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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Driveway annoyance

213 replies

Newjourney2894 · 18/04/2022 09:16

Hi all, just wanted some advice on whether I was being unreasonable or not about my new home which I have waited several months to move into! 😅

My DH and I have just bought a gorgeous semi detached on a lovely quiet street which has long drive way and 2 x grass patches between each houses. Our house was vacant for about a year until we moved in and as a favour to the previous owners next door would park on the drive now and again.

The previous owners cut one of the patches of grass away to widen the drive so you can fit 2 cars next to each other but still left 1 patch of grass between the attaching houses attached.

Now it is the house not attached that would occasionally park on the drive until we moved in that I have the slight issue with. They use the middle part of the drive which is the original part of the drive to reverse their cars off the drive so they don’t have to ask the other one to come out and move the car.

They’ve kept their patches of the grass intact which is up to them but that doesn’t mean they should keep using my drive to reverse out. AIBU to start parking one of my cars further back so they can’t get out or go and speak to them? Or let it go which is what DH thinks 😂

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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Original poster
Newjourney2894 · 18/04/2022 15:04

Did I leave anything out about the use of a non family room at the front of the house.. I meant the space at the front is more a commercial based area/designated hobby space than a family room. Hmm

OP posts:
Noshowlomo · 18/04/2022 15:07

Not sure what the obsession is with what your husband does from home, it’s your drive and any of your guests can park there with your permission

forrestgreen · 18/04/2022 15:19

Rather than having it out with them I'd slowly start moving a car so that it inconveniences them. Until you hit the point they can't use your drive.

I wouldn't let them use your drive as they won't be paying out to get it resurfaced and you don't want them to have any perceived rights.

If they mention it, just look surprised as to why they would be using your drive when they have their own and walk away

olympicsrock · 18/04/2022 15:50

They are CF . Have a word

decentchap · 19/04/2022 16:59

Is the land yours as part of the house? I.E. do you own it ?
If yes then ask solicitor who did your conveyancing to write a pert letter to 'whom it may concern' and plant it obviously in the middle of your bit.
Next stage would be a court order and evidence - photographic.
You are right to feel P'd off its selfish of them and unnecessary with abit of effort. If its not your ownership its tough * I'm afraid unless you ask nicely which I could not do. I'd buy some tacks in the latter case.

Original poster
Newjourney2894 · 19/04/2022 18:13

It’s definitely ours as it is the original drive and the only reason it is wider is because the previous owners got rid of some of the grass.

Well I’ve finished work and I’ve now parked my 4 x 4 work car behind the other family car too see if that might drop a hint to NDN’s

OP posts:
BackInBlackAgain · 19/04/2022 18:36

I don’t blame you OP, it would really piss me off too.

Weenurse · 23/04/2022 09:40

Any news?

100problems · 23/04/2022 19:26

Can't you park right at the bottom of Drive 1 to stop them?

100problems · 23/04/2022 19:28

Darn I didn't realise this was a week old thread.

As you were.

Choccylab2022 · 25/04/2022 07:22

Hi all, I’m the OP but had to change my username due to not being able to access my account. I thought I’d sorted it as started to park work car on a diagonal so taking up half the drives and then would park the family car down the bottom
of drive 1.

We had to move the cars over for a delivery and lo and behold they drove straight back over again. We’ve got a doorbell which picks up motion so recording that every time it happens and I showed my other half as he can’t see the big deal yet but he’s seen how much they drive over and he has now agreed that it’s not on.

we’d rather they didn’t but wouldn’t mind if it was a corner but they literally drive over half of the original driveway 😒

MinnieGirl · 25/04/2022 07:31

Time to put up a small picket fence.

KosherDill · 26/04/2022 10:06

Choccylab2022 · 25/04/2022 07:22

Hi all, I’m the OP but had to change my username due to not being able to access my account. I thought I’d sorted it as started to park work car on a diagonal so taking up half the drives and then would park the family car down the bottom
of drive 1.

We had to move the cars over for a delivery and lo and behold they drove straight back over again. We’ve got a doorbell which picks up motion so recording that every time it happens and I showed my other half as he can’t see the big deal yet but he’s seen how much they drive over and he has now agreed that it’s not on.

we’d rather they didn’t but wouldn’t mind if it was a corner but they literally drive over half of the original driveway 😒

That's really obnoxious and entitled of them.

Do you think you will erect a fence?

