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.

Yeah I’d be annoyed especially considering how much drives costs to redo. Can you not put a narrow planter at the edge of your drive?

The fence belongs to them, on their land, where the boundary begins, so I can't extend it without getting their permission first. I doubt they’d say yes as they’re already having problems parking. I'd need to put my own fence up, right next to theirs on my driveway, which would make the drive a little narrower

I would as well. Why are so many posters saying it is ok? Let them pay to remove the fence, it’s not the OP’s problem to solve.

This is what I’m going to do on the weekend. The rubbish bin is being collected tomorrow so I’m going to put there tonight. It will be interesting to see if she moves it lol

It sounds as if the neighbour has been doing it for years, before OP even lived there. I doubt they give it a second thought, because while a drive is technically OP’s property, it’s also just a bit of paved over land. I mean people walk their dogs along my road and sometimes the dogs pull onto my drive to have a sniff, or pee up the wall between mine and my neighbour’s house (I own the wall) - should I run out and demand that no one ever sets foot on an inch of my property? Should I demand dogs pee in public space only? I think that is demented behaviour. It’s not like anyone is driving through her living room. Having said all this, if she has asked her neighbour to stop doing it and neighbour won’t, neighbour is in the wrong. But that doesn’t mean OP is being reasonable.

Is it possible the reason she parked on the road while your drive was being redone was because she couldn't use your drive to get to hers then?
But anyway, if they can't fit their van on the drive or in the space in front of their house then they need to park the van somewhere else. It is their issue that they are trying to make yours.
Good luck with the planters, and please come back and tell us how it goes.

Big old plant pots on the boundary would look nice

@9champions Oh how I wish my life was so peaceful and free of problems that I would have the headspace to get extremely angry about a neighbour's car touching my driveway for a few seconds.

It would depend on the relationship with my neighbour. A lovely one - sure, no biggie. One I can’t stand - no way.

Surely this has to go back to the neighbour whose car sticks out over their driveway in the first place? They are the cause of the whole thing, it’s like dominoes.

Yes, it could be, but there were a few times I came home and saw her parked on the street while the van was missing, so she could have gotten into the driveway (but maybe not out if he came back and parked in front). I’m not really sure the reasoning behind it.

I’ll keep you updated!

I think that’s unfair. I’m not sure why you’ve assumed I don’t have other problems / worries. I do, but am I not allowed to be frustrated by this too? Also, I’m not ”extremely angry” lol

Do have to go on her drvie to access yours? I can't understand why she needs to go on your drive for sccess you don'[t go on hers momentarily if the space is quite narrow. This is not something I would with a neighbour because it doesn\t really imact on your life as you can stil access drive anyway.

She probably parked on the road when you were getting your drive replaced as she couldn’t drive over your drive.

id block it with either my car or put up a fence. It would annoy me too, either her partner needs to learn to park properly or she needs to learn how to drive better onto her own driveway.

Plant pots, sorted :)

You’ve asked politely and she’s still doing it - so bloody cheeky. I echo other comments about a nice planter on the end of your drive and would add the suggestion of getting a ring doorbell to keep an eye on things.

no I don’t drive over hers to access mine. There are two spaces on the street in front of their house. These aren't designated spaces, but their neighbour parks in one (right in front of their own house, but a bit over the line into my neighbours space), and my neighbour (van driver) parks in the other, slightly hanging over his driveway. This means his partner has to cut across the corner of my driveway to get in and out of their driveway.

Is this a joke?

That maybe wasn't her being awkward but an indication that she was using your drive then too - if she couldn't access it, she couldn't use her driveway.

It would annoy me too. If you don't go out much in the car, could you park near the end of your drive to stop her. She will either have to speak to the other neighbour, park elsewhere or ask you to park further back on your drive.

Omg please update us if she moves the bin. That would be diabolical.

I think she’s taking the absolute piss. If she can’t manoeuvre her own car properly then she needs to re take her test. What would she be doing of the fence went right to the end? Parking on your drive? Now that you have noticed what she’s doing nip it in the bud and put planters there.

A slim planter is a good way to go. They need to ask their other neighbour not to park over the line. Your neighbours are taking the piss - its extra wear and tear on your drive that will show over time.

Ignore the haters on here, you are well within your rights to be annoyed. Some people have a problem with expecting people to respect boundaries.

OK I understand what you mean about the overhanging van. That does sound a bit annoying in general but I still don't think it's worth souring relations with your neighbour for something that isn't really impacting on you much. The fact you hadn't notice for a long time proves that.

I had neighbours like this use to drive me nuts I got massive planters and put them there it stopped them some people are so entitled

Think the planters sound like a good idea. Perhaps metal ones. Plastic or ceramic might have an ‘accident’.

Yes, it's interesting that posters are saying OP is being petty but not that the neighbours are being petty by not bothering to take the fence down.

The van driving partner could also park his van differently or ask the other neighbour to budge along a bit. But, coincidentally, they've chosen the solution with zero effort or inconvenience for them, just for you.

Draw a line. Get those concrete planters. If they'd been super sweet and done years of favours for you, it might be different. But they haven't and they're only concerned about themselves. So be the same.