Dispute with neighbour over access

foolishboy

Hi all,

Not sure what section this should be in, so sorry if it's in the wrong place.

At the rear of our house we have 2 garages and a parking area, a long time ago (it's on the deeds) an ex owner of our house purchased right of access through and area behind next door's house to access these garages. We have a neighbour who parks on a strip of land to the rear of this access path, the strip of land is barely wide enough for a car and consequently if badly parked makes our access extremely difficult.

Things have escalated somewhat this morning as he's taken it upon himself to stack a heap of soil/bricks in the middle of the access, presumably pending collection but he's not asked us for permission or checked that we dont need to use the access today.

What's my first port of call? I'm waiting to go talk to him face to face, but we've had discussions before and my polite requests have so far been completely ignored.

Cheers!
FB

SmlSave

Hi FB

Do you need to use the access today? If so I'd go and ask him to move the bricks.

I'm not sure what you can do but personally I'd just ask him to move the car everytime its parked badly, eventually he's got to get the message.

Maybe its worth giving the CAB a call or having a quick chat with a solicitor?

olias

Don't forget, a dispute with a neighbour, particularly if it escalates, has to be disclosed to any potential buyer. You have to tread very carefully, or you could find your home unsaleable, or at the very least have a future buyer knock the added value of the garages and parking off the asking price.

I have had a similar issue cause a house sale to fall through on the day of exchange(!) and that was only to do with a right of access on foot.

Olias

Kiran

How many people have right to access the area. Can it be gated/removable bollard?

Other than that, keep asking him to move it. The police can make him move it if he has blocked you in unlawfully, but it does then become a neighbourly dispute. If you have a car parked in there, make a trip out at 3am! Nothing wrong with asking him to move to let you out. I'm sure he will get the point!