Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Reasonable or grabby neighbours?

120 replies

Housen · 30/05/2025 15:12

There’s a no-man’s land back passage running behind three terrace houses (1,3,5). According to land registry this is owned by no one (unregistered land). We own no. 1 (recently bought) our neighbours own 3 and 5 (yes they own 2 houses!) they have one 15 yr old kid.

Neighbours have put a locked gate on the passage and claimed it as their own. They store their bins and bikes back there- including in the space behind our garden.
We asked if we could store our bins there too - there’s space for at least 2 more bins without blocking the way. (our garden is much smaller than theirs and we have three small kids, 1-5 years. the bins in our garden take up a load of space where we’d love to put a playhouse).

Neighbours have said no. They have said since they’ve been using this passage as theirs only for years (because they put a locked gate on it and our house was occupied by lodgers who never bothered to challenge this) , it’s now legally their property and we have no right of access and they are not willing to share.

Do we have any leg to stand on here? I’m guessing not, but thought I’d consult the collective wisdom of mumsnet..

We live in England.

Also AIBU for thinking our neighbours are absolute a*holes? We’ve had friendly relations until now.

OP posts:
CapitalAtRisk · 30/05/2025 15:13

Absolute nonsense. At the most, they might be able to claim right of way after years of use. (IANAL though.)

Time for you to put a gate up as well, OP!

Soonenough · 30/05/2025 15:14

I believe twenty years is the limit ? And tell them.to prove it . Equal access would apply .

ladyofshertonabbas · 30/05/2025 15:16

Wtf! Don’t know legalities but…. Just horrible

CapitalAtRisk · 30/05/2025 15:16

Soonenough · 30/05/2025 15:14

I believe twenty years is the limit ? And tell them.to prove it . Equal access would apply .

The limit for what? They are claiming actual ownership.

marsal · 30/05/2025 15:17

unregistered land doesn't mean that nobody owns it. All land is owned by someone. It just means that it hasn't changed hands since compulsory registration came in. It's probably council owned. Contact the council and ask them.

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:18

marsal · 30/05/2025 15:17

unregistered land doesn't mean that nobody owns it. All land is owned by someone. It just means that it hasn't changed hands since compulsory registration came in. It's probably council owned. Contact the council and ask them.

Thanks that’s a good suggestion to contact the council. I doubt they will know though..?

OP posts:
MounjaroMounjaro · 30/05/2025 15:19

Well, the land will be owned by the council, won't it? They're wrong for denying you use of it. They're wrong to put gates on it, too, surely? Why can't their second gate stop at their property so that you have the space behind yours?

Sofiewoo · 30/05/2025 15:20

it’s now legally their property and we have no right of access and they are not willing to share.
Do we have any leg to stand on here? I’m guessing not, but thought I’d consult the collective wisdom of mumsnet.

Well if it’s now legally theirs and it was never yours what leg do you think you would have?

marsal · 30/05/2025 15:20

Housen · 30/05/2025 15:18

Thanks that’s a good suggestion to contact the council. I doubt they will know though..?

Show quote history

If you do it as an FOI request then someone will research it and come back to you with the answer (which will almost certainly be that it is council owned)

DaisyChain505 · 30/05/2025 15:20

Absolute cheeky fuckery going on here.

Go to the council and investigate.

Go back to the estate agents that your purchased the house from as you would have been told about the land by them.

Dont just give in.

Fairislesweater · 30/05/2025 15:21

How long ago did they claim it? I thought land was subject to something akin to squatters rights after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Do you have a back gate that opens onto it?

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:22

Sofiewoo · 30/05/2025 15:20

it’s now legally their property and we have no right of access and they are not willing to share.
Do we have any leg to stand on here? I’m guessing not, but thought I’d consult the collective wisdom of mumsnet.

Well if it’s now legally theirs and it was never yours what leg do you think you would have?

My question is - are they right in claiming it’s legally theirs? Can we challenge this?

