Neighbour using my drive, landlord won’t help. What can I do?

[9champions]

I’ve lived in my house for almost 4 years now, and I had a new drive put in last year, which cost a fair bit. Parking on my street isn’t great anyway, but I’ve recently noticed that my neighbour is using my drive to get to hers. I’m not sure if she’s always done this as I’ve only just noticed. Last week, I caught her in the act while I was outside sorting the bins, and I think she was surprised to see me. I talked to her on Sunday and politely asked if she could stop, but she said it’s difficult for her because her neighbours car sticks out into the space in front of her house, which makes her partners van hang over their drive, so she can’t get in and out without driving over mine.

They can’t park the van on the drive and the car on the street because there’s a fence between our driveways, and the van is too big to fit with the fence there. It’s their fence, on their boundary line btw. I suggested they take it down, but they’re tenants and don’t want to pay for it, which is understandable. Apparently, they asked the landlord a few months back if he would remove it, and he said he was fine with it being taken down, but he wouldn’t cover the cost.

I was thinking about putting up my own fence to stop them, but my drive is already pretty narrow, and then there's the cost involved. I know I could just pay to have theirs taken down, but should I really have to fork out money just to make them stop using my drive? I know it’s a hassle for them, but they should either talk to their neighbours to see if they can leave them more space on the road or have another chat with the landlord about the fence. They’re making this my problem, and I don’t think it’s fair for them to just assume they can use my drive forever. It’s not a shared drive btw. They’re just next to each other, similar to new build estates.

Am I being unreasonable / petty, or are they taking the piss? I’ve attached a diagram. The black squiggles are cars, and the red one is my neighbours car crossing over my drive to get to hers.

Many years ago some friends of mine bought a mid terraced house with plenty of off road parking at the back, accessed by a drive through under one of the bedrooms. They thought they were being neighbourly allowing the people next door to use a parking space. When they sold the house the neighbours told the new owners that they were allowed to park there, it caused an absolute shit storm and was only resolved because one of the people who were claiming parking rights died

I know it’s not the same thing but I agree with others that the OP actually does need to be careful here

....the highest order?

Can you give us the top five, just for comparison?

@WalkDontWalk that lovely poster went so clear as to call the neighbour a “cunt”. This thread has obviously gone very deep!

Update

She wasn’t in last night when I took the bins out, and they didn’t get moved until early this morning when the bin men came. I didn’t see her car there this morning either, so I’m not sure if she was away last night.

I’m planning to buy a long planter this weekend and use some gravel stones I already have to secure it. I’ve got 3 buckets filled with stones that I placed at the top of the drive this morning. I had to go out earlier but I’ve just got back home, and the buckets have been moved to the middle of the top of the drive, only realised as I had to get out of the car and move them before I could reverse on, but her car isn’t there. I can’t think of anyone else who would have moved them besides her.

I think it’s one thing to use someone’s drive, but actually getting out and moving stuff on their property? That can’t be right, can it? I was actually torn about doing this last night and felt a bit guilty, but now I really feel like she’s taking advantage What do you think, should I still go ahead with the planter?

Quite. It'd be interesting to know what that poster considered merely irksome.

And, if cutting across the drive makes one 'a fucking cunt of the highest order', how would otherly neighbourly infractions rank, such as hanging wind chimes or the kids kicking balls over or someone chucking a brick through the window with a note wrapped around it saying "Get a sense of perspective, you bad-tempered, foul-mouthed arsehole"?

Do you live alone @9champions ?

where did you source 3 buckets of stones from?!

Yes, I live on my own and the stones are from the old driveway. I’m not sure why that’s relevant ?

Why are you gate keeping a thread?

OP didn't specify that she was only looking for opinions of those who agreed with her. She literally created a poll asking if she was being unreasonable.

It has to be them. Either her or him.
I think you're committed now and need to get something they can't move. They have shown their hand and are intentionally treating yours as theirs.

Ohhhh I'm so invested now.

So it looks like she moved the buckets to get in & out of her driveway, but by doing so blocked you into your own driveway?

Like I said initially, at the outset I think you might have been overreacting but the thing that made me annoyed (on your behalf) was that when you spoke to her about it... she knew the solution but is too cheap to fix it and then just continued on.

Having you a doorbell camera by any chance?

I'd probably be so petty now to put the buckets back with a little sign saying "No trespassing" 😂

This is a strange question... are you the neighbour?

Just nosy about how you suddenly get your hands on three buckets of stones!😂

@9champions has clarified. The old driveway looking out for the new driveway!

I'd move my car down as far as possible to force her to have a conversation with her neighbour. And get a ring doorbell or some kind of camera to have evidence in case she bumps the car.

Its the principle that would annoy me. Though if neighbour had come and had a rational conversation wtih me about it I'd probably be more inclined to let her.

Of course she moved them, what an utter cheeky fucker.

I'd be telling her in no uncertain terms that if she steps on or drives over your property again, then she's trespassing.

Get a camera to cover the front area of your driveway. Do you know which agent or her Landlord? I'd bloody start reporting the cheeky fucker to them too.

Moving the buckets on YOUR property, then leaving YOU blocked to get back onto your property. Fuck me, I'd lose my rag with the cheeky madam.

I was wondering if you were a two car household or one, so that answers that question, is there a space outside your house that they will start using instead?

Whatever you put on that boundary you need to make sure it can't be moved as it looks like they are going to start playing silly bastards.

Our block paved driveway is dipping on the corner. The more vehicles that use it, the quicker it would need repairing.

This would annoy me too OP.

Of course she’s taking the piss. She’s now moving things off your driveway so she can drive over it? Absolute piss taker. You need to stop this now. She’s quite literally walking all over you.

I think you maybe need to get yourself a camera (which is obvious) so you can be certain who is moving things around on your drive. You then have proof should you need it. Also if she can see the camera it may stop her moving stuff

Proof, as if it was needed, that your NDN is beyond a CF cunt now.

You need to have firm words with her and to tell her to stay the fuck off your property and to not interfere or move your belongings on YOUR driveway.

Shes a cunt and needs to be told she is.

I’m not, but a few have commented saying how the OPs landlord won’t help her. I’m just saying the OP doesn’t have a landlord. Also I think she’s NBU. That’s my opinion

Surely her OH just has to move his van to let her move off and on the drive. A lot of couples have to do this all the time.

Ohhhh if ever there was a need to put those planters up! She must have moved the stones!

I'd be tempted to get a camera doorbell just to record any odd behaviour.

Do keep us updated!

I'm quite amused at those who don't see the issue here. It is not her driveway to drive across! She didn't pay for it, nor does she pay to maintain it.

My two NDNs have a ROW across the back of our drive, but should we need it repairing, they have to pay 1/3 of the cost each!

OP following your update, I suspect if you re-ran your poll most people would think you are NBU.
what a cheeky mare. Hope you get those planters superglued down.

Just such cheeky fuckery.

I bet she'll try to move the long planter too. Sorry if been mentioned but you need to get a ring doorbell and keep the footage incase this escalates.

Get the planter and get it secured. Good luck!