Neighbour blocked shared drive deliberately, AIBU or are they?

[WoesFromAuntFlo]

We moved into our new home around a year ago and have had nothing but weird vibes from our neighbours who we share a drive with. Our front doors face each other up a steep drive and we both have garages at the end of them, kind of backing onto our separate gardens.

We have been nothing but pleasant with them and have kind of just let them use the driveway as there isn’t a lot of room for two cars so we never really pushed it.

They have always been a bit odd. A lot of curtain twitching when we leave the house and barely looking up when we say good morning etc. Other neighbours have told us they’ve had issues with them but we have just assumed they’re quirky and let them get on with it.

ANYWAY, we had a rubbish clearance man come to collect some rubbish from our side of the drive and the garden yesterday. He called us after (we are currently away seeing family) to say he couldn’t do half of it because the neighbour said he couldn’t pull up the drive - he did knock to ask. And then used his car to completely block off access to the driveway, so the rubbish clearance men struggled to get the rubbish past the car and didn’t want to cause any damage so abandoned the job.

For avoidance of doubt, the rubbish guys we use are really lovely and polite, we used them on our last home refurb, and they’re not the type to argue or whatever. They just said okay then, took photos to show off, and left the job when they couldn’t do anymore.

WIBU to ask my neighbours what they’re playing at?! It’s cost us money as we have had to (rightfully) pay for the full clearance even though they couldn’t access it all.

Or AIBU for wanting to be able to use our shared driveway?

Sorry should say “took photos to show us” not show off!

They sound unreasonable. I get the vibe that they have fallen into a trap that the shared drive belongs to them. So in their mind they think the rubbish men and yourselves are out of order. I would be quite pointed about using the drive and/or go to speak to them about it. Do the deeds make clear it is a joint drive?

Can you post a diagram? I can’t picture the lay out.

Or AIBU for wanting to be able to use our shared driveway?

This isn't a serious question so I'll ignore that part.

But YANBU about the rest.

I would definitely ask them what they were playing at.

I am struggling to visualise the scenario........

I picture a single drive that opens up slightly into a Y shape so that each neighbour can park in front of the garages.

Seems that Mr. Rubbish removal could not get up the single access as tricky neighbour blocked his way to OP side of the drive.

But I could be totally wrong.

Either way, blocking a shared drive is a hanging offence really.

Sorry, sacrilege not to have a diagram on this kind of post I know! I don’t have a pen and paper so I’ll explain as best I can

One long drive, opens up at the end for two garages so you can park a car each in front. Neighbour always parks on his side but just over so it’s a squeeze so we normally park on the road.

Rubbish van wanted to drive up the driveway slightly but not in front of the garage. Neighbour took his car out and parked it in the actual driveway so he couldn’t get up and also then couldn’t get the rubbish past the parked car.

Well, a diagram would help. 👁👅👁

But it sounds like they are going to need reminding it's a shared drive and therefore going forward needs to be kept clear at all times.

So ultimately, no chance of avoiding conflict. Might as well resign yourself to it and go knock and tell them.

Maybe dig out the legals for the shared drive and take that over too.

This! That's what's unreasonable!

Perhaps a letter from a solicitor might concentrate their minds

Sorry if I'm being obtuse but if it's a shared drive with access to garages aren't you supposed to leave it clear not pile rubbish up on it? My understanding of a shared drive is that you can drive up it or down it but you cannot park on it or block it in any way.

And yes the driveway is shared on the deeds! I’ve tried best to draw it on notes. Blue is where he normally parks and red is where he deliberately parked after the rubbish guy knocked the door and asked if he could go up the drive to collect the rubbish.

I don’t get why you haven’t said anything? ‘This is a shared drive but we can’t use it as you are parking over on our side. Why?’

We literally only moved some of the rubbish - it was panels from a shed we took down - to outside our garage to make it easier for the rubbish guys to get it. However now it’s still there as they couldn’t move it without potentially scratching neighbours car which means we need to take it back into the garden!

You don't need a pen a paper. Use your notes section to draw a diagram.

It doesn't like you're being unreasonable at all though. If anything too nice about the situation in general. Start parking your car, slightly, over their side.

I've decided to have a go at showing what I'm imagining.......the yellow highlighted but as the shared drive and then it splits to the green highlighted bits where you each park your cars (or should be able to) in front of your garages?
Am I anywhere close? 😂

Have you tried blocking their car in when its on the shared driveway?

Park in front of them. Every time they park over so you can’t. Make them knock and just say you’ll be parking off road but can’t get past them.

So the rubbish van would have had to have access to their side of the driveway to collect the rubbish? In that the rubbish wagon is too wide just to fit on your side?
if so then it would have been courtesy to let them know. It’s is however very petty and most people wouldn’t have batted an eyelid by this but it does sound like your dealing with difficult beasts.

Could you place the rubbish at the end of the drive for their next collection?

I think id make it my goal to find a solution without involving them.

oh and start parking your car on the drive too.

You need to check your deeds (and really your conveyancer should have explained) but a lot of shared drives are access only- you use it get to your garage/designated parking spot, not for actually parking on. Your deeds should make it clear whether yours allows parking or access.

your neighbours are acting like a bunch of dickheads though so I imagine you’ll have a fight on your hands.

if you’ e hot legal cover on your home insurance then give them a call to discuss.

you have my sympathy because several houses ago I had neighbours who would block the shared drive (they didn’t even have a car) but would dump all kinds of crap/home “improvement” projects/power tools all over it. The day they were repossessed was a day of celebration in my house!!

Since you know they tend to block the drive, it was unwise to bring in rubbish clearance without making arrangements first for them to clear the path. You shouldn’t have to do that, but this can’t be that surprising. Even if they are just part way over, a truck certainly wasn’t going to be able to get to the back of the drive.

So you don’t use your drive or garage because of how he usually parks as well?

That has to stop. You need to start using the drive, and knocking their door everytime to shift his car into his garage, sit on your horn every time you’re blocked. And I’d be sending them a letter including the invoice because they prevented access on a drive which you equally own.

They’re dickheads. Start getting tough and asserting your right to use the bloody drive.

I wouldn't start blocking them in or deliberately parking over their side. That will just make things escalate. I would go and speak to them (nicely, with deeds if possible). If they keep doing it then I would get a letter/advice from a solicitor as mentioned by a pp. I don't get why people do this. What happens if/when they want to move house and you decided to block the drive?

To make it clear, the rubbish van was just due to drive up the shared bit for about 15 mins to load up. He asked in case the guy needed to move his car out and that’s when our neighbour said no and blocked off the whole drive.

We’ve been told that when the previous owner needed scaffolding over the house to fix the roof they stopped that too and solicitors had to get involved, so they have form.

There is no “sides.” It’s a shared drive. The only part that separates out into sides is at the top when it splits towards each garage. The rest is one drive, which is fully shared. They cannot stop the OP using it for workmen to access what they need to access. And no permission is needed.