Neighbours sleeping on our driveway

[Missedvocation]

We have new neighbours in the house next door (shared driveway) they are only there for 6-9 months as they are emigrating (just waiting for visas etc). They have a house full of stuff like normal, but don’t own a bed. They claim they can’t be bothered to get a bed, so are sleeping each night in their camper van on the driveway.

Now, I think this is fine obviously for a few weeks while they wait for furniture or as they approach the end and are selling their stuff - but nearly a year living on the driveway- weird! (Especially given that it’s also OUR driveway, and so they are sleeping really close to our front door).

It’s not like it affects us, we just find it weird! We’d never say anything and what people do in their house is their business. Especially in the morning when putting the children in the car at 0715 for the school run - we find ourselves telling the children not to talk as we don’t want to wake people up etc.

So, what do people think - AIBU, or do you also think this is mega weird???

Really odd, it’ll be freezing in the winter. Surely you’d just get a cheap bed in the house for a few months.

How near to your front door are they? Could they move it a bit?

It wouldn’t bother me unless they were having loud sex I could hear from my house or doing something else obviously weird.

It’s odd they prefer that. I mean, we’ve had building work going on for 6 months. We had to move out of our bedrooms very quickly as house was at risk of collapse. The beds are too big to fit down the stairs, so we’ve been sleeping on mattresses on the floor of my home office since February. Not ideal, but better than sleeping in the camper van outside.

I’d let them get on with it, but I wouldn’t be being quite just because someone chooses to sleep in their drive. Nothing stopping them from moving the mattress inside.

It’s super odd but it wouldn’t bother me too much; the van’s going to be there anyway whether they’re inside it or not. Plus could help with security I suppose !
idk why they wouldn’t just get a cheap blow up mattress at least or a second hand one on marketplace !

Weird, but harmless I guess? I wouldn’t be telling my kids to not speak though. They’re making a choice to do this, it’s not a necessity so I probably wouldn’t be making adjustments for them (like telling my kids not to talk). Obviously I wouldn’t let the kids scream, but I don’t let them do that anyway.

Damn, I thought "sleeping" was mistype of "parking". Yes it is strange behaviour.

Are they in the way when you need to leave or return via your driveway?

I think it is inconsiderate of them and I would be quite loud in the morning.

I suppose the arrangement suits them for now. At least they have a date for leaving! I wouldn't like it if it was a permanent thing and family/friends were living there full time though.

So the camper is parked on your driveway? I definitely would object to that!

I wouldn't especially care if they choose to sleep in their camper, but it shouldn't be parked on your property.

There is another reason they are not sleeping in their bedroom. Or claim not to have a bed.
Are they renting ? And do you think they have in turn rented out ?

Your driveway? Ask them to park in another spot.

I’m really confused as I thought shared driveways were just for driving over and you only park on your actual land as if you park on the shared but you’ll be blocking drive? That’s how ours works

Are you sure they aren’t only doing it occasionally and joking with you? “Yeah, we just sleep in the van, why buy a bed when we’ve got everything we need in there!” etc. I did similarly with my goddaughter, who spent ages believing I camped 24/7 in my campervan outside.

If not then it’s a bit odd but I’d just behave as you would anyway towards neighbours sleeping indoors with the windows open in summer, normal voices appropriate for 7am and just get on with it.

It is weird. Surely an inflatable bed and sleeping bags in the house would be more comfortable than a camper van in winter.

I wouldn't be keeping quiet in the morning.

Weird but I can see how this can happen, I’m sure they didn’t think it would take so long and don’t want to spend the money, can’t see it really impacts you

It's weird, but as long as you still have access to use your half of the driveway, no harm done.

I wouldn't be hushing your DC in the morning, the neighbours choose to sleep outside they must be aware normal everyday activities will be going on.

As for them sleeping near your door, they are actually sleeping further away from you than they would be if they were in a bedroom the other side of the wall from yours. It is a non issue. When I went to see my next doors neighbours renovations and saw their bed was on the same wall as mine, so our pillows are 0.5m away from eachother.

Who actually owns the driveway? If it's shared you can ask them to move. If it's theirs you can't.

I wouldn’t tell my kids to be quiet but wouldn’t let them scream. I’d carry on as normal so that makes them move inside their house!

Who owns the driveway?
Unless they were noisy, smelly, rude or caused ASB or vermin I suppose I'd just let them get on with it if they weren't blocking anything.
But if be somewhat concerned for their welfare and hope they eventually do actually move into the house.
It is definitely a bit weird though!

i don’t really believe they “can’t be bothered buying a bed” something else is going on in their lives

Whose driveway is it?

No need to ask the DC to be quiet.

It’s a shared driveway. OP said in first sentence

Yeah, that is quite odd. There’s always someone giving away a bed on FB around here and as they’d only need it for 6-9 months, a second hand one should be adequate. Or a blow up airbed?

It would have been so much cheaper for them to put the furniture in storage & use the campsite on a seasonal winter pitch wouldn’t it?

why?

It's a (shared driveway)
as long as they are parked propertly anyway, what difference does it make if they are sleeping in it or the vehicle is empty?

A lot of people have that arrangement: house too small, give the bedrooms to the kids and parents sleep in their camper. It's not that extraordinary.

It does seem a bit odd but they aren't on your driveway they are on their driveway presumably as half of it is theirs is to use and I don't think it's that bizarre to sleep in a camper van if you're not able to be in the house for some reason.

I wouldn't bother being overly quiet in the mornings though.