End terrace and access for mid terrace neighbour

[Mum2Fergus]

Have my eye on a house, have a nuggle though...its end terrace and there is a fence with a gate to allow neighbour in mid terrace access for bins etc. Currently they would walk past kitchen window if gate was used (seller says very rare) however, having driven past property again there is access to the rear by way of an 'alley' between the 2 mid terraces. Where would I stand in terms of access via the gate if I was to ask for it to be closed/moved? Currently it would have implications on extension plans...

If they have right of access, you cannot change this.
Their access is through the garden of the house you're looking at, not the other neighbours' that have access through middle tunnel IYSWIM.

House we're seriously interested in atm has this issue, and I'm not sure if it's a dealbreaker for us, as we have small children, and I would be worried about gates being left open etc. We previously turned down a house for this reason too (last time we bought, 5y ago).

If you were to move the access to the rear of the gardens so you could extend that may be permissable, but you'd need a solicitor to advise really.

If they have right of access then that's it, they have right of access. If you tried to deny them access I would think you'll probably be on the receiving end of a very annoyed neighbour and solicitors letter/court case if you continued.

Moving the acess but still allowing them to use it...no idea. I think you need legal advice on that one.

My parents are a mid terrace and have right to access through neighbours but in the 20 years they have lived there they haven't used it once, they leave their bins at the front.

If they use it it will be once a week or once a fortnight probably, I don't think they will be using it daily.

We rented in a terrace which had this - we were the end terrace and there wasn't an entry between us and next door - the only external access to their garden was via ours.

Our landlord had installed a gate at the end of the garden and fenced along the back of the garden in front of the gate, effectively creating a walkway across the back of the garden. We got a private garden, next door got ease of access with a passageway behind our garden. It obviously does shorten the garden a bit though, which can be a disadvantage, but I guess you have to offset that against how much access in front of your kitchen window would put potential buyers off when you came to sell.

Thanks all for your responses, all very useful...who is best placed to confirm the right of way? Solicitor? Should it be shown on the original plans of the house (seller has these available)? From what U can see my prospective neighbour had access to their rear garden via the communal gate and the middle alley ...

Definitely talk to your solicitor so you feel that you are totally in the picture about the access. I have a friend whose neighbour has right of access across her garden and he uses it twice daily to get his mobility scooter out. I think it frustrates her a bit because of her lack of privacy in the garden but not much she can do! However, if the seller says it is only used rarely it may not be such an issue for you.

if they have right of access it can be changed by negotiation. have you got something or cash that they might want. after terms agreed the deeds can be revised by a solicitor. dh agreed to this in exchange for a small bit of extra garden in his old flat. had been a big dispute between the old neighbours but being reasonable and sensible saw it sorted in a few months for A small legal fee. get negotiating!