Shared drive issue

downhillfast

Exodi wrote: »

From your comments, I'm assuming the layout is something like this;

https://i.imgur.com/d4sinqG.png

I can understand why he wouldn't use his garage. On the off chance you do park on the drive and go out, he'd surely have no way of getting his car out? The fact he says he requires 24 hour access says to me he's probably a tradesman, not being able to access his vehicle could cause massive issues.

If that's all the case, I'd probably just let him have the drive, it's not fair but I don't see it worth arguing over until your elderly.

If he needs 24 access to his car then maybe he shouldn't live in a property that has shared access... especially if he isn't playing by the rules by parking on SHARED ACCESS space rather than a suitable parking space.
I wouldn't stand for this and by ignoring the problem you would just be giving in to him and effectively giving up your rights to access the rear of your property at will which may affect any future house sales more than a neighbour dispute!

Exodi

downhillfast wrote: »

If he needs 24 access to his car then maybe he shouldn't live in a property that has shared access... especially if he isn't playing by the rules by parking on SHARED ACCESS space rather than a suitable parking space.
I wouldn't stand for this and by ignoring the problem you would just be giving in to him and effectively giving up your rights to access the rear of your property at will which may affect any future house sales more than a neighbour dispute!

I think it's worth considering the issue in principle and the issue in practice. Yes the OP could throw the book at him; deliberately park to block his vehicles in, deem parking on shared access trespass on account of substantial obstruction and take him to court, put silly notes on his car everyday, but to what end? To live next a neighbour that hates you? To have to announce to eventual buyers that you took your neighbour to court?

The reason it probably wasn't dealt with by the previous owner is because it's more hassle than it's worth and, as rubbish as it is, if you can't deal with it by a conversation, you should probably follow suit.

I expect no-one will agree with me.

[Deleted User]

Your neighbour sounds like a nightmare to deal with and I’m sure you’re not the first to come up against him on this issue. At the end of the day his personal circumstances do not give him anymore rights to the driveway than yourselves. You mention he has a front lawn, if he was in that much need of 24 hour access could he not just convert his front lawn into a driveway?

There is a reason he is behaving the way he is, coming at you with an attitude etc. He wants to intimidate you into giving in and just letting him do what he wants, which I’m sure probably worked with previous occupiers. Question is whether you want the hassle of disputing it with him and potentially taking him to court.

downhillfast

Exodi wrote: »

...but to what end? To live next a neighbour that hates you?

The neighbour is already showing that they totally disrespect the OP... what's the point in being 'friends' with someone who has no respect for you or your rights to enjoy the legal right you have to fully use YOUR property?

Cakeguts

The simplest way to deal with the drive issue is not to confront him but to keep asking him to move his car. So doing something that requires access from front to back preferably with something that is too wide to go past his car like a wheelbarrow.

ciderboy2009

Why not mention to the neighbour that your're considering reinstating your garage so you've got somewhere undercover to park your car . Either that or just build a hardstanding there to park on and use it.

mrbadger96

Thanks for the reply's! In answer to the sketch up that exodi posted, it's not quite like that. Imagine the garage is literally at the end of the drive,if there where 2 they'd be adjoining one another and length ways The drive sort of widens just at the end where he'd go into his garage. Half is on the drive and half is in his garden. Hope that makes sense? I drew a pic but the site wont allow me to post links as I'm a new poster. I probably mislead you slightly by saying it was a 'T'.Perhaps a 'Y' gives a better idea.

I'm not entirely sure there ever was a garage on my side, however his access is to get him to his garage, not for parking in front of it, surely? He is of the opinion that the rear part of the drive is his and the front section is mine, as they are the sections we each need to use. This is of course complete nonsense, I've looked at the deeds, the line goes right down the middle.
I would never dream of parking on the drive and 'gong out'. He's accused me of 'blocking him in' when I've had my car parked near the front, but I don't see how this is possible if I'm inside the house and perfectly happy and willing to move if he wants to get out, which he probably wouldn't because he tends to leave it there over night.....if he can't park in his favorite spot right outside mine :rotfl:.

The first time he accosted us about it was on the day we got the keys! as if you don't have enough stress when you're moving house. He explained the situation (as he sees it) and laid down the law, so to speak. We naively just sort of accepted it. But then when he wasn't able to park in front of our house (he's used to living next to people who don't have a car), we noticed he just parks on the drive, all be at the back on the bit he thinks is his. Up to that point we'd totally stayed off it but after that we started parking our car there for short periods i.e. unloading etc. Not to make a point, just because it was just easier to back the car in to take stuff out. "He does it so it mustn't be an issue" sort of thing.

I can see his point if I'm honest. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I can see why he thinks he's right. And to be fair, if he was friendly and approachable and not a complete odd ball, I wouldn't be particularly bothered about him parking on the drive anyway! It's no real skin off my nose. Id imagine i'd give him a shout and say "hello, *Fred. Do me a favor, mate. I'm doing X/Y/Z, could you move your car for me when you get a sec? Cheers, pal". I'm sure most sensible, reasonable people would just come to a mutually beneficial agreement. But because he's acted the way he has, being rude to people on a number of occasions and trying to lay down the law, and being a total hypocrite about it, I might just have to say, lets agree for neither of us to park on it whatsoever. Which would be a shame, and it will be his loss more than mine, but I think that's the way it might have to be with him unfortunately.

He's not a tradesmen by the way!

*Not really called Fred

Red-Squirrel_2

Hang on, you park on the drive and expect him to knock on your door and ask you to move to be able to get out?

That’s not on, don’t do that.

mrbadger96

No, what I was saying is that if he wasn't such a nightmare to to deal with I'd have been happy to allow him to park there as much as he wanted, and I'd have just asked him to move as necessary.
What I did say was that on occasion, I've left my car for short periods of time on the drive, sometimes with his behind. So yes, in that case he'd have had to ask me to move if he'd wanted to get out. But as he shouldn't be parked there anyway, you'd expect some give and take.

SwiftyFrisco

Are you able to park your car on the street but in front of his house? Doesn't solve anything but can be fun winding bullies up.