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Person Fed Up With Neighbors As They Selfishly Use Both Driveways, Plans To Put Up A Wall
Usually, having neighbors is great. However, if any disputes arise with them, it’s almost never nice. This is especially true if they start using a part of your property as their own, without respecting your boundaries.
Today’s story covers how inconsiderate neighbors took over a next-door resident’s driveway as their own, and the person reached out for online advice to see if building a fence is reasonable.
More Info: Mumsnet
RELATED:
Considerate neighbors are good, and if they’re not, high fences will solve the issue
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
A person reached out to the Mumsnet online community to see if they were being unreasonable
Image credits: rawpixel.com (not the actual photo)
Their neighbors park two cars in their driveway, crowding it, and walking on the next-door resident’s driveway instead
Image credits: Drazen Zigic (not the actual photo)
Over time, even delivery personnel started walking through the Original Poster’s property, and not only the neighbors’
Image credits: Peedoff24
The person was fed up with this and decided to see if it would be unreasonable to build a fence to divide the driveways, and the netizens agreed that it was long overdue
Recently a person reached out to the Mumsnet community to ask for advice concerning their neighbor. They were unsure how to proceed and asked for advice to see if putting up a fence or a wall would be reasonable.
The resident began by saying that the next-door neighbor started using their drive first as a means to get out of their car since there was no fence dividing the two driveways. The only thing that separates the neighbor’s property from theirs is a decorative border. Although it makes it abundantly clear when they step off from their land, onto neighboring property, they don’t care about it.
Moreover, OP’s (Original Poster) neighbors fit two cars in their driveway, however, that’s only possible because there’s no physical fence or a wall. So when they open their car doors, they cross into the OP’s property. The trouble began when the neighbors would have two cars parked, and the OP would need to squeeze between their cars and any visitors.
More annoyingly, the visitors started using their driveway as a sidewalk so they wouldn’t need to go in between the cars. But even then, the OP was patient and kind enough to not bother the neighbors about this. However, as time passed, delivery guys and others got so accustomed to this that the driveway was commonly used as a pathway even when only one car was parked in the neighbor’s driveway.
Of course, eventually, the OP’s patience ran out, some netizens even said that they had been too tolerant. So they asked online if putting up a fence would be okay, and pretty much everyone unanimously agreed that it’s long overdue. Hilariously, the OP even drew a diagram and uploaded it.
The author of the post uploaded a visualization of the property on how the neighbors interfere with their driveway
Image credits: Peedoff24
The sketch is minimalistic but gets the job done of showing how people cross their property instead of the neighbor’s driveway. It’s unclear whether the OP will go through with building a fence, but it seems very likely. People online support them wholeheartedly and say that a fence is not only reasonable but a must at this point.
The good thing is that the OP can freely decide if they want to divide the driveway with a real fence, regardless if their neighbors think they’re a jerk or not. It’s their right, after all. Interestingly, though, property boundary disputes between neighbors are far from the leading cause of conflict.
According to a survey conducted by FindLaw, the most common reason for neighbor conflict is noise. 48% of respondents who have experienced issues with their neighbors said that noise is a constant issue that flares up. Other reasons are pets, child behavior, and the last one is property boundaries. Only about a quarter of the survey participants said they needed to involve authorities to resolve the issue.
Conversely, 58% of respondents said that they didn’t have any issues with neighbors at all. That said, if lawyers and authorities are involved in a dispute between neighbors, it’s most commonly because of property damage or disagreement on boundaries. But even then, only 4% of disputes go to court, and another 4% go for mediation. The vast majority of such disputes are solved to the subject’s satisfaction.
It’s safe to say that if the OP decides to go through with the fence, the neighbor probably won’t make it difficult for them. Either way, the neighbor would only have a chance to dispute the fence if the OP interfered with their property boundaries or complained to the Home Owner Association if they’ve joined one.
What do you think about today’s story? Do you also think that the fence should be built ASAP? Let us know in the comments below.
Netizens show overwhelming support and say that getting a fence should be a priority
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What do you think ?
Igor914624 5 months ago
Plant Japanese rose bushes on your side. They grow really long thorns that will stab people trying to push through them. And they are decorative when in bloom.
Ephemera Image 5 months ago
The trouble with plants is that they would have to be maintained, which means probably stepping onto the neighbour's side of the property. A solid wall would be better, or big solid planters.
Load More Replies...
Apatheist Account2 5 months ago
We just have a very large pot plant (too large for one person to move comfortably) to stop people walking where we don't want them to.
PeakyBlinder 5 months ago
Get a wall / fence / potted plants- whatever works. And big enough they cannot park 2 cars anymore. You should have done that right aeay
Mareleopard 5 months ago
I'd be worried about liability. What if someone gets hurt on your property?
Lynne Walker 5 months ago
I'd start with shrubs, either potted or in ground. Use just enough to force rerouting.: there's plenty that don't require much maintenance. If that doesn't work, you'll have to escalate to wall/fence.
Lee Gilliland 5 months ago
Start taking pictures, this is trespassing. Even for a few minutes, it's still trespassing.
Will Cable 5 months ago (edited)
Pond, water feature so they get wet. You can bet that if you walked over their front they would complain.
Serena Myers 5 months ago
I would probably complain if someone walked over my front, too! Yes I know what you mean, Will Cable, just a tease! This person that constantly upvotes my downvotes, well, it would be beneath me to mention their name. Screenshot taken BP!
Load More Replies...
