Tensions may arise with neighbours for a variety of reasons - from parking disputes to being unnecessarily loud. While it can be rather frustrating, it's always worth trying to maintain a good relationship with them.
However, a woman has taken to the popular parenting forum Mumsnet to rage about a neighbour that continues to use the steps on the side of her house for easy access to her own property. Fuming about the ordeal, she explained that the neighbours who recently moved in have a direct eye line into her home when they do this - specifically looking into the living and dining room.
The woman explained: "I genuinely can't decide whether saying something would be unreasonable or not."
Detailing the ordeal, she explained that a new family moved into the house next door sometime in December and have started using her path without permission.
She went on: "Very occasionally kids who are playing on either road use our steps as a shortcut to the other road. This is ok.
"We've also had workmen ask to use it when they've been working on one road and needed to get to the other. Also fine.
"However, since the new neighbours moved in, they have been using it ALL THE TIME for getting from the front to the back. They have a garage at the front of the house but park their second car at the back.
"Clearly they have no way of getting into their house at the back (we put in a back door specifically for this purpose) so they use our steps to cut through instead of walking all the way around the corner house.
"Now, the thing is that the steps go past our living/dining room, and I actually see them zipping past every time. If they look in they can see us too."
The woman continued: "It's (irrationally?) annoying the f*** out of me that they seem to think they can just come onto my property because it's more convenient for them.
"I've even blocked the bit a the front with a row of plant pots to make it slightly more obvious that it's not a public way, but they're still using it.
"I can't decide if I'm being deeply unneighbourly and unreasonable in wanting them to stop using our steps.
Seeking advice, she questioned: "I know I can ask them to stop and they will have to (from a legal point of view) but should I? Why does this bother me so much??"
Flocking to the comment section, Mumsnet users shared advice on how the woman should proceed with the peculiar situation.
One person suggested: "I wonder if you can add gates? And this is the first time I've managed to be this early on a thread!"
Meanwhile, someone else said: "I would definitely tell them to stop. They're walking through your garden!"
"You are not being unreasonable but if they've seen others use it they probably don't realise it's a problem," a third assured.
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