AIBU to stop neighbours from using the steps at the side of my house as shortcut?

[thelongroad]

I genuinely can't decide whether saying something would be unreasonable or not.
Our house (blue) is next to the corner house (red). There is a new build next to us, consisting of 2 semis. The one right next to us is still empty, but just before Xmas a family moved into the other one (pink).

All the houses along our road have the front entrance along the front road, but can also be accessed from the back road (we have no garden, only parking spots for the cars). Neither the front nor the back are fenced off. Front road is a dead end, so nobody going past. Back road has occasional cars and kids walking to local school but otherwise nothing (rural village).

We own the bit between us and corner house (their land is fenced off all round). It's sloping downwards towards the back, and we've paved it and put in steps (grey lines) so we can walk from front to back of house. I've also got plants growing there and we have our firewood stack on the side.

Very occasionally kids who are playing on either road use our steps as a shortcut to the other road. This is ok. We've also had workmen ask to use it when they've been working on one road and needed to get to the other. Also fine.

However, since the new neighbours moved in, they have been using it ALL THE TIME for getting from the front to the back. They have a garage at the front of the house but park their 2nd car at the back. Clearly they have no way of getting into their house at the back (we put in a back door specifically for this purpose) so they using our steps to cut through instead of walking all the way around the corner house.

Now, the thing is that the steps go past our living/dining room, and I actually see them zipping past every time. If they look in they can see us too.

It's (irrationally?) annoying the fuck out of me that they seem to think they can just come onto my property because it's more convenient for them.
I've even blocked the bit a the front with a row of plant pots to make it slightly more obvious that it's not a public way, but they're still using it.

I can't decide if I'm being deeply unneighbourly and unreasonable in wanting them to stop using our steps. I know I can ask them to stop and they will have to (from a legal point of view) but should I? Why does this bother me so much??

Apologies that this is so long. I offer a diagram as compensation of you made it through!

when we were on holiday last year, I noticed someone had a sign up saying private path, please do not use. Between that and your planters, it should be okay. If not, you will need to say something to them. Some people are just selfish idiots who only think of themselves sadly.

I don't think you should have to spend a ton of money on a new fence. But it sounds like you're going to have to bite the bullet and talk to them.

I would have to pop a note through their door just asking that they stop using our land as access. And as you suggested pop the details of the company that pit
your back door on the note too

This is your boundary, they are CHOOSING to disrespect it. I'd politely stop them and ask them to respect it, unless an emergency or by ad-hoc agreement. If they continue to violate your privacy, let them know you'll consider it trespass.

The rottweiler in me would be telling them straight not to trespass. Although this can sometimes lead to a falling out.
As others have said gates that can be locked on both ends of your property, which is what you would have if you had a private garden at the back. We have a J lock and latch on ours each person in house has a key kept along with a front door key.

Would annoy me but they might not know

Do you have an update? I'm invested now! 🤣 I want to know what they said! 🤔🤣

I have a mid terraced house that is positioned similar to yours with a front and back road. My neighbour ended up putting in a gate to stop people walking through our access way.

This is probably a bit late by now but I would write a letter explaining you are writing to them (and others as well as a preventative precaution) to politely ask them [not to use, etc], that you put in the steps and your own back door in your own garden for your own use and you are taking liberties in walking through and that you can see them while from your [room] etc. It impacts your privacy bit in any event it’s trespassing on your private property and taking advantage of the work and expense therein. Other than occasionally kids, and workman asking as a one-off, they are they only ones to think it’s ok to do so. “Maybe you need to put in your own back door as we have”?

Say to them you do realise you're walking through my garden and then regardless of the expense (which is unfortunate) I'd block access off to everyone.

Please let us know what you do!

Can you not simply put a gate here yellow, and perhaps one at the back. Put a clar sigh 'no public right of way' or a 'private property ' sign.

The longer you leave it, the more of a problem it will be.

*clear

Hi all, I've only ever lived in 3 houses since married, old, new,then old again (21 years).
It has always been crucial where ever I've lived to put a "Fuck Off Gate" up asap to prevent future problems. One for obvious privacy, security and then the actual fact that the gate is even there means "Fuck Off, you're not welcome through here, as yes, itx Private Property". It's appearance speaks volumes.

Just to clarify, My 1st end of terrace house would have had no security for house or garden without the home made basic wooden 6 foot high gate with a lock and key. 2nd wimpy house, I'd nodded off in kitchen at table when a loud thump on patio door nearly gave me heart failure.Only lived there a few weeks, man and his son a few doors away had kicked his ball into our garden and obviously woke me up to get ball back. Fuck Off Gate as we've always called them was then up in two days. Opened both ways via key. A few weeks later ( I'm in late 20's, husband nights,up with ill baby at 1am) 3 men trying to get into my house, hands in letter box etc. I was lucky, they'd burgled a few houses in my road that night. We'd put wooden fence all round our garden and the gate, which deterred them police said. Sorry I'm ranting, but safety, security, privacy and not letting it become a public right of way in the future are all important factors. I'm not really confrontational and people can be so rude these days, so I'd just put the gate up asap tbh.You'll soon get used to it and ur protecting your house and cars as well. Please let us know what you do. Good luck.

I bought a house, many years ago, where a neighbour had regularly used my land/ garden since he bought his own house just after the war. He used it as a short cut to get to his back garden as his house was end of terrace and bordered my land. Nobody had ever asked him not to. He had, over the years, established a 'right of way' which meant I couldn't stop him, or anyone else, or block the access by building into my side return. Nor could i stop his successors using my garden in this way! Happy to make it easier for neighbours but don't allow without permission on each occasion.

Update: I haven't seen anyone using the steps since I started the thread! 😂

I've also blocked them with some more plant pots and toys etc. so maybe that's what's helped.

they are here on mumsnet 😝

That's good. Just don't forget all the advise you've been given on here. You just need 100% piece of mind...not a niggle in the back of your mind. Hope all stays OK for you

Corinne xx

Nothing beats peace of mind. Glad it seemed to work out for you.

Good God. This aspect of English law is insane. I don't think anywhere else in the world has this batshittery. Public rights if way out of need is one thing but to have the right across a private garden for no reason other than mild convenience is ridiculous