Access rights to houses

Doozergirl

I lived in a terraced house with an alleyway at the side which had been empty for a while too! Next door had right of way and yes, they used it as their front door too.

In the alley, there was a tall gate with a latch that they could get to from either side. Apart from the intrusion, I also have two kids and my son would regularly try to escape! So, I put a bolt on our back garden side of the gate so that they could get out for bins, but I would keep locking the bolt so that they kept finding it locked when they came from the front.

They would try to leave the gate open sometimes but I would continuously lock the gate so eventually they learned and started using their own front door and would only go and use the gate when they needed to, accessing it from the back, not the front, iyswim.

So, what I'm saying for you is can you put a tall gate in the alley? Technically, you are still providing a right of way as they can access it, just not from both sides! As for the dog, you need to put a gate between you and your neighbours too.

Try Ebay for gates, I bet there are used ones that would be perfectly adequate; they don't need to be perfect, especially if it's peace you're after!

ailuro2

I expect they are using the area behing the front door for storage purposes if they don't even open the front door to cold callers.

We always use our back door, just a habit we got into but we are semi detached so aren't bothering anyone by doing this- it saves messing up our carpets by comin in the back way.;)

peardrops_2

Well this weekend we have started working on the garden area. It is full of dandelions and weeds and we have bought a VERY strong weedkiller. We have put it down on the bottom half of the garden for now and will do the rest next weekend.

I mentioned to our next door neighbour that it would be advisable not to let their dog wander or even poo on our garden at the chemicals used are highly toxic for a few weeks.

She said OK no problem. I then saw her today standing out the back watching the dog go wee wees and was getting really peed off with the dog for taking its time. Whenever it ventured towards our garden she had to call her back!

Hopefully it will get on her nerves enough for them to purchase a gate for the missing part of the fence and keep their dog off our land.

As for the trundling up and down our gulleyway, its averaging about 40 times a day! I've never known 2 people go in and out so blinking often!

Savvy_Sue

You might want to consider mediation, preferably before things go too far ...

There is an organisaton called Mediation UK, but the link to their website is down so it might be as easy to see if they're in your local phone book.

Did your solicitor advise what the right of way meant? So that you just didn't realise they would be back and forth ALL the time?