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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to just remove the bloody bolt?

299 replies

Stinkle · 25/06/2014 11:23

Sorry, this is petty and quite long, but the situation has descended into war over a bloody gate and I'm bloody fed up with it

I live in a little housing estate which is situated on the edge of a village, to one side of us is another housing estate, the other open fields. All bar 2 houses are owned by our landlord, he also owns the road, our access track, etc, etc.

In the corner of our house is a gate which leads into the housing estate behind us along a footpath. It's got one of those Chubb locks on it but we are all allowed to use it and have all been given keys

This gate is the only access we have by foot into the village. The track out of our estate when you're driving is about 4 miles round along narrow, windy, country lanes to the village, school, shop, etc. all has been fine and we've all been living here, sharing the gate and going about our business happily for years

About 2 months ago a new neighbour moved in and has complained endlessly about the gate and there have been a few disputes about it.

About a month ago the new neighbour added a slidey bolt to the gate and every time someone went out through the gate, he'd slide across the bolt, meaning you couldn't get back in. This wasn't terrible if someone was around to come and open the bolt, but several times we've all been stuck the other side of the gate.

More disputes about this bloody gate ensued and the Landlord got involved. Landlord removed the bolt and warned the neighbour.

So, this morning I go to use the gate to take DD to school, to find the bloody bolt is back and neighbour has now added a padlock

WIBU/illegal to remove the bolt and shove it up the neighbour's arse ?

OP posts:
QuizzicalCat · 25/06/2014 13:04

Just make sure you post the bolt and padlock through his door to make sure you don't get accused of theft.

He sounds like a complete twat.

QuizzicalCat · 25/06/2014 13:05

Obviously once you get back!

Nomama · 25/06/2014 13:06

Your landlord is going to have to take some action, he probably isn't looking forward to it!

Good luck

Callani · 25/06/2014 13:09

Your NN sounds like a total twat - if you remove the bolt I'd take it with you or you might find it reattached by the time you get back!

Callani · 25/06/2014 13:10

Haha great minds pissed

RachelWatts · 25/06/2014 13:11

How did he run over the bike if it was in someone's garden? Either he moved the bike first, or he drove over a neighbour's garden. Definitely a deliberate act.

I'd get a screwdriver and remove the bolt, then as other people have said, leave it on his doorstep.

He sounds like an arsehole.

Lucked · 25/06/2014 13:11

Unbelievable. Has he given a reason seeing as it already had a Chubb lock. I am with you, take it off. I would maybe phone around neighbours and see if anyone can come and witness it, in case he comes out and is abusive. Have your phone on you.

CheeryName · 25/06/2014 13:11

Sod the bolt I'd take the complete gate away, leaving a gap you can walk through, and stick a note through all residents doors saying that you have done that to ensure no one is stranded on the other side of the gate during this hot weather.

MaryWestmacott · 25/06/2014 13:12

Call the letting agent every hour, on the hour until they have removed it. State that your tenancy agreement mentioned you'd be able to use the gate and you want to know why your landlord is breaching your agreement, and can they explain why they've given this other tenant right to do this? Oh you havent, so why haven't you called him to tell him to remove it?

benfoldsfive · 25/06/2014 13:20

You have a contract that states you have use of the gate call the non emergancy number for the police. This is about safety. What if you were trapped on the ither side? Injured being chased? Land lord needs to issue a warning. What a knob!

VSeth · 25/06/2014 13:21

Could a compromise be that the is locked and all tenants have a key?

Lucked · 25/06/2014 13:21

I actually wouldn't give it back, I would leave a note at the gate saying the owner can pick it up so he has to accept ownership, otherwise he might deny that it was him. You could plead ignorance that it was him if he challenges you.

I'd the gate attached to the end of his house? Does it make a noise?

CSIJanner · 25/06/2014 13:22

Trouble is, if you remove the lock you are effectively touching his property. It's crap and stupid but its probably the way Jobsworth is going to see it.

Is the gate attached to his property? I can't see what his problem is, especially as it was an established right of way, the gate belongs to the landlord and one which everyone on your estate has access to. If you can't get hold of the landlord, would it be unreasonable to escalate it to 101 do you think? If you have easement (ie access via the gate) then the neighbour cannot restrict access by locking the gate. I'm not a lawyer but found information via here as apparently its not an uncommon problem. The 4mile round trek on roads without pavements does it for me - its a safety issue.

Quick question - would it also be access for the emergency services?

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 25/06/2014 13:25

I think you'd be within your rights to remove the bolt as long as you do it carefully. Having said that I think I'd be putting pressure on the landlord to sort this. The LL has responsibility to ensure you're access plus it's one of the LL's other tenants that is blocking the access. Responsibility on two fronts.

MrsWinnibago · 25/06/2014 13:25

I hope OP comes back to update! What an arse!

Original poster
Stinkle · 25/06/2014 13:25

I'm going to remove it on my way out to pick up DD and take it with me.

I was going to put a note through his door saying he can come and collect it from me - I don't want to give it back to him too quickly as I don't want him to have the chance to put it back on the gate before all the other neighbours have had a chance to come home. Is that allowed? I'm not convinced he'd actually be brave enough to come and ask for it as he knows we all know he's not supposed to put it on there in the first place

He says he wants the gate blocked off permanently as he doesn't want 'random people' using it. We did have an issue several years ago when some parents from the nearby primary school discovered it and started parking in our estate and using the gate as a short cut. It was a bit of a nightmare with blocked drives and parking everywhere so the landlord solved that by adding the Chubb lock so you need a key to go in or out, and we've not had any issues with it since.

The landlord can deal with it in the long term, I just need to solve the immediate issue of wanting to use the gate

OP posts:
steppemum · 25/06/2014 13:28

he actually sounds quite a dangerous sort of person to have around.

I think I would phone the non emergency police line, and ask them about it. I think police having a quiet word would go a long way.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 25/06/2014 13:29

What a fuckwad. Smash the bolt and padlock with a sledgehammer and post all the pieces back through his letterbox.

benfoldsfive · 25/06/2014 13:31

He sounds like a nut job call 101. Seriously i wouldnt be acting alone or without a witness. Im fuming for you! Ass!

VegetarianHaggis · 25/06/2014 13:33

Can you add a padlock to the bolt to keep it in the 'open' position?

Neighbour sounds a right pain.

KatraAllandra · 25/06/2014 13:34

Stinkle, you can't be absolutely certain it is his bolt (though of course you know it is), so remove it and post a notice on the gate asking the owner to contact you to retrieve it. That way he has to front up and claim ownership as well as admitting he has gone against the landlords instructions, but you can't be accused of depriving him if his property. See sounds like a total arse and hopefully far more trouble than you LL is prepared to deal with so he'll get given his marching orders pretty quick

TaurielTest · 25/06/2014 13:34

VSeth, that was the situation (chubb lock, tenants had keys) until this neighbour moved in and started BoltGate.
You must be seething. I would call 101 too. Perhaps a courtesy call to the letting agents to inform them (and the LL) that you're doing so. He may already be known to them if your neighbours reported the bike incident.

buggerboooo · 25/06/2014 13:34

I would take it off and chuck it away. He would have to admit he put it on there to moan that it jas been stolen. What a cock

Tiptops · 25/06/2014 13:34

Hope he doesn't give you any more grief when you use it shortly OP. Definitely a problem for the landlord to deal with, shame really as I'm sure a visit from the police would make him buck up his ideas pronto.

buggerboooo · 25/06/2014 13:35

Thats a good idea vegetarianhaggis!! Do that op