Driveway

[Edamcheese]

Our neighbours of twelve years had their drive and pathway done ,two yrs ago. But they have now decided that because their bins have to be dragged up some steps on their property ,it is now inconvenient ,and are now using our driveway. They have never asked us if we mind,but it’s our private property . We have always been friends and they must assume we don’t mind.But it’s winding me up, but we don’t want a confrontation as this would finish our friendship,and why should we be made to feel that we are petty. We have given many hints ,that we have parked our cars in a way that it’s difficult for them to walk up our drive. But it’s inconvenient for us to keep moving our cars. She has told us that she choose to live there as there was no issues with shared driveways when she purchased her house,as she is adamant that it would not suit her but she is cheekily sharing our driveway, but we don’t our driveway used as a shared driveway either as we don’t want our cars damaged.

Yes exactly also show a bit of respect we are in out late seventies and lived their forty yrs and previous neighbours have never needed to use our drive. They should have thought about it when they redesigned the new drive how will we take our bins out for the binmen ,not think oh we will just use next doors. .If they just only have asked us ,when I say we are friends I mean we speak a lot when we see them outside and have allowed them to park

their visitors cars on our drive when we are on holiday and helped them out regarding other things ,

I get why you’re unhappy about it OP. I’d be worried about damage to my car. Wheelie bins are difficult to navigate sometimes, and go off at a tangent when you’re trying to guide them on and off your properties. Just mention it to them in a pleasant, but firm way. Tel them you worry about your cars being damaged, and would prefer it if they used their own property. If they get arsey about it, then you at least know they’re not as friendly as you thought they were.

I thought you meant they stored their bin on your drive. Just wheeling it to avoid steps. Wouldn’t bother me at all

Put the bins on their drive and just say you don't want theM there. Cheeky fuckers

I thought you meant they were leaving the bins on your drive. I couldn't be bothered about them wheeling them past once a week. That really is petty

Can you really not talk to them without confronting them? Just politely ask them not to do it any more.

Why can't they drag them down their own drive?

They're dragging them across a lawn to get to your drive?

It doesn't exactly sound line the easy option, do they keep them in a daft place or something?

As she was so adamant about not buying a house with a shared driveway twelve yrs ago , she is quite happy to use ours when she redesigned hers and left no provision for for taking her bins out. It’s cheeky but I just wanted opinions but I don’t loose sleep over it. I’m wondering if we started going over her lawn with our bins what she would say lol

Sorry, but this sounds massively petty to me. You get on well and once a week they walk up and down your driveway for what, 10 seconds, causing no damage or inconvenience to anyone? They're very unlikely to damage your car. I honest couldn't be bothered getting all worked up about this.

This.

But if you are really worried about your car then speak to them and ask for it to stop.

FGS she is hardly ‘sharing’ your drive , she’s pushing a wheely bin up / down it presumably once a week , stop being so petty .

Cannot see an issue with this. Would I be correct in assuming your drive is as large as hers, i.e can fit three cars on it? Where are your bins stored OP? Do they go past your car?

I think I’d just say “hi, next door neighbour. I noticed you use our drive to take your bins out, would that you mind putting ours out too while you’re there?” 😚

t sounds like this situation is causing you a lot of stress and frustration. It's understandable that you don't want to have a confrontation with your neighbours and risk damaging your friendship, but it's also important to respect your own property and boundaries.

One approach you could try is having a direct but polite conversation with your neighbours. You could explain that while you value your friendship with them, you would prefer if they didn't use your driveway as it causes inconvenience and potential damage to your cars. You could also suggest alternative solutions, such as them using a different path or driveway that is more convenient for them.

If the problem persists despite your conversation, you could also consider seeking legal advice to see if there are any options to protect your property rights. However, it's important to keep in mind that this could potentially damage your relationship with your neighbours, so it's important to weigh the pros and cons before taking this step.

Overall, it's important to stand up for yourself and your property, but also try to find a solution that is respectful of both parties.

YABU - Mostly because despite being asked 5 times (and them's the rules!), you have failed to provide a diagram.

So you put your cars there so it is harder for them to use your driveway, but it is in inconvenient for you to move the cars there

So if the cars are normally where they live so it's easier on you both how is there a risk the cars will be scratched?

We need a diagram!

Is this board only for poor people’s problems?
Why does the fact they have a detached house or driveway change anything? Hint: it doesn’t.

You just sound bitter at other people’s success, that’s not a healthy mindset.

we don’t want a confrontation

have a conversation instead then!

YABU

show a bit of respect we are in out late seventies and lived their forty yrs

I don’t think you can expect respect based on age and how long you’ve lived in your house tbh.
Good neighbours are so important, having lived next to two awful sets of neighbours in previous houses I think if my current neighbours were walking up my drive once a week I’d not be too fussed. I’d hate there to be a fallout when I’m not in the position to move again. If it’s bothering you just a quick ‘would you mind not walking on our driveway please?’ should do it.

Can you put a line of planters or pots down the boundary to act as a little fence or barrier?

Exactly @TakeABite !!

So she just walks the bins over your drive and has never scratched a car or caused damage, I can’t imagine getting worked up about that, but clearly you are so tell her not to .

I’d also not say walking her bin over your drive for, what, a whole two mins it takes her to do it, once a week. is classed as using it as a shared drive

I don’t think you are being precious, I’d be unhappy if my car was at risk of being damaged on its own drive by a neighbour bringing a bin up it, I’d just say to them we’d appreciate it if you would take your bins up your own path as we are concerned the car could get scratched

This would do my nut in so I sympathise (we have a neighbour who used to drive diagonally across our drive to get in and out of his twice a day and after paying to have the edging kerb repaired 3 times,I put a stop to it) How ridiculous spending a lot of money on a re design and then using someone else's drive. Barmy. Do you have steps too or just a sloped drive?