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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not contribute

60 replies

narcdad · 28/03/2022 09:32

Got a letter hand delivered this morning from a house in the high street asking for a £200 contribution to resurface the back lane behind a row of houses (mine included).

The houses all have access to this lane and they use it to park their cars in their garages as there is no street parking due to the houses being on a high street.

I am the last house and do not use this lane as it's difficult to get my car in our garage as it's at a right angle, I also have a drive that fits 2 cars (I am not on the high street but adjoining road). Also my part of the back lane is in very good condition as I don't use the lane to drive down, so no pot holes etc.

AIBU to not contribute? They have stated in the letter that the contractor can do the work on Friday 1st & Saturday 2nd April and have included those bank details!

OP posts:
BeHappy91818 · 28/03/2022 11:12

I wouldn’t pay.

Original poster
narcdad · 28/03/2022 11:30

@Notjustanymum apologies the last house was drawn in error (thought I'd scribbled it out)

Our garage is full of stuff, we've never used it for our car as it's very awkward to get in and out of plus we have a big drive.

Thanks everyone for your replies, I really can't afford it at such short notice and would prefer that a proper consultation had taken place.

I guess I'm just peeved that we get a letter saying £200 by 1st / 2nd April here's our bank details (they have given their address and mobile, plus they said in the letter they'd pop round to discuss)!

OP posts:
Original poster
narcdad · 28/03/2022 11:31

Sorry the last house is mine - added another in error

OP posts:
Cluelessmouse · 28/03/2022 11:37

Not a chance in hell I’d pay this.
Why would I pay a random person I don’t know £200 with no notice, to have some work done that I dont want or need and that hasn’t been discussed with me
It’s incredibly rude
Also nothing else has been discussed with you like is this the best quote, what exactly will they be doing, what happens if anything gets damaged during the work.

Swayingpalmtrees · 28/03/2022 11:44

I would never pay money to a random account for a road I never use! With zero public discussion and agreement, I would assume it was a scam.
So the answer would be a firm no from us.

Swayingpalmtrees · 28/03/2022 11:46

If they turn up, I would gently suggest that the consultation should come before the demands for payment, and you have reservations about the work being completed, additionally no spare funds to pay for it. End of. If they want the road resurfaced - which sounds very cheap - too cheap to me then they can pay for it.

konasana · 28/03/2022 11:49

Do not pay anyone anything until the work has been done, and you have seen a copy of the invoice/quote.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 28/03/2022 11:55

I wouldn't worry about it. In my experience if anything like this involves more than 2 people contributing it's u likely to happen!

WhenDovesFly · 28/03/2022 11:55

I agree with others. It needs to be done properly. More than one quote, not "I know someone who does this stuff". You need to be provided with a copy of the quote(s). Those arranging it have to have agreement from all parties that they will contribute (what happens to the cost per head if one or more houses decline?) and they should give you some time to come up with £200. Not everyone has a spare £200 kicking around at a week's notice.

Hillarious · 28/03/2022 12:07

The issue here is that, as with most neighbourhoods, you have a small group of people who take it upon themselves to work for the good of the area, but fail to understand you need to include everyone in your consultation, rather than just presenting them with a fait accompli.

The chances are you'll make a contribution, but in your own time and once you've had time to properly understand what's happening, who's contributing and how the contractor was appointed.

billyt · 28/03/2022 12:09

Be careful, Narcdad. Look at what was said after Rod Stewart paid, and helped, resurface the road around his house.

His local council said it shouldn't be done privately due to future issues, claims, etc.

All depends on who owns the lane I suppose, but I certainly would not be contributing anything with a couple of weeks to decide, before thoroughly investigating.

Original poster
narcdad · 28/03/2022 12:40

Such good advice from people, thanks for responding, you've given me some idea of how to respond as I am as a bit shocked when I got the letter.

I'm going to compose a reply and I'll post it here before I send.
Thanks all

OP posts:
DogInATent · 28/03/2022 12:43

[quote narcdad]@DenholmElliot to be honest I don't know who owns it, it is not on our deeds, it's an access road for access to garages for houses in the high st and the side road, the houses on the side road all have driveways [/quote]
How can your deeds not mention it @narcdad ? You require right of access to cross it to get to your garage.

