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!

Get a brick wall built? Expensive though so maybe a fence? We have a similar problem where we have a shared drive and neighbours leave their cars on there from time to time all day. Drives me mad. They are totally oblivious and inconciderate in general. Pisses me off that they act like it's their drive although they know it is as had a conversation about it being shared already. Won't actually say anything though as as don't want to start a neighbour war as such so just grit my teeth and try to realise that it could be much worse an issue to deal with. Would hate someone peering in on me though. That would irritate me big time.

Here is an example to make it clearer. I’ve covered all features to respect privacy even though they’re on my property. It happens at least 5 times a day, visitors, neighbours and their children. Both on foot and driving over. A CF even fully parked on that driveway to drop off the neighbour from work yesterday as their driveways are always full. My driveways are marked out with the purple lines. This is all my camera covers but it’s a private road anyway. I get a notification when there’s movement. It’s pure laziness as they can easily walk further along the pavement and then up their own driveway there’s ample space between their cars. It’s really starting to grate on me now as it’s almost constant. Having to keep my living room curtains closed for privacy now even though it’s a private cul de sac with houses on the opposite side set very far back! I really wouldn’t mind if they could only access their home through my property but it’s not like that

I’m not going crazy am I😂 The deeds clearly show they have no right of access. They walk/drive over both the driveways when they’re empty

I don't think this would bother me. By the looks of the photo taking the shortcut only has them closer to your window by a few feet. It's such a petty thing to risk falling out with a neighbour about.

The only real problem it is causing is that your husband is getting really wound up by it - if he relaxed the problem would go away.

Completely agree. I’d be telling mine to get back in his box if he carried on about a non issue like that.

When there’s cars there they walk up the side and straight past the window within touching distance though. We got a house that’s set back from a private road for privacy which we’re not getting. I’m a little annoyed as it’s clearly our private property on the deeds but I wouldn’t mind if they didn’t peer in! Hopefully they stop soon DH is winding me up about it😂

I don’t understand why they are walling in between your window and car and not behind your car?

Why not put a row of potted plants underneath your window, that will stop them without any animosity.

Walking not walling!

The living room window is over the driveway that they’re walking on in the pic, they have to walk right up to the window to get to their front step as it’s next to it if that makes sense. The deeds should make it easier to work out the layout. They’re not just walking across the bottom, they walk straight up and along the front of the house

Why not put a row of potted plants underneath your window, that will stop them without any animosity.

I’d do this too

@Sedona123 that’s exactly what DH has been saying in his rants and I agree with it now after their visitor parked their car on my driveway yesterday. They were dropping neighbour off but were there for a good 5 mins. I’m highly concerned that if they behave like this now within the first 2 months of us living here then what’s it going to be like in a few years?

The fact that they can clearly see a CCTV camera pointing down at our driveways and they still do it is quite concerning. It’s almost like a ‘fuck you I can do what I want’ statement as they’re so brazen about it. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be hell in summer. I bet I’ll come home from work and find their visitors parked on my driveways. It’s a shame it’s a cul-de-sac so I can’t do it to them as I never come from that direction. If when our DC are old enough to be out playing in the cul-de-sac I’ll turn a blind eye to them scooting/biking up neighbours drive and kicking a ball over there see how they like it! It never crosses my mind to walk over my other neighbour’s driveways to get to my house as there’s no need. I’m courteous enough to walk along the pavement and up my own property to my front door. I’ve been raised with good manners and to respect others property and privacy. To me it’s not about the driveway itself, but the stinking ‘we can do what we want’ attitude and lack of respect. It’s very worrying to live next to people like that as past experiences have shown me. It’s a shame really as we’re a lovely family and would happily say yes if they had politely asked us if they can utilise our driveways

Plants planters and planters...get some bushy olive trees

Very rude and annoying.
When I lived on a corner of a junction with an open garden loads of people would walk right across as a short cut rather than walk around the pavement.
I banged on the window everytime.
Do that then walk away from the window.
So if they have a problem with you banging they will have to knock on your door and ask why

Are these properties freehold or leasehold?

