AIBU or can i tell neighbours where to shove their gates?

[cheekybean]

We moved to our house 6 years ago. We have a shared drive with our neighbours which has never really been a problem. However, 6 months ago, neighbours asked us if we wanted electric gates on drive. We said no, we didnt see the point. Security is not an issue, i am in all the time, they work away during the week, so opening and shutting gates is not really an issue. They said it was for them.

They asked us again, we said no because we could really afford it. They said they would pay and we could owe them. We said no because that didnt sit well and we dont want gates.

Got up saturday morning and a pair of 6 foot security gates were being fitted. We knew nothing about it. Given a bill for £600 and told dh is to wire them up. Plus we have to power them from our house

AIBU? Surely if we have said no, that should be the end of the matter! They are not here all week. Its only because they can't be bothered to open and shut the gates manually.

The gates are bloody ugly, TBH our drives looks like the entrance to a scrap yard. I dread coming home and having to look at them. DH is stressed becaused we have yet to confront neighbours as they arranged installation whilst on holiday.

WWYD. I dont want to fall out with neighbours and end up on channel 5. Husband dosent want to fall out as they are our friends apparently. But friends dont spend your hundreds of pounds and dont tell you what on. Feeling v. Pissed off due to being walked all over and DH's kind nature being taken for granted.

I will do anything to avoid confrontation but even I wouldn't be such a bloody wuss about something like this. Why is it you never hear of such brass neckedness in RL like you do on MN? I honestly cannot get my head around neighbours who have been told no several times over the gates, but then organise it, send a bill and tell the people who said no they need to sort the electrics and pay for the power.

And for those peeps saying 'your property' I personally wouldn't assume that you own the land; I previously lived in a house that had a 3-way shared access, demarcated by driveway-bricks as opposed to our actual owned driveways, which were tarmac. Whilst the three houses were jointly responsible for the cost of maintenance and upkeep of said shared driveway, only one of the neighbours (A) had them as part of their boundary. However the solicitor that Neighbour B and I consulted, advised that Neighbour A and myself had equal rights over the land as Neighbour A.

So OP, I wouldn't assume you DO own the property on which the gates are sited, despite the many posts here suggesting you do.

Norland - it might be on the deleted post but the OP has the deeds. she owns the right of way strip of land and the neighbour owns the land at the back on which they park. her neighbour has right of way over the land, not ownership and I assume - it was implied - that the OP has the right to park on the other land but doesn't own it.

Why on earth would the council charge you to ask about planning permission? When we wanted to erect a fence, they happily answered my question on the phone.

Please don't let the gates stay!

I'm a bit of a cunt. So would have sold them for scrap by now and denied they had ever been there if anyone asked.

I thought the deleted post said something about the OP paying £20 to get a pretty picture showing what was already known?

I've had a look at my local councils' websites and none of them are charging £53 for a spot of advice as to whether or not planning permission would be required (yes, yes, I KNOW, it's not the OP's local authority) this is a useful start point

I've had a quick scan of the solicitors' work/deeds of the last three houses I've owned and they all clearly show the borders of the property I'd purchased, plus two of them had covenants about shared drives and the requisite responsibilities.

OP not been here since 09:25 this morning.......

A picture of the gates would help. If they're like these.....

...keep 'em. But if it's these....

Where is OP ?

If they are on holiday and her dad is fitting the gates, could he be doing it as a surorise for them without being aware that you've said no?

Whatever the reason, you need to ascertain exactly who owns the land (it sounds as if it could be you but they have shared access). If you own it jointly you need to formally object to the instalation and insist they are removed immediately. I assume that you haven't allowed the power to be connected so the gates are useless?

Hope OP isn't stuck the wrong side of her gates

I think the fact that you have 3 children is relevant. If these gates are incorrectly installed, see previous posters who have the relevant knowledge, they are most likely to injure or kill your children. It is shocking that they have done this on your land, without your permission and in a cowboy fashion. You need experts to install them. I'm generally calm, conciliatory etc but I would be so angrey about this. Sod their reaction, they didn't care about yours. Get them out and follow up with written confirmation that they had no consent for these.
These gates are a death trap - google electric gates and accidents.

Any update op?

I'd remove the one nearest my house and lean it against their house and post the bill back to them!

Is that for real op

Op, is your neighbour's last name Trump, first name Donald?

Given a bill for £600 and told dh is to wire them up. I just cannot get past the audacity of this!
Tell them that the cost of his work will be twice the value of your house, get the cash and move. Without you agreeing to them being fitted there is no way you need to pay or help in any way. Get legal advice.

Garden law website would have the answer to what the OP needs to do.

I thought OP said the deeds showed the drive was hers?

@BunloafAndCrumpets spitting my tea out here 😂

Sugarpie

Shamelessly place marking for an update!

Place marking.