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’ve read the thread but can’t see this answered anywhere - have you actually been to talk to them about this....?!

I'd be really annoyed. I dont believe they don't know. I think they're the type who given an inch will take a mile.

I would act fast.

Today I would buy a good sized trailer off ebay and put a clamp on its wheel and a cover over. Stops the cutting through. Then give some thought to if you want something more permanent and if you also want to have a chat with them.

Hi, just an observation, you are clearly irritated by this behavior but why are you not willing to have a quick friendly word with your neighbour? Why sit and type on MN when you are actually watching them “in real time” use your private space for their own means? Just nip out and say Hi neighbour, please ask your visitors to refrain from using my driveway as a shortcut/ parking/drop off point etc (explain reasons already given -lack of privacy, extra wear and tear on tarmac, triggering your motion detector, inconvenience, irritated but timid DH, no polite request etc). Don’t be apologetic, be friendly but firm! Say occasional use may be granted, if asked for in advance and not inconveniencing you. Oh and tell them to remove their belongings from your driveway and sweep up afterwards.

You could even breezily say that as you are there anyway you’ll give them a hand to move their shit back to their own driveway right now, then crack on without further ado. How careful you wish to move stuff is up to you. 😬

Hmmm.... walking past the window - annoying.
Piling things up as they have a clear out - when you aren't even in - and the moved the items later. Fair enough. Why is that even an issue? If you had come home to a pile of rubbish then it would be an issue.

When you buy open plan you can't expect people not to use it. That's sort of the beauty of communal living.....

Ask them not to wall past the window - or open the door to greet them everytime they do it with a cheery 'oh I thought you were coming to knock for me'. The rest just let go.

There is no need for the OP to put herself in the firing line on the off-chance that these badly behaved neighbours are acting badly through stupidity rather than malice. People who stare through windows aren’t going to apologise for doing it. They’ll get all their mates to come stare too.

The developer created these borderless drives, as required by the council. The developer and/or council no doubt have the legal authority to deal with infringements, without the risk of further escalation.

It would drive me mad as well but as other posters have asked, have you actually spoken to them about it? I think yabu to escalate this to the council or developers without addressing them first.

Just looks like a bit of chalk dust in your drive. When it rains it'll wash off. I wouldn't be getting bent out of shape about them walking on your drive either.

If you put planters along they'll know why and might call you out on it, might be easier to just request they don't do it first rather than start a war.

Sometimes there are covenants forbidding caravans, trailers and boats - especially if where it is is impacting on the shared driveway issues?

@redwoodmazza do you mind telling me how you find out if there is a covenant against things like caravans and vans, and if there one and the neighbours are breaking it, what you can do about it? Asking for a “friend”.

This would drive me batty OP. It's a clear infringement of your private property. I'd be getting as het up as your DH! Definitely pop over and have a calm word first to make sure they're not just being completely blind about it. If they don't stop after that I'd totally be putting up planters to prevent it happening anymore.

@Tulipstulips go on to the land registry site - make sure it's the official site as there are others which charge more for the same thing - and look for buy deeds/ title plans. In the search box put in the postcode of the property you are concerned with and just buy them to download. You can buy the deeds to any property. It's about £3 per download. Deeds will give restrictions/ covenants etc. Hope that's helpful.

@Tulipstulips

When my parents bought their bungalow the solicitor advised them about the covenants. One was the issue with caravans etc. and not putting one 'in the face of another property' . [I think those were the words but it's several years ago.]
My parents bungalow looked out onto the side of another similar property [properties at right angles to each other]. The neighbours decided to put a caravan next to their own attached garage - in a space between their garage and my parents front lawn. It was a part of the driveway and not just a random bit of land. BUT it meant that from their lounge window, my parents had the wonderful view of the side of their caravan - so it WAS in the face of another property!!!
My parents planted shrubs in their lawn to try and screen the view. But the caravan was also parked in an area that was stipulated as a 'turning area'. It meant my dad couldn't reverse out of his garage and turn to drive forwards down the driveway.
The caravan shouldn't be there because 1] it was a 'forbidden' type of vehicle in the face of another property and 2] because it was in the 'designated turning area'.
My parents had to send a solicitor's letter to the neighbours - which worked. The neighbours had to dismantle their 6' side fence, make 2 panels into a double gateway, and put the caravan in their garden! He was an ex-policeman too!!!!

Your solicitor could advise you or maybe the company that built the property? Good luck!
PS I'm not sure whether covenants expire after a certain length of time?

@redwoodmazza and @Snazzysausage

Thanks, that’s really helpful!

Sorry to merail, OP.

It’s the sort of thing that would really annoy me even though I know it wouldn’t bother everyone.

It’s understandable that you’ve got a camera for security and you don’t want it going off every 5 minutes.

Are you going to try talking to them first?

After seeing your diagram it really wouldn’t bother me but each to their own!

You sound like old neighbours I had who were obsessed with this sort of stuff.

Some people are not cut out for living in a development like this.

When you saw the open plan nature of the drives did it not occur to you that this might happen?

YANBU or unhinged. I’d hate this.

When you saw the open plan nature of the drives did it not occur to you that this might happen?

Why would anybody assume that neighbours, with no right of way, would constantly walk over their drive whilst peering in the window?

I am not sure if you’re being unreasonable or not. I do have questions!

1. Do you have one car or two?
2. Can’t you park your car(s) really close to your house so they can’t walk across?
3. Have you spoken to them??

Ok peering in the window is off. But walking across the very edge of the bottom of the drive is no big deal.

Planters
and window boxes to the upstairs windows that need watering whenever you anticipate them walking past, or needing to make a phone call outside your window.

I live in a new build with a drive way like this. The space for next door is right outside my kitchen window. It is so awkward!! They park so close to my car too so I do get pissed off because they are on my drive when they step out the car.
Stupid new build estates. My next house will not be a new build!!

How are things going since lockdown @smokeyfoxtails?