Two more examples. Caught CF visitor just as he was driving off my driveway yesterday. Cropped it a bit as there was a child walking on the pavement further up. Another visitor brazenly happily striding up my driveway instead of walking a few feet more along the pavement. It’s pure bone idleness. It happens all day every day it’s starting to get on my tits as well as DH’s😂 Sends my motion sensor crazy I get at least 10 notifications a day of people or cars on my driveways that I don’t know. As you can see they walk up my drive and then behind neighbour’s car on their drive as that’s where their front step is. They can easily walk in front of the 4x4 in shot and up the gap in the driveway. All the driveways are wide enough for access on foot if there are vehicles on them. I really wish I could bang up a giant fence but the covenant denies us this. They could roller skate or do cartwheels over my driveway for all I care. I just really don’t like their brazen, ‘fuck you’ attitude when they’re very aware it’s on CCTV

Ours is freehold so I presume they all are. I’ve just bought their deeds to double check the boundaries and legally they have no right of access over our driveways at all. They shouldn’t even be getting out of their car onto our driveway let alone driving, walking and parking on it. They park right up to the boundary because of their huge caravan on the other side which leaves a big gap down the middle of their driveways that they don’t even use anyway! I wish I could have a big glass of wine.

We’ve just moved from a house that was a Terrace but every two houses had two front gardens with a shared access path down the middle with a gate. I was almost physically attacked by the husband he was that crazy over ‘his path’ and the condition of my garden. I thought we’d got away from any boundary issues by buying a house with clearly set out drives even if they are open plan. The boundaries are set out very obviously in borders and change of materials

” I really wish I could bang up a giant fence but the covenant denies us this. ”

Is it possible that all residents have a right of way over the whole paved area? And rather than owning the private drive, you only own the exclusive right to park there?

Sorry - you answered my question while I was typing.

It does sound as if things are escalating. I would speak to whoever enforces this covenant.

I’m the type that would say:- ‘hi, I’m sorry to sound like a moaning Minnie, but every time someone walks on our drive it sets off the cameras, and as you can appreciate having these go off over 10 times a day is annoying, but in this day and age, we all need to record what’s going on outside our house unfortunately, so would you mind using the pavement instead, as much as I love seeing you and your family and friends coming and going each day’. 🙈

@underfall to me the red outline marks out the boundaries of our private property. I’m unsure about what you’ve suggested as I’ve never owned a house with a layout like this before. Will definitely talk to the developers though because I really don’t want it to turn sour! We get on really well with the neighbours who actually have a right of access as they’re respectful and don’t actually excercise their right of access. They walk up and drive on their own driveways as they’ve only got one car

Talking to the developers is a good idea. They should be able to tell you how the covenant is meant to be enforced. Is there a Residents Association? If not, could you start one?

It does honestly sound like a lot of the problems are within your control though. If you got rid of your camera you'd stop being annoyed by the notifications. Beyond the minor privacy issue (although with no fence you don't have much privacy from the pavement anyway), the rest of the issue is just how wound up you and your DH are letting this make you.

@Cohle - I don’t agree. It sounds like this will get worse if it’s not sorted. The developer may well be able to help.

Though I do agree about getting rid of the camera. Feud fuel.

I wouldn’t like someone walking right past my window when they didn’t need to, but I really could not be bothered about somebody walking across my parking space. I think I would simply put a plant or two under my living room window and turn off the camera.

Update: it’s getting worse quite rapidly. Soon they will be sat on my driveway on deckchairs when I’m not in!

Out for Sunday lunch with family. Been out all day and they’re clearly taking advantage of this. I presume they’re clearing out their house or caravan as they’ve piled items up outside our living room window. Stood chatting on our drive for over 10 minutes. Left some sort of dirt/debris on our driveway that I’ll have to clean up as I doubt they’ll do it. Camera only records 10 seconds once motion is activated so can’t see it. Items still piled up on our driveway after an hour. They are well and truly taking the proverbial at this point.

My driveway is not an extension of their property. If they want use of theirs for things like cleaning and clearing things out then they need to get a house with a larger driveway or have less vehicles, not use mine. As I’ve been writing this they’ve created even more mess on my driveway which is in the last screenshot. Just despicable. It can only get worse from here! God knows what they’ll be doing next. Bearing in mind we’ve only lived here for 6 weeks and they’ve been taking the piss since before we even moved in by parking on our driveways.