New neighbour wants to own the entry?

[danilyon]

Hi,

A new neighbour bought the house next to us about 3 weeks ago. She knocked and introduced herself and said she wanted to pop around the following week to talk about the back gardens. She came round and spoke about putting a fence in the back garden between our house and hers, which is fine as it's something we've been meaning to do but not had the money for. She also asked about putting a gate on the entryway that runs between our house, which is also fine with us.

She then went on to say that she would sort all of this out and that she would like to legally own the entryway that runs between our houses and that she would maintain the entryway. Our house is a terraced house in a row of 4 and our house and the neighbours are in the middle. Above the entryway is one of her bedrooms and her bathroom I think. The entryway is shared between us both and as far as my hubby and I are aware the boundry line runs straight down the middle of entryway. It is the only access we both have to our back gardens. When she mentioned getting her solicitor to send us the paperwork to have a read through hubby made a few non-commital comments but I think she thinks it's a go from us.

We've had no paperwork from any solicitor as of yet, but after me and hubby have had a chat (obviously couldn't do it whilst she was here), we are wondering why would she want to have ownership of the entryway? Obviously a part of our problem would be if she fell out with us for whatever reason and denied access as it's our only access to the back garden? Also what would happen when we sold our house - we think this could hinder a sale if we agreed and told the new owners that actually the neighbour owns the entryway?

I'm worrying what to say to her now as we are not keen to sign anything to give her the entryway completely. We only use the entryway to take the wheelie bins from the back garden out to the front on collection day anyway so it's not like we have all kinds of people coming round the back to see us etc. Does anyone have any advice on what we could say to her? Obviously we don't want to 'sour' relations with her because we are refusing to give her the entryway legally.

Any advice would help. Thanks! :)

And do not write back.

Congratulations on your daughter btw!

Well done for checking with the police. You might want to lodge a copy of her letter with someone, along with a statement about which parts of it are fabrications. That way you have a notarised rebuttal to her nonsense, but don't have to risk escalating the situation right now, while your baby is new and you are a new mother.

I hope her letter has cheered you up, though; it's bloody funny to see how stupid and ineptly disingenuous she is!

What a nutter! I'd keep a file and a log if I were you. It will either be useful when she continues to be a PITA or it will be a funny log of things the nutty neighbour did.

I know they're not the same person and I keep saying this, but honestly, that letter could have been written by my ex-neighbour.

My encouraging undesirables with my appalling absences and poor housekeeping standards, her heroically trying to help me only to have it slung back in her face by my ungrateful self, police swallowing her cock and bull story, the whole street hating me, the account that's kind of familiar but written completely to her version of the truth... God, it's all coming back.

Agree with mylovelymonster, Christine and lemon that you cut all contact. Writing letters and explaining things will feed her and exhaust you.

lemon's right. You cannot win against people like her. A doctor friend and the police who eventually did get involved explained that many people like her have personality disorders. They don't think the way normal people do or feel shame or pity so you can't win because they're not playing by your rules.

In her head you deserve everything she dishes out and you brought it on yourself by thwarting her.

There are a lot of them about. The good news is that these people eventually fixate on a new target and leave you alone. It just takes time.

The police will not have believed her. They don't comment or take sides when first called to an incident such as this. Their aim is to keep the peace and calm situations down - not inflame them.

If she seems to have been lying to the neighbours about you just correct them as and when, but don't get obsessed. Keep a log of anything significant but just try to ignore her.

Easier said than done - it took two years after my neighbour left for me to stop curtain-twitching every time a large blonde passed my window. But it'll be okay in the end. Promise.

Congrats on the new baby!

Agree with the other comments - try to ignore the nutter next door, and put the bins out of your mind completely. Focus on your family.

Maybe one day you'll patch things up....you never know.

She is crazy, fact.

See if the council put a chip in the bin they delivered

As for her and the police officers having a laugh at your expense, it goes to show she craves attention from anyone and everyone and is trying to shift the attention from her own behaviour.

I had a crazy neighbour. She assumed everyone was interested in what she said and did. So when I opened my bedroom curtains of a morning she would point me out to her visitors saying, see she is spying again. In the end I put up a blind and I could open it without standing in front of the window. Stopped her being able to accuse me of spying. Why would I want to watch someone sitting on a bench in the garden? like that was somehow interesting.

Just ignore her, she will no doubt try to provoke a response from you by doing other things so sadly you will have to document stuff. If it does become bad, put up a security camera (for your garden only) which no doubt will annoy her but tell her you are doing it as she said druggies were using your garden

You poor thing - you have just had a baby , like you need this shit.

I agree she most certainly has a personality disorder, not much of a life and thrives on this kind of thing. Steer well clear as possible.

I've enjoyed reading this, all 8 pages. I don't think the gate would benefit you at all. Not sure if you have told her a firm no on that. The garbagemen could not have brought in the bin with a gate. You would always have to fool around with a key, to get plants, materials, bikes, trampolines () into the back yard. Can you really get a 10 foot fence? It is no more private than a 6' one, and she can see in from upstairs anyway. Would you want to erect a temporary wire fence so that she cannot get in your yard?

Huddersfield you say? Blonde, 60ish, starts off friendly?

Her last name doesn't begin with T does it? because if it's who I think it might be, we bought this place off her & she was a nightmare...

...obviously it won't be, but there's a few of 'em about then! Must be something in the water

I have a similar situation. ...I have a buy to let property. ..and tenants have always had trouble accessing my property from the neighbours side ...due to the neighbours constantly locking the gate ...the access can only be gained from my property ....therefore making it difficult for the gardener or workman to gain access and taking bins in and out ....the neighbouring property is now up for sale and does not mention ...neighbouring properties have right of way ....I have contacted the sellers to no avail. ..I now intend to Contact my solicitor and I suggest you do the same ....as they will not have any proof until they do a land search ....and there is a rule that after a period of time and if the land is not used by the neighbouring property that person can claim it ...how can I prove that unless I retraced all my old tenants ....forgot the niceaties and remember once something like this is done you may well regret it ..... I would say do your research and don't sign anything unless you have had legal advice . Mirey

Mirey your advice to the op is admirable. I'm sure she has waited 6 long years just for your pearls of wisdom.

After 6 years, I suspect OP has worked out what to do, Mirey.

Still, thanks for resurrecting the thread and giving me a good read

ABSOLUTLEY under no circumstances, do not let the neighbout block or obstruct ypur access to the alley way as this is a fire hazard - it is considered a fire exit and should not be blocked off by any means , including a gate or fencing

@BlissIsTwisted this thread is from nearly 15 years ago!

There would also be a issue if a fire broke out and you have no escape route through the alley, I'm sure you both by law have right to access the alley and she only owns the above rooms ect. Don't sign or agree to anything and she had no right in asking you too X