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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU to block my neighbour in?

56 replies

talulahharmony · 19/02/2023 19:07

At the back of my house, the land is all private. I own the entire plot adjacent to my house although the middle is a "right of way" for my neighbours. I moved into my house 5 years ago and the man who lives at back thought he owned my land which he clearly didn't according to the deeds. He made it difficult for us to park there and always hurled abuse if I we had visitors that parked there.

He tipped me over the edge when I was 8 months pregnant and he parked his car so close to mine that I couldn't get into my driver's side and could not hop over being heavily pregnant therefore me and husband got solicitors involved. The solicitor wrote to him (even though we'd tried this ourselves previously with no response) and he eventually responded telling them he won't do it again. The solicitor said they can't take it further as he said he won't do it again.

Since then we haven't had many issues as we avoided parking there. I have a garage I park in and there's public parking at the front of the house. His visitors always parked on my land but I let it be as I wasn't using it or needing it at the time. It did however bug me as he's never asked or even been nice to us.

Today, I reversed my car out of the garage and stopped on the part of my land next to his house. I was setting up my navigation and music then he arrived and blocked me in and therefore I couldn't leave the area. He just sat there for a good 20 minutes, I was too scared to get out and talk to him. I called my husband who then arrived and asked him to move forward as there was plenty of space to get past into his garden (that he has turned into a drive before we moved there). He refused and said there wasn't enough space. My husband then told me to park my car in the garage again so he could go past and just let it go for now. I did that and then went out and told him that the middle is right of way but the end land is my land. He started mimicking my accent and then made a racist remark about Indians taking all the land (I am British born, my parents are Indian, he is a White caucasian man).

I have had racism hurled at me before but there was just no need for this. It has really upset me. I want to go park my car in front of his (I have a day off work tomorrow so no need to move it) but on my part of the land. My husband is saying not to as two wrongs don't make a right. My husband wants me to report the racism to the police (I have it recorded on my dashcam); I don't think anything will happen as there was no physical violence.

Would I be unreasonable to block his car in?

OP posts:
sleepingdragon · 19/02/2023 22:05

Please report it to the police. You dont deserve to have to put up with his racism, and also if he was intimidated by the Solicitors letter the police getting involved may make him stop again.

I also think that you need to do something about him and his visitors using your land. Ignoring the situation will embolden him. What does your deeds say about his right of way- can he park on it or is it just a right to pass? If he just has a right to pass, you could use flower pots, bollards or something relativly cheap and decorative to make a path wide enough for a single car to drive down. Check what your deeds say but you dont need to give him more than his right of way.

You can also set up your own residents parking scheme for the parking are for you and your other neighbour and get a company to fine anyone who parks there without permission. There are a few companies who run these in a way that you report the cars- they will send you the signage and set up your online account. Once you install the signage, you take a photo of any car that parks without permission and upload it to your account. The company will send out a parking fine to the registered keeper, and also pay you for each car that you report.

Cherrysoup · 19/02/2023 22:30

Police, quick. He was intimidating you and being racist. Possible public order offence. Push for them to speak to him and stop allowing anyone bar your guests to use your land. You’re allowing him to establish a right of way if he continues to get his mates to park there. He knows he shouldn’t and he’s pushing your buttons. Show him you’re serious.

StoneofDestiny · 19/02/2023 23:09

Report the racism immediately.

Can you fence off your land?

StoneofDestiny · 19/02/2023 23:12

Sorry - just spotted cost of fencing. Giant boulders will do it then.

PriamFarrl · 19/02/2023 23:20

Don’t block him in. You need to be the ‘bigger man’ here. Don’t stoop to his level and don’t let him get any ammunition.

Babysharkdoodoodood · 19/02/2023 23:27

Absolutely report the hate crime.

But I'm surprised that no one has mentioned .........

WIBU to block my neighbour in?
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