search email community favorite this article chev-right latest posts article list comments tags video article login twitter facebook menu pinterest whatsapp

College girl's entitled parents demand access to the neighbor's garden, long-time resident puts them in their place with the facts: 'The garden is [mine], it cost me 30% more than the top flats'

Advertisement
  • Woman talking with the new neighbor from behind her garden fence.
  • Advertisement
  • New Neighbours parents want access to my private garden

    I live in a small 3 block of flats. 2 flats on the top floor, one big ground floor flat with a private back garden (mine).
  • I moved in January, and a girl moved into one of the top flats over the weekend. The property is what is called a "share of freehold", basically
  • the owners of all 3 flats also collectively own the land and are jointly responsible for general outside building maintenance and any communal areas.
  • Advertisement
  • Very clearly in the deeds, buildings plans, any estate agent marketing, the back garden is owned by the ground floor flat, which
  • is why it cost me 30% more than the top flats. There is O chance anyone could be confused on this.
  • Advertisement
  • Before moving in, I was a lot of help to the new girl and her family in getting quite a lot organised, as I offered to be their point of contact on the property.
  • I also helped them lift some heavy bits over the weekend. I did all this as I want to have a good relationship with my new neighbours.
  • Advertisement
  • Woman waiving at the new neighbors on move in day.
  • At the end, before leaving, the parents asked me to come outside. They said "who gives us keys to the back garden?"
  • I explained that the back garden is mine, to which they both argued: 1. as it's a block of flats, any outside space is always shared
  • Advertisement
  • 2. and as its a share of freehold, we all share the property Of course, both things are absurd. I added that
  • many ground floor flats have private gardens, I viewed several. And share of freehold doesn't mean everything is public; I
  • can't just access their flats. Their counter to my second point was outside spaces are different to indoor spaces.
  • Advertisement
  • Senior woman enjoying her outdoor space in the garden.
  • I just smiled and said, it's all on the deeds, to which they asked me to show them mine. I said no, but they can check their daughters. Her dad
  • then gave a thin threat of "this is something we'll need to sort out" and I said fair enough and went back indoors.
  • Advertisement
  • 5 minutes later the mother knocked on my door and said "understand that has had a garden all of her life, not having one
  • will be massive change". I just said it is what it is and closed the door on her. I got a text the next day saying "Hi, we are just
  • checking the deeds on the garden situation and will get back to you with next steps." Looking forward to what this might be
  • Advertisement
  • To add, during this entire time, the girl moving in was pleading with her parents to stop and saying things like "I told you" etc.. She
  • seemed absolutely mortified and I genuinely felt bad for her. I am not worried about anything at all. It's like
  • them asking for keys to my car. I just thought it was a funny story to share.
  • Advertisement
  • Fianna9 Poor woman. Hopefully you can maintain a decent relationship with her once the parents buzz off
  • RamblingManUK I feel so sorry for her. She has barely moved in and her parents are harassing one of her neighbours, she must have been mortified.
  • Roverthecats Imagine trying to make friends and your parents immediately try to annex the neighbor's property. She'll be apologizing for them for years.
  • Advertisement
  • Immontes Wow, so glad she doesn't agree with them (and shows sanity).

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article
Show Comments
Next Article