To let path become unusable

[ALiensAbductedMe]

I live in a terraced property, I am at the end. The other properties have access to their homes from the front and via a path across the back of my garden, which when I moved in was only separated from my garden by an ankle height flimsy picket fence. The path is separate to my garden and I do not use it or have rights to it according to the deeds. When we bought the house 2 years ago we were told my the previous owner that it is hardly ever used by the neighbours.

Even so I didn't like the idea of the neighbours being able to walk past our private garden and see in whenever they fancied so I erected fencing to shut it off. Since then it has become overgrown and virtually unusable.

The other day one of the neighbours had a sofa devivered and needed it taken round the back, obviously when they tried this wasn't possible due to waist height growth of brambles. The neighbour knocked on the door rather irate asking why I hadn't told them about the path not being usable. I explained I fenced the path off two years ago and it is nothing to do with me.

He started demanding that I let the sofa people climb over into my garden and take the sofa in that way, which I would have happily allowed if he hadn't muttered that I was a stupid tart. When I asked him to repeat he said that before I moved in the previous occupant had maintained the pathway and kept it clear in return for being able to use it to have a bigger garden most of the time and that I should have told him I was going to fence it off like that as he would have done it himself and that it was dangerous as firemen etc wouldn't be able to get round. I see his point, but it's not my path, now is fenced off from my garden and if he wanted it maintained he should have done it himself or at least spoken to me to see what I wanted to do.

So was I unreasonable not to maintain the path, not tell the other neighbours I wasn't maintaining it, and fencing it off?

DH thinks I was unreasonable not letting the sofa delivery guys have access, as in the end they couldn't deliver as it wouldn't go through the front door, but I was so angry he called me a stupid tart and was shouting in front of my kids...

Not your path.
Not your sofa.
Not your problem!

Your neighbour is a disorganised twat.

What an entitled misogynistic wank badger, calling you a tart, utter fuckwit

Hope he gets the next sofa jammed in his doorway arse.

Thank you for confirming I am not unreasonable. DH said I should have allowed him access and not letting him get sofa delivered was a bit OTT, so next aibu is, is DH unreasonable at not caring that I was called a stupid tart and shouted at in front.of our children and more concerned that I have pissed off the neighbours??

If someone had spoken to me like that, my husband would do his nut. My dad would have knocked him into next week. Why does your h think you should behave like a doormat to your wankstain of a neighbour?
Your h sounds like a twat too tbh.

I actually think your dh is a complete shit. Please feel free to share this comment with him.

My dh would support me if someone insulted me in front of my children.

Yes, he is BVVVU. I would suggest that he should go round to horrible neighbour for a word, but in the interests of neighbourly relations, maybe not...

Bollocks to that, if it's not In Your contract and they need it for their access they can sort it out!

Your dh is an arse.
Why does he think its ok to insult a woman and shout at her in front of her kids then expect her to do exactly what you want afterwards? Does he have trouble walking without a spine?

Even my ex would have dealt with ndn in no uncertain terms!

Its ndns problem not yours. Tell your dh to stand up for his wife not cave in to some fuckwit.

Your dh is a handmaiden to the entitled abusive neighbour, he should be ashamed of himself. You are not a dog to be abused and then just roll over and show your soft underbelly. Ffs

Haven't RTFT but I know from experience that even if your neighbours have access across your property you're not obliged to keep the path from becoming overgrown however they are within their rights to cut back any overgrowth.

YWNBU and I'm glad you didn't let him get his sofa delivered through your garden!

Ooh ooh ooh, my neighbour (over the back) has had this very issue recently. So, here’s what I know as a result......
the deeds show it as desperate to my garden with red crosses over the path. Basically it is nothing to do with me, I have no rights of access or ownership
Firstly, you might not have access rights but be 100% certain that you are not the ‘landowner’. Secondly, even if you are the ‘landowner’ it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to maintain it BUT IT MIGHT. The details of whether you are responsible for maintaining it could be in a separate covenant. This should be part of your Land Registry and it sounds like you have looked at that, just make sure you’ve checked the detail. If it turns out you are responsible them for gawds sake get it cleared in case arsey neighbour takes it further. Finally, the three neighbours who have access rights may actually be responsible for maintaining it. You can easily check this buy buying their Land Registry details online (only a few pounds). If they are responsible, print them out and post it to them and ask that they ensure the land is cleared. Which will be satisfying I imagine

PIVOT?

Wow, op, your neighbour is a weapons grade bell-end!!! You were restrained in just refusing him access, I would have called him something equally as nasty ( I did when a lady, not even a direct neighbour, told me I couldn’t put my folding caravan in MY residents parking spot for a few hours til I left for holiday ) Yanbu. Your DH IBU in blaming you. Ignore the dinosaur 🦖 ball-bag neighbour.

Oh and the tart comment I'd have responded with you're a CF neighbour, do it yourself and stop being a lazy slob who expects women to sort him out - fucking cheeky fucker!

TryingToForgeANewLife

Oh you have no idea how I'm kicking myself for not saying that first. I blame the asshat who called OP names, his horrible behaviour distracted me too much.

It would be brilliant revenge to say to him "I know how to get this couch in your house" and then cut it in half....

I’m with Brillo. We need a diagram & some pics. What a moron this guy is. You did totally the right thing, OP.

I hope that you pointrd put that he is the stupid one for calling you a tart and then expecting your help. Well done OP, if he wants to use the path he can weed it.

You husband sounds like one hell of a doormat if he thinks that you should have let your neighbour, who was a complete prat not to check his right of way and insulted you, have access to your garden.

Campari trying reading the thread - you'll find a diagram a few pages back

Your husband's a total prat.

Oh my god I feel your pain. Most of the rows I have with my partner are about him putting others feelings before mine. He would also have said I should have let the guy take the sofa across the garden!

Outstanding diagram OP.
I know your deeds say you have no rights to the path
but is that the same as you having no obligations?
Diagram of your deeds please...

How do you access your back garden without going through the house- is it through the path? I feel like I need a diagram!!

Splendid diagram. Sorry for posting too soon