The driveway drama continues. Neighbours are still driving me insane. What should I do now?

[9champions]

I’m not sure if anyone remembers my last thread, but to save me from explaining the background, I’ll link it here - https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5482826-neighbour-using-my-drive-landlord-wont-help-what-can-i-do?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

I’m not really looking for opinions on that since we’ve already discussed it. However, I’d like to hear your thoughts on what’s happened since then and what I should do next.

After chatting with the neighbour and her outright refusing to stop, I decided to put up my own fence for some privacy and to stop her from using my driveway. I considered putting down planters, boulders, etc. (which I’ll get to in a minute), but I figured a fence would be a better option since it’s sturdier. It’s not ideal because my driveway is pretty narrow, and the extra cost is frustrating, but their fence is right on the boundary line anyway, so hopefully, it won’t make a big difference, and I’ll still have enough space to get in and out of my car.

I’ve been trying to get someone to come over and give me a quote for the last few weeks, but I’ve been let down a couple of times. Finally, someone is coming this week to have a look. Now, about the planters. I’ve been parking my car there as usual, but somehow she’s still managed to squeeze past. I wanted to put something there while I was away this weekend until the fence was up, so I placed 2 long thin planters there (on my land, not hers). I got home yesterday, and there was a knock on the door. It was her saying she ran over the planters and broke them, offering to pay for a new one, etc. I said no (they were £2.50, so I’m not going to bother asking for that), but isn’t this just ridiculous? The planters were on my drive, so the only reason she hit them was because she drove over my property. She tried to claim she clipped them with her back wheel, but that wouldn’t have happened if she wasn’t cutting across the drive in the first place. It was honestly like something out of a comedy sketch.

I’d be more sympathetic if this was their only choice, but it’s not. They could:

Take down their fence so he can park the van there instead and put the car on the street to create more space.

Talk to the landlord again about the fence.

Talk to their neighbours and ask them to leave more room on the road for the van.

Move the van when she needs to go out or come back home.

They’re opting for the easiest, most convenient solution, even if it means damaging someone else's property. It just reaches a point where it becomes bone idle.

So what should I do now? Continue with the fence and hope she doesn’t crash into it or damage it? I can let the planter go, but not a fence. I’ve already asked her nicely, and she made excuses. I’ve put obstacles in her way, and she’s just driven over them. So what else can I do? Should I really have to go through all this trouble to stop someone from using my property?

What’s even more confusing is that she says she can’t get out of her car on the side of the fence because there isn’t enough space, so she has to pull onto the driveway instead of reversing and driving off in a straight line. But her partner was in the passenger seat yesterday and got out on that side just fine, so there’s clearly enough room. I think she’s just a bad / lazy driver and doesn’t want to reverse on.

Before anyone says it’s not causing any damage, I don’t care. It’s my property, and I don’t want them using it. If it was now and again, that would be different, but not every day, multiple times a day. They've been dicks and unhelpful in the past, so no, I don't feel like helping them out either.

According to AI on Google ( so not to be relied upon) YES An ongoing dispute with a neighbour who is renting would still need to be declared as it is still relevant to the buyer who would need to be made aware.

EDITED to add - It does also say, you need to speak to the Landlord. @9champions You really need to keep doing this while this goes on. Maybe he'll give in and take the fence down

I've had a look at your previous thread and if I've understood it correctly, the fence goes halfway down in between your drives and you are thinking of extending it so that it runs the full length between the 2 drives. Again, if I've understood correctly, someone parks opposite their drive so she cannot swing the car into her drive, so drives diagonally across yours.

So the problem is between her and the neighbour parked opposite her drive, but instead of addressing it with the neighbour, she just uses your drive.

If they were to take the fence down between the 2 houses (I think you said van man says he can't get out of the van when it's parked by the fence), if the fence wasn't there would van man be getting out of the van and stepping onto your drive?

Even with a car parked opposite her drive, unless she's driving a tank, she should still be able to turn into her drive without using yours.

I would definitely go with the fence all the way down between the 2 drives. I can see why it would bug you. We have a neighbour who often ends up on our drive for one reason or another and it does tend to grate after a while.

No they won't what? I'm not sure what you're tagging me about @MinnieMountain

You put up planters that fit nicely you drill drainage holes in the bottom. You get meter+ lengths of steel rebar and you beat then through the planter as deep as you can get them. You fill the planters with gravel or concrete . It will be very unexpectedly strong and hopefully put her off .Gravel means that once the car stops driving across your driveway you can remove some of it and put flowers in.
You also keep the receipts.
If you can only get the rebar in a foot or two you put something on the top. An upside down plant pot..a flag..anything that shows up.

You take a photo. If she damages them you give her a copy of the receipt and a photo and tell her to put it back like it was. This week.
Hopefully that and the damage to the car will be sufficient.