KosherDill · 26/04/2022 10:06

Choccylab2022 · 25/04/2022 07:22

Hi all, I’m the OP but had to change my username due to not being able to access my account. I thought I’d sorted it as started to park work car on a diagonal so taking up half the drives and then would park the family car down the bottom
of drive 1.

We had to move the cars over for a delivery and lo and behold they drove straight back over again. We’ve got a doorbell which picks up motion so recording that every time it happens and I showed my other half as he can’t see the big deal yet but he’s seen how much they drive over and he has now agreed that it’s not on.

we’d rather they didn’t but wouldn’t mind if it was a corner but they literally drive over half of the original driveway 😒

That's really obnoxious and entitled of them.

Do you think you will erect a fence?

Choccylab2022 · 01/05/2022 23:56

Hi all, quick update our camera has caught them wheeling their bin down our drive now.. it has picked them still driving over our drive during the day whilst we are out.

I don’t even think a tiny ankle size fence is going to cut it anymore. I’m tempted to change the design of the drive completely to a T shape so 3 parking spaces at the top and then a thin drive down the middle with grass on either side 😂 I’m passive aggressive but it sets my chocolate lab off all the time and our doorbell

Duettino · 01/05/2022 23:57

Why does it bother you? They're not parking on it.

WeAreTheHeroes · 02/05/2022 00:00

Go for it OP. If you've asked them not to do it and they are persisting then prevent them from being able to drive or walk over it.

Duettino · 02/05/2022 00:07

@WeAreTheHeroes I don't think the OP has asked them or made them aware that this causes an issue.

It's clearly causing much annoyance, though I personally can't see why if it's a shared drive, but the neighbours are meant to be clairvoyant.

I have a shared drive and my neighbours use the top of my drive for their bins (I said they could, my idea) as they can't fit all their cars on if they don't. I also turn right when I set off out of the street meaning my car goes on their side a little rather than having to dodge the opposite neighbours parked car.

I'm sure if OP had a grown conversation with them, they would say "oh,ok" but instead it's causing angst and unnecessary stress (plus fence planning)

Choccylab2022 · 02/05/2022 00:12

I’ve not asked them because we’ve only been there less than a month and they’ve been there since the houses were built. I don’t want to get off on a bad note so my original post was asking of ways to park and or change the design of the driveway so they can’t do it.

It is not a shared drive at all.. the deeds show it and we only have 2 drives because the previous owners cut out of a section of grass.

it is beyond cheeky though to be fair.. I’d never do that and if my children ever step over the line onto next doors boundary I tell them.

Duettino · 02/05/2022 00:17

Not shared as in ownership but shared as in you both use your own parts of it, differing to your own completely separate in-front of your house. That's what I have too.

I think if you ask them, it's done. If you continue to be bothered by it then it will become something it isn't and breed contempt. Just knock on, take some wine or similar as a gift, if you think it'll help and ask. They probably don't know that you know or don't think you would care.

Choccylab2022 · 02/05/2022 00:22

Not shared as in ownership and not shared in as we both use our own parts of it.. the drive ways are joined along the boundary, both made out of different concrete though and both owned separately..

they are using our drive way to drive their car onto their drive in front of the other one instead of swapping them around! It’s beyond cheeky and then being caught on the camera wheeling their bin down our empty drive to avoid their cars is rude too!

honestly it is causing resentment the house had been empty for a few months before we moved in but still doesn’t mean if they’ve got comfortable they should carry on.

it actually makes my blood boil. 😤😭 I just want to enjoy my forever home and my extra wide drive way with lots of space in peace

Duettino · 02/05/2022 00:22

Or, buy a sleeper/small fence and put it there to stop them. Than be done with it as any more than that will really put undue and unnecessary stress on you. If it's your dream house, this is nothing of concern!

Duettino · 02/05/2022 00:26

Do you mean like this? Imagine the joining isn't grass but two separate drives? (Harry potters house is the best example I could find... or like this...

Driveway annoyance
Duettino · 02/05/2022 00:35

Urgh, with mumsnet new permissions, I can't work out how to share an additional picture. images.app.goo.gl/rrJ9MJH9uJsjami18

Hopefully this link works.

Choccylab2022 · 02/05/2022 00:35

So image this and the houses are 1-3 left to right. House one has no drive connected to ours but it does have a patch of grass. House 2 is mine and the drive is on the opposite side and where the drive currently is a patch of grass and a another drive. Then house 3 which is slightly cut off has a drive attached to my drive so semi detached drives but not houses if you catch my drift.

they are using my extra wide drive which is usually empty during the day to get 2 cars width around their 1 car width drive..

Driveway annoyance