aquanted.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 31/08/2012 15:40

QuietTiger
and a couple of grumpy farm dogs who have been known to bite strangers, so if people are then found where they shouldn't be, they don't have a leg to stand on.

Is that after they have met the grumpy farm dogs? Shock

OP if they are trespassing and ignoring signs about dogs they can hardly complain if the signs prove to be true.

AmIthatbad · 31/08/2012 15:41

I would have said that you have done all you can do, and wouldn't be putting up any more signs.

Let's see if the trespassers can outrun the dogs Grin. And if they can't, well good luck to them .

WilfSell · 31/08/2012 15:43

Are you absolutely sure there is no historic right of way along the drive/track? This may be why people are using it if there is and in which case you would be breaking the law by preventing them using it. Whether or not you own the land. You might want to check with the council since they will have someone designated to check and enforce rights of way.

neverputasockinatoaster · 31/08/2012 15:44

We used to have this in a house we lived in many moons ago. Basically the house had access from 2 roads and the plot next to it had been derelict for years so people had used it as cut through.
Once the builder put up a new house and cut off the access the people who used the cut through thought they then had the right to use our path.
Mum had to put gates up and tell people to get lost quite a few times...
I agree with others who say pictures of the dogs.

NarkedRaspberry · 31/08/2012 15:48

Agree with WilfSell. You need to check that no historic right of way exists. Owning the land doesn't mean that there isn't one!

QuietTiger · 31/08/2012 15:49

Chazs - actually, yes.

We had a trespasser/rambler poking around our farm sheds. They ignored the multitude of signs, were 300m from the well marked footpath on the other side of a fence across a field - they'd come up the farm track instead of going through a gate into the field because it was "easier" than the long grass Hmm and had not bothered to put their lunatic poodle dog on a lead. Their dog barked and and tried to chase the cattle in the yard, our cattle dog ran out to see what was going on and the result was a nasty dog fight where the rambler got bitten on the leg because he tried to break it up.

He tried to take us to court and the consensus by the judge was that the rambler was a twat was at fault because he was trespassing and had failed to take into account the multitude of signs - he couldn't claim he hadn't been warned.

Original poster
WithoutCaution · 31/08/2012 15:49

Yep all the land is definitely ours, we wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't and if it had rights of way cutting through it. I'll try the police hopefully they'll have some good ideas.

Feminine - We're quite rural, very edge of a small village

Sinister - Not sure where you're going with that post.

OP posts:
NarkedRaspberry · 31/08/2012 15:51

Then contact the local police about trespassers. Ask them what you can do. It might be worth checking with a solicitor if this persists.