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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour passing through my driveway to get on and off theirs

169 replies

parkingcars · 26/03/2025 01:29

I bought my house October last year and had the driveway fixed a couple of months later. Recently, I’ve seen that my next door neighbours, who are not attached, pass through (couple of times a day) the upper half of my drive to access theirs. They run side by side with a fence (in red) on the boundary line, but it’s not a shared drive. Additionally, their garage was built up to the boundary line.

I only have the 1 car, but they have 2 - a van parked on the road and a car on the drive. They are unable to drive immediately on and off since the van slightly overhangs their drive. They’re unable to drive the van forward to create extra space because their neighbour parks his car close to it to avoid blocking his own drive, which has another car parked on it (also a 2 vehicle household)

I understand it’s not my neighbours fault / intention to cause any issues, however it is frustrating that they are using my drive, which will lead to faster wear and tear without any contribution to maintenance costs. Ultimately, I think it’s up to them and their neighbour to find a resolution instead of using my drive.

My drive extends along the full length of my house, and I typically park towards the end. However, I’ve considered parking at the top of my drive to prevent this issue from happening. My concern is that they might bump my car while moving in and out.

AIBU? Am I being petty? Diagram attached…

Neighbour passing through my driveway to get on and off theirs
OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Fourleggedfanatic · 26/03/2025 06:54

Have to be honest- it wouldn’t worry me.

Feelingstrange2 · 26/03/2025 06:55

Just here for the diagram. Great work!

outofofficeagain · 26/03/2025 06:55

The wear and tear on the drive is a non-issue. It’s a driveway, they are supposed to be driven on. It’s also the furthest bit away from you.

But it is your property

You can go to the trouble of putting in obstacles etc but I think you will look petty.

Flipperti · 26/03/2025 06:55

Can you put out a couple of plant pots to stop them doing this?

greengreyblue · 26/03/2025 06:58

Definitely not petty. It’s cheeky fuckery and these people operate by making you feel petty. It’s your property and no decent person would do this . Park at the end of the drive so they can’t.

outofofficeagain · 26/03/2025 06:59

MathsMum3 · 26/03/2025 02:30

So they're really just drving over the corner of your driveway (left hand side of your purple rectangle), to angle their car onto theirs? If so, maybe it's not a big deal.

It's curious that the fence doesn't extend right to the end, but you said in a previous post that the drives are very narrow, so maybe the fence was built that way so that both of you have more of an angle to get on to each of your own driveways, especially if you're reversing in.

Edited
Show quote history

also fences limit visibility getting on and off the drive.

Wishingplenty · 26/03/2025 07:01

Yawn another petty "that is my land" dispute. Until people learn to let these things go for the greater good, there are always going to be wars.
Once people start quibbling about parking, there is literally no going back, you will be arch enemies until one of you decides to move. If you can bare it pick the battle, but it literally will never go away.

UpsideDownChairs · 26/03/2025 07:04

Where's the pavement?

Isn't the bit they're driving over pavement?

JoyousEagle · 26/03/2025 07:05

Potentially they think this is a preferred option to them parking their van on the road in front of your garden - which would obviously be perfectly legal for them to do, and would give them space to drive onto their driveway without crossing yours.

Fiveandeight58 · 26/03/2025 07:09

Install one of these detachable metal posts

Neighbour passing through my driveway to get on and off theirs
outofofficeagain · 26/03/2025 07:10

JoyousEagle · 26/03/2025 07:05

Potentially they think this is a preferred option to them parking their van on the road in front of your garden - which would obviously be perfectly legal for them to do, and would give them space to drive onto their driveway without crossing yours.

If you block your driveway this is definitely what they will do.

Perfectly within your rights but will block your view to the right getting off your drive, which is more of an arse than blocking it to the left.