Guess Undheit 5 months ago
You don't need a full fence or wall. Put up a few locking parking barriers on your own property, lock them upward when you're out. If they try and violate your property, they'll damage their own car. parking-ba...fd5a5d.jpg 
Amanda Davis 5 months ago
Absolutely! If you don't stand up for yourself, they will go on and see what else they can get away with. People these days act like they are entitled. And everything should go their way. Build that fence buddy!!!
Janet Howe 5 months ago
If it was just a few steps they're taking across my driveway, that wouldn't bother me that much.. If they're just walking and not destroying anything. If you build a wall, you might regret it. Will you still be able to get both driver and passenger car doors open? That would be my real concern. This is why I hate condos and anyplace with shared driveway. Or a driveway that has to cut across my neighbor's property. Right- of-ways get really tricky too. Won't deal with that kind of situation.
michele mbennett101044@yahoo.c 5 months ago
Put really big heavy concrete planters with river rocks in bottom for drainage and weight to prevent these cretins from moving them. Plant bushes that have thorns, like holly
Kelly Flynn 5 months ago
The obvious thing is that you have significantly more space than the other driveways. I'm wondering if that means that you're expected to allow overflow parking in your extra drive way. Maybe you're being charged more for your lot. Idk. Seems like they may feel entitled because of your spacious drive.
Ash Conner 5 months ago
Just put up cones or signs that indicate the parking so guest know clearly.
Jacob Bissey 4 months ago
So what if people are walking across your driveway? It's paved, it hurts nobody. If your ring doorbell cam keeps going off when they pass, change the settings, I'm a delivery driver, I've passed some that go off from a ridiculously far distance, as in I'm walking on the sidewalk 15 feet away and they go off, and then there are others that don't go off until I'm actually on the porch, and others that don't go off until somebody rings the bell, and the boxes all look the same so it isn't like they are different models. Also, who owns the space between your driveways? I'd be very careful about getting property lines involved if the space between your houses/driveways are that narrow, you might wind up needing to buy a door of your entire house or something because you chose to be petty.
Jedi Jessic 5 months ago
And if the neighbor gets hurt they can sue, that's why!
Load More Replies...
Igor914624 5 months ago
Plant Japanese rose bushes on your side. They grow really long thorns that will stab people trying to push through them. And they are decorative when in bloom.
Ephemera Image 5 months ago
The trouble with plants is that they would have to be maintained, which means probably stepping onto the neighbour's side of the property. A solid wall would be better, or big solid planters.
Load More Replies... Apatheist Account2 5 months ago
We just have a very large pot plant (too large for one person to move comfortably) to stop people walking where we don't want them to.
PeakyBlinder 5 months ago
Get a wall / fence / potted plants- whatever works. And big enough they cannot park 2 cars anymore. You should have done that right aeay
Mareleopard 5 months ago
I'd be worried about liability. What if someone gets hurt on your property?
Lynne Walker 5 months ago
I'd start with shrubs, either potted or in ground. Use just enough to force rerouting.: there's plenty that don't require much maintenance. If that doesn't work, you'll have to escalate to wall/fence.
Lee Gilliland 5 months ago
Start taking pictures, this is trespassing. Even for a few minutes, it's still trespassing.
Will Cable 5 months ago (edited)
Pond, water feature so they get wet. You can bet that if you walked over their front they would complain.
Serena Myers 5 months ago
I would probably complain if someone walked over my front, too! Yes I know what you mean, Will Cable, just a tease! This person that constantly upvotes my downvotes, well, it would be beneath me to mention their name. Screenshot taken BP!
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 5 months ago
You don't need a full fence or wall. Put up a few locking parking barriers on your own property, lock them upward when you're out. If they try and violate your property, they'll damage their own car. parking-ba...fd5a5d.jpg
Amanda Davis 5 months ago
Absolutely! If you don't stand up for yourself, they will go on and see what else they can get away with. People these days act like they are entitled. And everything should go their way. Build that fence buddy!!!
Janet Howe 5 months ago
If it was just a few steps they're taking across my driveway, that wouldn't bother me that much.. If they're just walking and not destroying anything. If you build a wall, you might regret it. Will you still be able to get both driver and passenger car doors open? That would be my real concern. This is why I hate condos and anyplace with shared driveway. Or a driveway that has to cut across my neighbor's property. Right- of-ways get really tricky too. Won't deal with that kind of situation.
michele mbennett101044@yahoo.c 5 months ago
Put really big heavy concrete planters with river rocks in bottom for drainage and weight to prevent these cretins from moving them. Plant bushes that have thorns, like holly
Kelly Flynn 5 months ago
The obvious thing is that you have significantly more space than the other driveways. I'm wondering if that means that you're expected to allow overflow parking in your extra drive way. Maybe you're being charged more for your lot. Idk. Seems like they may feel entitled because of your spacious drive.
Ash Conner 5 months ago
Just put up cones or signs that indicate the parking so guest know clearly.
Jacob Bissey 4 months ago
So what if people are walking across your driveway? It's paved, it hurts nobody. If your ring doorbell cam keeps going off when they pass, change the settings, I'm a delivery driver, I've passed some that go off from a ridiculously far distance, as in I'm walking on the sidewalk 15 feet away and they go off, and then there are others that don't go off until I'm actually on the porch, and others that don't go off until somebody rings the bell, and the boxes all look the same so it isn't like they are different models. Also, who owns the space between your driveways? I'd be very careful about getting property lines involved if the space between your houses/driveways are that narrow, you might wind up needing to buy a door of your entire house or something because you chose to be petty.
Jedi Jessic 5 months ago
And if the neighbor gets hurt they can sue, that's why!
Load More Replies... 
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