If it was mine, and you're the end house and will genuinely never use it to access either your garage or garden/property, I'd be wanting to establish who's it is to see if I could fence across it, extend my garden, and bring the garage within the garden area. But I'd be asking myself if I really would never use it - is there access to the rear garden from the front? Would I be creating an awkward situation that might make the property difficult to sell in the future (and whether this would matter to me - it might not depending on your age and future plans)?

magicstar1 · 28/03/2022 12:49

Surely if your end is grass then you won't want it resurfaced anyway? Let the others pay and finish before your part.

eldora · 28/03/2022 12:56

YANBU, you're right not to pay. Is there anyone else who doesn't use the lane? I'd be speaking to warn them too.

Original poster
narcdad · 28/03/2022 13:16

@DogInATent good points, I'll have to go through the deeds as I believe we do have rights of access, our house had an extension by the previous owners and the council said they'd need to create another parking space as the house is now a 5 bed (it's a loft conversation with 2 single rooms)

There is a side ally to gain entrance to the back garden which I share with my neighbours as it's a terrace.

OP posts:
MinnieGirl · 28/03/2022 13:31

This sounds very dodgy to me…

First, you need to establish who owns the road. Phone the council and ask them. If it’s a public highway, ie anyone can drive down there, then the council should repair it. If it’s private lane, you need to find the owner. If it’s not in your deeds, I doubt you own it, but it should say something about right of access.

You can’t start work on a road that doesn’t belong to you! And the neighbour who is asking for money is risking getting into very hot water….. there should have been consultations with all the affected neighbours, and then if everyone wanted to proceed, three quotes should have been obtained, and agreement as to who would hold the deposits, who would c0-sign etc etc. you don’t just ask for money to be put into her account!

Have a word with the council they are usually very good at sorting these things out. And they will know who owns the road and if there are rights of access and any planning restrictions.

If the neighbour calls round, I would say you actually thought of calling the police as this sounds so dodgy…. And you are not prepared to proceed without proper consultation and tender process

ButterfliesAndPancakes · 28/03/2022 13:38

I’d be telling them to jog on. Unless I was formally consulted about this then I wouldn’t even consider it. I mean, firstly how do you know that the work will even take place? Secondly, did the ‘organiser’ of the work properly vet the people doing the work. Did they get quotes or is it their mate down the pub. Stay well away.

Canigooutyet · 28/03/2022 15:35

A couple of links that might help find out who owns the road.

www.gov.uk/guidance/highways-england-land-and-property-ownership-enquiries. Takes about 15 working days. Oops so missed their payment demand deadline!

www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500344/roads_and_transport/1954/road_ownership_usage_and_plans/2 this is the link for Manchester but other councils should also have the same info.

thecurtainsofdestiny · 28/03/2022 15:56

Surely it's not ok to do work on land that you don't own!

GrolliffetheDragon · 28/03/2022 16:06

I lived somewhere with an unadopted back lane that was in a right state, very overgrown and all sorts dumped there. I would have loved something like this to happen - if it were all done properly and above board. Which means proper meeting with all residents invited, someone from the council there perhaps, or some sort of official communication from them and so on.

TheHoptimist · 28/03/2022 16:11

Resurfacing may need drain work.

FairyCakeWings · 28/03/2022 16:13

Who is this person that expects to be able to just drop his bank details through your door and end up £200 better off within a week?

Fuck that, that is not how things work in the real world.

Assuming it is all legit, I wouldn’t pay. If it bothers the other neighbours they can pay. It doesn’t bother you so you have no need to pay.

Good luck with your reply. Keep it short and factual and don’t apologise!

RiojaRose · 28/03/2022 16:25

I don’t think I’d respond to that at all. No need to.

Tigerblue · 28/03/2022 16:32

[quote narcdad]@BarbaraofSeville we own the property and never use the lane at all which is why our part of the lane is immaculate it's all grass which my husband and neighbour mow, the high street part is full of pot holes due to constant use, some useful advice thank you [/quote]
You really need to check your deeds. If your husband is mowing the grass, I think under the law it could be argued you accept responsibility for it (a bit like when it's not clear who owns a fence, often the person who pays for repairs accepts responsibility). If you are responsible for a share of maintaining the lane, you might be able to request the grass bit is left as it is, but you'd still have to pay. What you don't want to do is create a dispute over access, as it could easily put someone off if you come to sell if the situation isn't clear or there's been a dispute.

Do you need to cross over the lane to get access to your garage? If so, there must be something in the needs about a right of way or maintenance.