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!

Also people bought their properties knowing full well what access they had. Sometimes terraces houses have no access to their back gardens except through their houses

It isn't your issue to resolve so you must stop this

You risk devaluing your own property and having difficulty selling it later on, as well as the intrusion into your privacy

Just stop allowing it as it isn't a public foot path nor a pillbox short cut

Have you chatted to them at all, are they friendly? If so then a quick word will probably do the trick.

If not then I would send a letter, wording as above, to make it a bit more formal.

A gate/chain would make it more inconvenient for you to, but a sign saying private property might be enough.

Are the steps wide enough to put some chairs out, make it look more like a garden?

But talking is definitely the first step.

Very annoying YANBU but do they realise it's your garden/land? If it's all open plan and they've seen other people nip through, does it look like an actual public shortcut?

Public not pillbox

It's different if a contractor asks you and you agree as a one off - that doesn't create a right of way - but letting this carry on, will in years to come create a right of way for others !!

As per other posters I would check verbally that they know it's private property and that you don't want them using it as a shortcut.

if they persist I'd sent a formal letter advising them of this and if they carry on I'd sent a solicitor's letter.

But I'm a great believer in preventing "give an inch, take a mile" behaviour.

I think I’d put up something temporary just to make the point. Just some chicken wire or something. I would be not happy about people using it!

Honestly it seems it’s always the nuclear option on here. It’s never just use your words.

go round, knock on door, hi neighbour, I see you’ve been cutting through our garden, can we ask you not to, it feels quite intrusive. Thanks muchy.

It's not. Sheesh some people are so ridiculous

If OP wanted to talk to them first she would

If she doesn't then a polite letter is the way to go

Sorry cross post with your last post op!

You need to stop this asap.
What happens if somebody fell on the path at a later date?

Thanks for the diagram. I would put a chain up both ends with private property no trespassing on both chains. If they step over that or limbo under then definitely have a word. I would hate that too especially as it is your private area and you are using it for plants etc x

I’d ask them when they’re getting a back door put in. With a smile.

First off, speak to them.
If that doesn’t work, add gates.

They know they’ve no right of way, and it’s obvious you own it. So they possibly think you don’t mind, or maybe trying it on.

Yes it is. All this send a shitty letter, put up chicken wire, put lockable gates on. I get it’s less fun and less dramatic but really the answer is to go and bloody talk to them.

Talk to them, suggest they get a back door put in, reinforce it with a "No right of way" or "No entrance" notice.

Just say with a cheery smile "since you've only recently moved I guess you haven't realised but that's private party so you'll have to go the long way round or maybe do what we did and put a back door in"

Or put signs up and gates in .

The problem is you should have stopped anyone doing it without permission but you need to sort it now.

They are cheeky fuckers! Deal with them or next you know they'll have their deck chairs in your garden.

Limbo under it 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Start with a private property sign

I'd be parking my car right up to those steps and just block them off.

Personally I’m really territorial and would be putting gates up either side with “Private Property” written on each, regardless of cost. Followed by locks if necessary.

@Casilero you never know the cheekiness of some people 😂

This is your garden/land - no why would I be allowing this. If it’s defo clear it’s private, I would still be having a word first just in case, then blocking it off in some way if necessary. Some people are just CFs. Don’t let them bully you into feeling bad about it either!

Its clear why they are doing it but it gets them to explain clearly why they feel justified to use her garden.

They could just walk round the other side of the red house?