To not appreciate neighbour just walking through our garden without asking?

[spydie]

As bit of background, we're in a semi detached cottage in a small village. There is an old right of access by foot across the back of the semi for us/next door, and therefore a gate into our garden, between our gardens and one out of theirs.

The gate between the gardens has a lock, we don't have a key but they do. No issue there as we don't have any need to use it and if we did we would ask and arrange a conveneint time. Our neighbours are retirement age and we get on well with them.

Our neighbour likes to bring his lawnmower through as he apparently struggles to get it through the front access to their property. No issue with that. We have recently replaced the fencing on our side and therefore our gate, and it can now only be unlocked from the inside.

AIBU to think it would be courteous to at least knock and ask if he can come through before just walking into our garden, down the side of our house (which he has no right of access over) and unlocking the gate? This has happened loads recently, I'm now on maternity leave and have on a number of occasions recently been startled when he's just appeared (my car is on the drive, there is no reason to think I'm not in) outside our French doors which I have open. The other week I walked out of the downstairs bathroom and he was right outside the bloody window. I basically feel like i have no privacy in my own home or garden. Today I'm really riled as DD is poorly and not at childminder, and again he's come through and left all 3 gates open... I only stuck my head out as I heard a noise and saw the gates open (they have been wide open now for 45 minutes and I'm about to go and close them all as pissed off now). Our DD could (although I admittedly try and keep an eye on her as much as possible but she's allowed in our garden as we always ensure the gates are bolted!!!) have gone out of the gate and made her way down to the road, or even into their garden where they have a huge pond. So AIBU to ask that he perhaps just knocks first to ask/let me know!?

I think we need a diagram.

You're definitely not being unreasonable but I suspect he doesn't have a clue how annoying he's being. I'd just find a time to catch him or pop over, explain how you feel and suggest an alternative. Maybe you can dress it up as concern about your DC being able to get out the gate as a way of making it seem less awkward.

So there is a right of access from the street through your garden to theirs?

YABU to not provide a diagram.

Rules is rules.

Yeh I'm confused with the layout. Diagram please x

Diagram. So he is going where he does not have right of access? In which case YANBU. He is leaving the garden unsafe for s young child YANBU. However, word things carefully as it does not seem in anyway malicious. Use the safety aspects as a reason.

He's being unreasonable, but probably just hadn't thought about it. We used to have neighbours with a right of way between our garden and the garage and it was annoying.

So in order to access a right of way, which you have (now) locked- he is coming onto your property. Any reason why he can’t have a key?

He doesn't lurk in your hedge as well i hope?

Can you put a print on the gate so it automatically closes for safety?

Spring even.

He is being inconsiderate and rude for not knocking and asking.

You need to talk to him.

Need a crudely drawn MS paint diagram

He only right of access over the bottom of your garden, he doesn't have free reign to walk through to another gate in your garden.

Can you put a fence level with the 2 gates at the bottom of the garden so he can't access the rest of your garden. And more importantly your DD is safe.

Put a lock on the gate, he’ll have no option to knock on your door to get through then.

If he asks why, say you’ve put the lock on for your DDs safety as someone keeps leaving the gates un locked.... 😂

If he doesn’t have a right of way on the path where your gate is then YADNBU and he is being a bit rude to keep going through when it’s obvious he can’t relock the gate behind him. A quick polite word should be enough to stop it though. If not, put a lock on your gate for a while. He’ll probably soon tire of dragging his lawn mower to your gate and not being able to get through. If you’re semi detached he should be able to put in a mirror image path in his own property to get to the front.

But I’m itching to know, if he doesn’t have a right of way across your garden to get out of your side gate - where does the right of way lead.

Yabu
He had access which you have now blocked so he has no option but to come into your garden

And don’t blame the need for protecting you’re rights on your daughter. If he asks, say there’s no right of way over that part of your property and you w@nt to keep it that way. You like your private garden to be private as much as most people would. This isn’t a case of special needs dictating. This is a case of him doing something he shouldn’t be doing.

Diagram is definitely needed. Where exactly does he have right of access and for what reason is he crossing an area that he doesn't have it?

Can you fend off the bit of garden he has access to?

Oh blimey... diagram!? I'm only on my phone haha!!

Gets out pen and paper plus camera... tada

So we both share the private drive, we own half they own half. The dashed line is the right of access for both our properties. It's quite close to the back of the house. It's not a gate into a street but rather our drive and at their end a bridleway. X's indicate gates... So he's using our front gate as the gate can now only be unbolted from inside (it's only a bolt, not locked), but for security it's a tall gate and you can't just lean your arm over iykwim!?

If he has a right of way over the path, then he needs to have access at all times, not just when you're around or at a 'mutually convenient time'. Change the type of lock, so that he can open it from his side.