If she's stroppy you ask for her car insurance details as she is driving without due care and attention and has damaged your property. If she wont give you car insurance details you report her to the police. Not reporting vehicular accidents is a criminal offence. No it doesn't require two cars. Property damage is fine. If she does it again report her again.
Eventually she'll get enough points to lose her license .

What about putting a big solid concrete post on the end of where the 'fence' would be - no fence to get broken but nice big post that will damage any vehicle using your bit of driveway. You could even put one on the other side and say that you're considering putting a gate up but you wanted to see how the gateposts look to start with.

What about something like this OP?

Got to your local screwfix/toolstation and buy a bag of postcrete. Usually about £10 per bag.

Buy a large plastic tub. Preferably one with the top the same width as bottom so it won't topple over. Put it in position and mix the postcrete with water.
Leave to set.

You can, if you have help, turn your own homemade 'bollard' out into position and paint it bright yellow. If you are feeling generous, put a cheap solar light next to it.
Wait for lady to hit and damage car. Point out- it's bright yellow, on your land and has it's own light. Therefore, not your problem that she's hit it.

You said the neighbours can claim a right of access @BudgetBuster They can't.

God I cba getting so stressed over such a nothing issue. You want to make your drive narrower and pay for a fence, along with planters etc, purely to make her parking more difficult based on the principle. You crack on and pay for it then. Maybe they’ll clip the fence and you’ll have paid for it for nothing, but at least you’ll have marked your territory. Maybe you can just go out and piss on it.

I would be building a wall, not a fence.

If you had actually taken the time to read both threads, you’d realise she’s the one making her parking difficult because she’s being lazy, not me. I’m just protecting my property, which I have every right to do. She would also have to cover any damage to the fence, so it’s not for nothing. It will give me some privacy and prevent entitled people from taking advantage. Since you think it’s such a minor issue, I guess you’re the type of person who thinks it’s okay to use things that aren’t yours without asking and just do whatever you want?

I’m very tempted to at this point.

Concrete planters and very spiky plants.

I’ve not followed your earlier thread and this may well have been mentioned, but could you park further down your drive so that your car is the obstacle? Seems harsh you need to pay for a fence to stop her behaviour and she’d hardly drive into your car.

Can, I ask you about this, @9champions

Now, about the planters. I’ve been parking my car there as usual, but somehow she’s still managed to squeeze past. I wanted to put something there while I was away this weekend until the fence was up, so I placed 2 long thin planters there (on my land, not hers). I got home yesterday, and there was a knock on the door. It was her saying she ran over the planters and broke them, offering to pay for a new one, etc. I said no (they were £2.50, so I’m not going to bother asking for that), but isn’t this just ridiculous? The planters were on my drive, so the only reason she hit them was because she drove over my property. She tried to claim she clipped them with her back wheel, but that wouldn’t have happened if she wasn’t cutting across the drive in the first place. It was honestly like something out of a comedy sketch.

Firstly, how on earth did you find planters for under a fiver?
Were they tiny?
I seem to remember on your first thread you said you had 3 buckets of stones. Didn't her hitting that not make a huge mess? And who cleared up the stones? Didn't it damage her car?
Had you planted plants in them? Were they not damaged too?

Why can't the other neighbour who is causing all this by overlapping their drive, stop? Sorry if I've missed an answer to that. Then they can get onto their drive the proper way. Otherwise if they're good neighbours I'd let them drive slightly over your drive (will hardly likely damage it) and of they're not, then I'd put a big scratchy rockery down my side. I'd prefer the first option though as any barrier will possibly cause your own car damage, if it's a dark rainy night for instance.

Another vote for a sniper tower

While you're waiting for the fence to go up (use concrete posts!, ensuring the very end has one), I'd find boulders or something heavy and in multiples and put those at the end of your drive on top of the gravelled strip. Something that would require multiple trips and back and forth to move, and not light weight. Maybe that'd discourage her and make the use of your drive the less easy option.

Think about this.
6ft galvanised steel tubes concreted in approx 2ft under the gravel strip (so leave them approx 4ft high). Then fill with concrete to make them solid. Plant them 5/6ft apart & string fencing wire or some decorative chain along the poles.
Visible & probably cheaper than a fence. You just may need a friend to help do it.

@CoffeeBeansGalore When is all that digging and concrete cheaper than a fence. It isn’t. Fences don’t cost that much and who on earth wants galvanized steel tubes? Awful kerb appeal!

You're shouting into the void here. Reading this thread you would think the neighbour has murdered her cat!

@INeedAnotherName There is no conflict if she legally puts up a fence on her own land. It would be contentious if the next door drive was reduced to 4ft and became unusable as a result, it would obviously be wrong and would lead to conflict. If the op can widen her drive and not interfere with the width of theirs, there’s no issue that needs reporting. If solicitors get involved or correspondence, that’s a conflict.

Railway sleeper or 2 on top of each other?

folding parking bollards. Bolted into the ground take a look on line.

@OhDear111 No need to be rude.

1. It was a suggestion. Not an order or demand.
2. Fence posts would need digging down and concreting in. No extra work.