According to the land registry it is unregistered land- doesn’t legally belong to anyone. They admitted to putting a locked gate on it and hence have been exclusively using it for many years.

OP posts:
Glitchymn1 · 30/05/2025 15:22

They’re talking about adverse possession- complicated. You might be better moving this to legal.

DissDissOrDiss · 30/05/2025 15:22

Sofiewoo · 30/05/2025 15:20

it’s now legally their property and we have no right of access and they are not willing to share.
Do we have any leg to stand on here? I’m guessing not, but thought I’d consult the collective wisdom of mumsnet.

Well if it’s now legally theirs and it was never yours what leg do you think you would have?

Because it’s very likely not theirs.

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:25

Fairislesweater · 30/05/2025 15:21

How long ago did they claim it? I thought land was subject to something akin to squatters rights after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Do you have a back gate that opens onto it?

Yeh that is their argument essentially- squatters rights I guess.
We don’t have a back gate that opens onto it- the gate runs alongside the side wall of our house and the neighbours have put a lock on on that gate. I was wondering though- what if we put a gate in our back wall? Can the neighbours stop us doing this? That would be nuclear though. lol.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 30/05/2025 15:26

Well in Wales here the council just won't have it. Terraces etc with this system are expected to keep their bins there and roll them out on collection day. Here we'd ask our councillor to make enquiries on our behalf.

In fact a neighbour did something like this, another neighbour reported it to their councillor within hours there was a cease and desist issued. Job done.

Fairislesweater · 30/05/2025 15:29

Housen · 30/05/2025 15:25

Yeh that is their argument essentially- squatters rights I guess.
We don’t have a back gate that opens onto it- the gate runs alongside the side wall of our house and the neighbours have put a lock on on that gate. I was wondering though- what if we put a gate in our back wall? Can the neighbours stop us doing this? That would be nuclear though. lol.

Show quote history

I actually have no idea, I think you need to find out who owns it first and what right of access (if any) you have over it. Sounds like a land grab to me though.

Trumptonagain · 30/05/2025 15:31

marsal · 30/05/2025 15:20

If you do it as an FOI request then someone will research it and come back to you with the answer (which will almost certainly be that it is council owned)

Show quote history

If so ask if it's possible if you could purchase it.

4forksache · 30/05/2025 15:31

Look up adverse possession? How many years have they done this?
The fact that nobody could access it even if they wanted to, might have a bearing?

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:32

marsal · 30/05/2025 15:20

If you do it as an FOI request then someone will research it and come back to you with the answer (which will almost certainly be that it is council owned)

Show quote history

Ahh this is amazing advice. Thank you.

OP posts:
4forksache · 30/05/2025 15:33

10-12 years I think

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:33

4forksache · 30/05/2025 15:31

Look up adverse possession? How many years have they done this?
The fact that nobody could access it even if they wanted to, might have a bearing?

That’s a really good point about nobody being able to access it even if they wanted to.. not sure if that’s a factor but feels like it should be!

OP posts:
yoyo1234 · 30/05/2025 15:38

So sounds like you have checked land register and it is not an add on to their property, they have not formalised any claim. Jump/get over fence. Quick photo etc. They then have not had sole access to the ground , you have evidence to stop clock on their claim. Get on to council.

UncharteredWaters · 30/05/2025 15:39

So we had this - ended up asking the council if we could buy the land, but didn’t mention the neighbours. They were seething when they found out that we now officially owned it!!!

We wanted it sorted, but not to have to declare a neighbour dispute, if selling.

Original poster
Housen · 30/05/2025 15:39

yoyo1234 · 30/05/2025 15:38

So sounds like you have checked land register and it is not an add on to their property, they have not formalised any claim. Jump/get over fence. Quick photo etc. They then have not had sole access to the ground , you have evidence to stop clock on their claim. Get on to council.

Haha I love that, we could easily get over the fence and take a quick selfie. I think contacting the council is a good idea. Thank you.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread