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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bolt on side gate

35 replies

Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 17:23

I have an end of terrace house and the two adjacent houses have right of access accross my garden to use my side access for bins and maintenance etc

When I moved in my garden was open to the street. Ive put a gate on with a bolt on the inside (garden side). I did this so we didn’t need to faff around with keys etc . We can all unbolt from my garden and open gate when it’s needed. Therefore I have not obstructed their right to access.

One of my neighbours has asked if I can put a key lock on it so he can open it from the road. Which I guess I will have to do but am I being unreasonable to think he is being a pain in the arse and unreasonable?

If I live at number 1 he lives at number 3. So he has to travel through number 2s garden not just mine and that gate has a bolt. So even if I put a key lock on my side gate he still needs to go into his own garden to unlock number 2s Gate to get into my garden.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 14/09/2021 17:31

If they have right of access it needs to be accessible.

GoodnightGrandma · 14/09/2021 17:33

I personally wouldn’t want a key being used in case one of you loses the key. But maybe ask number 2 what they think and go with the majority.

LIZS · 14/09/2021 17:36

If he has a right of access that is both in and out, so a bolt is awkward unless within reach which kind of defeats its purpose. Can you install a keypad lock?

SunbathingDragon · 14/09/2021 17:37

Surely he just needs to have a right of access but not the right to dictate what you have on your property in terms of gates, bolts or keys etc.

lockdownalli · 14/09/2021 17:51

Where's the diagram?

negomi90 · 14/09/2021 17:56

Well if he can't get in via the road then you're impeding his access. Its not access from one direction. Its access in all ways.

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 18:03

People at number 2 said they never use the access right so don’t mind what I do.
I think keycode pad is easier than keys getting lost etc
I just can’t think of any reason why he needs access from the road specifically rather than access. So it’s annoying. But nevermind

OP posts:
CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 14/09/2021 18:21

Is he also asking house 2 get change their bolt? Because of not then he's just trying it on surely given that he won't actually be able to get through if they don't change it. Access means being able to pass through, not loiter in your garden.

Have you asked him (politely) why he wants to have access from the road?

I think you probably need to allow him access both ways having said this so it might be easier just to sort it.

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 14/09/2021 18:23

Also I'd hate this set up as you could never have privacy in your garden. I'd be inclined to fence off a path for access, which is open to the street, and put a gate from their into your note private garden. With a bolt.

Agree a diagram would help though as depending on where garden 2's gate is this might not be practical

TheSpottedZebra · 14/09/2021 18:28

Is it a solid gate or could you put a padlock and chain on it?

Or a bolt at the top, so that an average height adult could reach over?

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 18:32

I don’t want to fence off the access becusss it is only access, it’s still my garden. Since I have moved in I’ve put up 6 foot fences, they were 3 foot previously. And I’ve asked him not to put him bins on my driveway, which he has stopped doing. I think with the low wall before and no gate hd got into a habit of seeing when garden was empty and just using the accesss whenever he wanted. Which I know is his right but now he cannot see into my garden I am hoping he thinks a bit more before using it.
I viewed lots of houses where this was the set up - seems common in Victorian terraces. But they all said they never use it or if they do they knock first on front door to check it’s a good time.
That does not happen here!

OP posts:
Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 18:39

This is the best I can do. Red lines show the gates.

Bolt on side gate
OP posts:
nosyupnorth · 14/09/2021 18:41

As somebody in house number 3's position I can see why you want it your way but YABU. Right of access is right of access, not only from one direction or when it's convenient to you.

On a grim winter night yes I could go from the street where I get off the bus and walk around to the front door and then either wear wet muddy shoes through the house or faff about taking them off and back on again in order to go out the back door to unlock the gates that can only be used from one side in order to bring the bins in from the street to my back yard - or I could use my right of access to grab the bin from the back and bring it in through the openable from street side gates to my back yard and go into the house from the back door as per my right of access which takes a fraction of the time and faff.

Yes, the difference is only a few minutes more each time but when it's every week I'd get annoyed pretty quickly if my neighbour was trying to keep me from full access on the grounds that they decided I can't be trusted with a gate key!

HeronLanyon · 14/09/2021 18:44

Well I can imagine. If hes returning home say in the car and remembers he needs to lut the bins out it would make sens fir him to come by the road side of his access if eg he’s got dirty shoes or his house is a no shoe house or it’s raining and he doesn’t want to track rain in twice.
Don’t let it become a thing. If he has a right of access from both sides then you’ve impeded it.

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 18:46

I get that @nosyupnorth thank you for explaining.

It just seems a bit daft in this situation as if he opens the side gate from road he still has to think into his house and into garden to go into number twos garden to unbolt the gate as he cannot get through from my garden side. So I just don’t see how it helps .

And it isn’t that I don’t trust him with a key. But it’s 3 houses who needs the key and number 2 is rented so an I going to change the lock and buy 3 new keys every time the rented house changes tenants? I think a key code is easier

OP posts:
nosyupnorth · 14/09/2021 18:48

And as for knocking on the door asking permission to use the access only when my neighbours allow -- I've never heard the like, it sounds like estate agent BS in order make sure the house being on an access route didn't put you off getting them their commission.

I'll try to avoid the access for a few hours if my neighbours are having a garden party or something, that's polite, but I use several times a week for my bins and often have shopping and deliveries come through that way as the parking is easier and I wouldn't be impressed if they objected given that they knew it was an access route when they moved in.

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 18:50

Like I said though, I will do it as he’s asked and it’s not worth falling out over as he does have right of access. I just found it a bit silly but maybe he’s also in conversation with number 2 about the bolted gate

OP posts:
lynxca16 · 14/09/2021 18:51

As you say both neighbours have 'a right of access' then it must be accessible for both entry and exit.
As either the owner or occupier the onus is on you to to ensure it is available.

Whitefire · 14/09/2021 18:51

Check what the right of access entails before making firm decisions. Sometimes it is only for 'upkeep of property' not for a general mooch along. Even if it has general right of access it is still a little cheeky to be using it all the time.

Sirzy · 14/09/2021 18:55

Sounds like you and no2 are being unreasonable making access harder

Original poster
Invisiblewoman1 · 14/09/2021 19:02

Number 3 can open number 2s gate from thrrr side. It’s just me or anyone on my side who cannot, which I genuinely didn’t see any issue with but it’s interesting to hear others perspectives.

I knew about the right of access and I don’t have any issue with it and dont want to block it or cause any issues so I will sort the lock out.

Being honest though I did envisage there would be some respect for it still being my garden despite the right of access which is why I was surprised at how often he uses it.

OP posts:
NigellaSeed · 14/09/2021 19:07

Yeah you can't expect him to not go round the back to his garden.and if number 2 are also blocking then they Abu too. He can go in and out of his garden whenever he pleases. Terrace housing is crap but that's how it works.

Abouttoblow · 14/09/2021 19:12

How will access Number 2's garden if the bolt can't be accessed from your side?

Abouttoblow · 14/09/2021 19:14

I've only ever known right of access be used for putting bins out and bringing them in. I would never use it just to get in and out of my house.

TamzinGrey · 14/09/2021 19:26

I was in no 3's position in my previous house, when the woman in no 1 decided to fit a bolt onto the inside of the access gate. This meant that I could no longer wheel my bike through from the road, causing considerable inconvenience. No 1 refused to back down, and I eventually went to see a solicitor. The law being firmly on my side, she ended up having to install a lock, providing me and no 2 with keys. It was a nasty business, and could have been avoided if only she'd shown a bit of consideration for her neighbours in the first place.

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