Would you find this rude? (Open plan driveway)

[smokeyfoxtails]

Not an AIBU more ‘would you/wouldn’t you’.

DH has been getting his blood pressure up recently as we’ve moved into a new house with open plan driveways as it’s a new build estate. There is a covenant stopping people from separating them. We’re in a mid Terrace and the deeds show that only one set of neighbours have a right of access over one of our driveways (double drive). Different materials are used on either driveway to differentiate between shared and private and there is a clear boundary line between our private driveway and our neighbour’s. Tarmac is private, bricked is has ‘right of access’ with no boundary line. The right of access is so that the neighbours can get in and out of their cars and they have respected our boundaries so far. Tarmac driveway is the one being used as a regular shortcut.

The other neighbours and their visitors have been constantly walking and driving over our private (tarmac) driveway. There is no real need for them to do so as they have ample space to walk up their own driveway and can easily move their car from the bottom of their drive to get their other one out BUT it won’t bother me until something gets damaged. It’s just time saving on their part. We have CCTV trained on the driveways that record motion so DH has been getting quite het up about it.

They have no legal right of access and the previous owner has confirmed that she never gave permission for them to do so they haven’t ‘gained the right’ iyswim. The house was empty for 4 months before we bought it so I presume they just got used to using our driveways as one of their cars was parked on it when we viewed the property. DH is getting wound up saying it’s rude and disrespectful without asking us as it’s our private property. To me it’s just a driveway and I’ve been trying to find similar MN threads for different perspectives but am struggling. I do think DH needs to calm down a bit until the neighbours are at risk of damaging our property, such as scratching our car with theirs as they squeeze out. The only issue I have with it is privacy as they walk right up past our living room window and often peer in.

Would you find it rude for your neighbours and their visitors to walk/drive all over your private driveway without asking permission? I think it is a little bit disrespectful but not the end of the world!

I think you're right but instead of getting worked up about it one of you could knock next door and ask them and their guests to respect your space. You need to nip it in the bud.

Personally unless it’s causing damage or preventing you accessing then it wouldn’t bother me.

However he is being very unreasobale to just complain about it without talking to them

I think it's rude but was coming to the conclusion that I would probably put up with it until you mentioned the invasion of privacy. Strolling past your living room window is not acceptable.

Would you consider putting up a sign letting people know it’s private property?

This would drive me wild!! Can you put a little row of plants or small stones along the border to emphasise it to them? Nothing permanent to break your t&c's but enough to look obvious

Looking in through the windows as they pass is very odd and quite rude!

I’m leaving it for DH to deal with but am making sure he doesn’t make a tit of himself at the same time! I want us to have good neighbourly relationships here as we had an awful experience at our last place that resulted in essentially an ASBO being served to the neighbours. It doesn’t bother me much it’s just frustrating that I can’t find much info on open plan driveways online. I really hope that they don’t get defensive if DH does speak to them about it. They seemed nice enough when we met them on move-in day but do have more cars than space on their driveways and from my experience on MN this can cause a lot of issues. We’re in a cul-de-sac as well so not much space for cars on the road meaning their visitors block us in/out by parking over our dropped kerb. Sorry for the boring, parking drip feed😂

brummiesue would plant pots be okay with the covenant rules not to separate? I’ve never lived anywhere with one before not sure on the rules. I presume they just mean walls and fences

They peer in?! I'd be tempted to wait inside nearby and shout BOO! in their face as they do it. Fucking weirdos.

This would make me angry - and I am well aware that give an each, take a mile. Can you buy some pots and place them along the boundary line. Would not infringe the covenant as not a barrier or a permanent structure.

Hedges, olive trees, bulbs, standard roses, tall, short, clustered or spaced. It divides without looking like a barrier and if you were to place other pots in the garden so it was clearly part of the design it would look fabulous

Yeah if there’s a car there they walk up the side and along past the small gap in front of our window to get to their front door. They turn their heads as they walk past as I suppose you would naturally if there’s movement like our toddler running about or a TV but it doesn’t half make me jump😂 If there’s no car they just walk diagonally over the driveway to theirs so it’s not as bad

sorry - "give an inch, take a mile"

So basically, they're only supposed to use your driveway to make it easier to get in and out of their car?

InTheSummerhouse I’ve been wanting to get some nice new plants so will definitely invest and update if they stop taking shortcuts. Thank you for the advice! I’ll place a big one just before our driveway meets their front step so they can’t cut across it without moving or jumping over the plant. Now that would be a sight to behold, hurdling over my plant😂

I would hate people walking past my living room window, especially if they were peering in as well. I would have to say something, hopefully it's just a habit they've got into and once you voice it to them they'll make an effort to stop.

We’re going to need a diagram.

Nanny0gg noo sorry I’ve not explained it well. Only our neighbours on the other side of us have that right of access because of the layout of our other driveway makes it technically shared. The neighbours in question shouldn’t be stepping foot on our driveway at all. One minute I’ll draw a diagram

There’s some info on open-plan drives at www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/openplan.html

Quite interesting. Maybe it would be worth not only examining your deeds very carefully but also getting in touch with the planning department. They might be able to advise you on how you can solve the problem peacefully without needing to raise the issue with the neighbours

I think parking on your side would be out of order, but walking across your side or driving along it... I couldn't get worked up about it. We have a similar set-up and it doesn't bother me at all, although to be fair we can't see into each other's windows.

But it’s extremely rude to walk past your window and look in. I would definitely tackle them on that.

Diagram or take the thread down

Awaits diagram

Bloody awful diagram but I hope it helps😂 they’re obviously other houses on the terrace but couldn’t fit them on. So there’s a pattern of shared driveways, the ‘rude neighbours’ will more than likely share their driveway on the left side with their other neighbours but it’s got a caravan in it 24/7 so no right of access can actually be exercised. I’m starting to warm to the idea they’re being a bit dick-ish!

I wouldn’t like the looking through the windows. The rest wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

can't see the diagram.