MellowPinkDeer · 26/03/2025 07:13

I would absolutely be parking just into my drive so they stopped doing it. Petty probably but this would drive me nuts. They could just park their van properly. It’s a then problem not a you problem

Shinyandnew1 · 26/03/2025 07:13

JoyousEagle · 26/03/2025 07:05

Potentially they think this is a preferred option to them parking their van on the road in front of your garden - which would obviously be perfectly legal for them to do, and would give them space to drive onto their driveway without crossing yours.

Good point.

Could they do that, OP? Would that annoy you more?

simpledeer · 26/03/2025 07:19

Big heavy plant pot.

Or leave your car at that end.

Harrumphhhh · 26/03/2025 07:19

10/10 for the diagram
0/10 for all the PP who have not yet suggested penguin bollard

I think you need to consider the bigger picture here:

  • How important are neighbourly relations? (Do they take your bins out occasionally, take in mail, feed your cat when you’re on holiday, etc? Or do you literally just live next to each other?)
  • How much would it annoy you if they started parking the van at the end of your garden (the obvious solution)?
unsync · 26/03/2025 07:23

Ask them for a contribution to the repair costs. If they are using it, they are contributing to the wear and tear. Drive maintenance can be expensive. Or put a collapsible bollard or gate in.

MaryGreenhill · 26/03/2025 07:23

Do not turn this into a neighbour problem, in case you ever want to sell the house OP.
My friend has terrible neighbours and her life is a living hell because of them .
Also her house value is affected because of it .
It's such a minor thing just twice a day and whilst annoying , it will not cause terrible damage to your drive surely .

SmurfKingdom · 26/03/2025 07:24

I don’t think it’s petty. I would never think it’s ok to keep using my neighbours driveway like that. This is the problem with everyone having too many vehicles than they can accommodate nowadays. Our street is a nightmare, everyone’s got 2+ cars with driveways that only fit 1, plus work vans parked everywhere.

Daisydiary · 26/03/2025 07:24

Fence and gates. Or borrow a couple of friends’ cars for a few days and fill your drive with cars, forcing them to find a solution for themselves. How dare they? It’s your property!

FuckityFux · 26/03/2025 07:24

@HellsBalls Jeez, that’s dreadful.

Presumably it’s the blocked paving bungalow for sale?

No-one’s going to view that when they see Billy Big Balls parking their massive car over the drive like that. I wonder if it’s a deceased persons house being sold and that’s why the neighbour is taking advantage?

Princesspollyyy · 26/03/2025 07:30

I’ve got similar with my neighbours, except instead of them using my drive to get on and off theirs, they are blaming me for them not being able to get on and off their drive, as they are not capable of reverse parking, which would solve all their problems.

They even called the police, who sent a PCSO out, who told us we weren’t doing anything wrong, and to ignore them.

OP, I would start parking at the other end of your drive, so they have to find another solution. Really, they should find another place for their van. I think they are being really cheeky. If they ask why you have started parking in a different place, just say you want to be able to see your car from the house, for security reasons.

WhatDidIComeInThisRoomFor · 26/03/2025 07:30

Why does their NDN park where they do? If they could move up along the road there would be more room for the van - is that a solution?

it’s annoying but I wouldn’t start on neighbour wars with planters etc.

blcakgaragedoor · 26/03/2025 07:31

I agree with @Feefifothumbthink they should park their van on the drive and the car on the road. I imagine they won’t do this as it will damage their drive.

FedUpandEatingChocolate · 26/03/2025 07:35

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ diagram

I'd put a robust planter like this at the end of the drive, as long as it's narrow enough not to block your own access.

Neighbour passing through my driveway to get on and off theirs
FatherFrosty · 26/03/2025 07:40

Careful what you wish for. What would be more annoying, them driving over a bit of your driveway (I agree, not ideal by a long shot).
My guess is the van is works so gets parked on the road whilst the car is theirs so insurance and convenience mean that gets the driveway. so your likely just to push the van further up.

id be tempted to get a delivery of compost or something to the part where they use and see how it plays out.