A request for advice. I have done some research online and am pretty sure I am on the right path (ho ho) but would appreciate correction if I'm wrong.
I have an end terrace house in a small block of houses. My immediate neighbour has personal access round the back of my house for taking out the bins and letting her gardner in and out. We have put a gate up between the end of the terrace and the passage between my house and my other neighbour (whose house starts another block of terraced houses) to enclose our garden, give some privacy etc. We gave a key to our neighbour (although we don't normally lock the gate, merely bolt it....).
There have been grumbles (the neighbour claims that there should be wheelchair access, and that the gate would stop this - it doesn't). She also objected to the steepness of the incline from our new patio (built nearly 3 years ago along with the extension) to the side gate. This has passed but I did feel that it is my right to set up my house as I see fit - she can still get her bins out FFS. I bit my lip.
During Covid the neighbour has had visitors coming round the back of my house to sit in her garden. She asked about this and we said 'no problems'. She normally lets us know when visitors are due. On occasions she has not told us, and I have been greeted by some fool grinning through my patio door. I am happy to let it go during Covid.
Yesterday I was working in the garden for a bit. I saw the neighbour and said 'Hi'. She replied 'Oh there you are'....
To cut a long story short, the neighbour had txted Mrs T who was out shopping to ask Mrs T to unbolt the gate. She gave Mrs T 30 minutes notice to unbolt a gate she could have unbolted herself (the bolt's on the inside). Bottom line is the neighbour wants the gate unbolted at all times because it is 'a faff' for her to walk 15 yards to open it to let her friends in. I pointed out that it makes more sense to unbolt the gate herself and not expect us to do it for her. And then the row started...
I pointed out that after Covid is over her friends should go through her house (she has a front door) to get to her garden and that there is no 'public' access across the back of my house. It is for personal use for unavoidable need (taking out the bins). I mentioned strangers gawping into my house, arriving with no notice. I also pointed out that her gardener had covered my nice new gate with muddy hand marks and not cleaned up his mess.
I have looked up section 31 of he highway code, and looked at ordnance survey maps. There is no right of way here. There is also no grounds for 'access of easement'.
We have a meeting this afternoon to discuss the issue. My view is that she can open the gate herself if she has visitors, and that once covid is over she should not use the back of my house as a convenient way of letting friends into her garden. She has actually put a house number by the gate between my garden and hers!
Mrs T will do the 'negotiating' because my fuse is short, but once her blue touch paper is lit the explosion makes mine sound like a gerbil clearing its throat
. I'll report back later but any advice on the legal situation would be appreciated.
I have an end terrace house in a small block of houses. My immediate neighbour has personal access round the back of my house for taking out the bins and letting her gardner in and out. We have put a gate up between the end of the terrace and the passage between my house and my other neighbour (whose house starts another block of terraced houses) to enclose our garden, give some privacy etc. We gave a key to our neighbour (although we don't normally lock the gate, merely bolt it....).
There have been grumbles (the neighbour claims that there should be wheelchair access, and that the gate would stop this - it doesn't). She also objected to the steepness of the incline from our new patio (built nearly 3 years ago along with the extension) to the side gate. This has passed but I did feel that it is my right to set up my house as I see fit - she can still get her bins out FFS. I bit my lip.
During Covid the neighbour has had visitors coming round the back of my house to sit in her garden. She asked about this and we said 'no problems'. She normally lets us know when visitors are due. On occasions she has not told us, and I have been greeted by some fool grinning through my patio door. I am happy to let it go during Covid.
Yesterday I was working in the garden for a bit. I saw the neighbour and said 'Hi'. She replied 'Oh there you are'....
To cut a long story short, the neighbour had txted Mrs T who was out shopping to ask Mrs T to unbolt the gate. She gave Mrs T 30 minutes notice to unbolt a gate she could have unbolted herself (the bolt's on the inside). Bottom line is the neighbour wants the gate unbolted at all times because it is 'a faff' for her to walk 15 yards to open it to let her friends in. I pointed out that it makes more sense to unbolt the gate herself and not expect us to do it for her. And then the row started...
I pointed out that after Covid is over her friends should go through her house (she has a front door) to get to her garden and that there is no 'public' access across the back of my house. It is for personal use for unavoidable need (taking out the bins). I mentioned strangers gawping into my house, arriving with no notice. I also pointed out that her gardener had covered my nice new gate with muddy hand marks and not cleaned up his mess.
I have looked up section 31 of he highway code, and looked at ordnance survey maps. There is no right of way here. There is also no grounds for 'access of easement'.
We have a meeting this afternoon to discuss the issue. My view is that she can open the gate herself if she has visitors, and that once covid is over she should not use the back of my house as a convenient way of letting friends into her garden. She has actually put a house number by the gate between my garden and hers!
Mrs T will do the 'negotiating' because my fuse is short, but once her blue touch paper is lit the explosion makes mine sound like a gerbil clearing its throat
. I'll report back later but any advice on the legal situation would be appreciated.
