Neighbour has changed the colour of jointly owned access gate

[RikkiT]

I live in a terraced house and my 2 adjoining neighbours have access via my garden to the street for things like taking their bins out. There is a single gate onto the street that connects to a alleyway in my garden for myself and my 2 neighbours to use.

Today my neighbour has painted the jointly owned gate without consulting myself or our other neighbour. The gate was white and has been painted black.

Regardless if it "needed painting" or "looks better" in principle my neighbour should have consulted me and my other neighbour first right?

It more the principle that they have done it without checking in first. If it had been kept the same colour I may have overlooked it as it it. something we are all jointly responsible for.

Would It be unreasonable of me to confront my neighbour and ask why they didn't consult me and my neighbour first?

My wife seems to think it will cause more hassle than it's worth.

I wish someone would come and paint my gates. And windows and doors. Saves me a job.
Maybe he thought he was saving you a job.

Or you could paint it white again when he’s out just for fun.

Yet again I find myself thankful I don’t live anywhere near people who get pissed off over trivia.

If they have just moved in I would want to subtly say something that made the shared ownership clear, just in case.

We have an alley with a gate that two other neighbours use to access their gardens. We own the alley and the gate. It's on our deeds. Is the gate yours?

Seriously???🤦‍♀️

You could just say something like "Thank you for painting the gate, it looks pretty good. However, just so you know for the future, because it's a shared gate it would be better to inform other neighbour and me beforehand." Or put a note through the door.

I need a diagram - I can’t get my head around where all these gates are!

Get a can of hammer right and paint it white again.

discourteous not to ask, but if they've done it and not asked you to contribute to costs, i wouldn't get excited about it.

Definitely let it go .

This wouldn't bother me in the slightest, if they'd done a good job of the painting of course.

If they'd painted the gate a garish colour like bright green, yes, I would understand your issue. But black is inoffensive.

You mention that he has only recently moved in. Maybe he thought that it was his responsibility to maintain the gate and that other people are responsible for maintaining the other gates. I would leave it or else pop a thank you note/or call over and say thanks for painting the gate and that you will do it next time. Then when the time comes call to both neighbours with colour card etc.

Personally I would just thank him. Can you even see the gate from your house?

Why do you think he has done it? Does he think it's his?

Can't see why people are suggesting you thank him. He's done it because he wanted to, not for you!

@RikkiT Is the gate definitely jointly owned? Or is it a case that they simply have access?

frankly I would see it as one less job for me to do and one less cost... honestly wish someone would come fix my gate for free lol.

God get a life. It’s a gate. I don’t understand people who get worked up over trivial things. The gate needed painting and they did it, get over it. The fact you said if it was painted the same colour you MAY have overlooked it just goes to show what a pain in the arse you must be.

I could not get hung up on this personally! It's a gate. They probably thought they were doing a nice thing. God. I'm so grateful for my lovely neighbours!

As the colour and standard of painting aren't an issue and you aren't being handed an extortionate bill for cost and labour, I would let it be.
Yes, I technically you and other neighbour should have been consulted but for the sake of harmony and peaceful living, I would pick my battles.

so what ?

Surely you can't all have shared ownership of a gate, that sounds potty.

You sound like you want to be quite petty about this OP so I suggest painting one third of the gate as you choose.

@Ninkanink

I agree that you clearly should have been consulted, being part owner, and in your shoes I would have been very annoyed.

I would speak to them directly and say quite politely that in future could they please consult with you before making changes to jointly owned property.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being assertive, and you’re right, letting it go this time means they could well decide to take the piss in future.

Very annoyed over a gate...

I doubt you all jointly own the gate. More likely one of you owns and the rest just have the right to use it. Have you checked the deeds?

Just as a counter arguement to those who think that your neighbour was asserting their authority, laying claim etc. Could it just be possible they did not realise this was a big deal? My job involves working with people and writing details assessments of why things happend with lots of 'expert' analysis. Very often, they just do not really realise it was a big deal before they were forced to reflect on it, did not think to communicate or just are on a totally different page to everyone else. No malice, just people being people. Could your neighbour have though they were doing a nice thing?

I really couldn’t get worked up over something like this, it’s a gate...