Shared Driveway Advice - Snow Removal
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Anonymous
| We have a shared driveway (with one other house.) The driveway is long - 300 ft and is on an incline. This is our first winter in our home. We have two small children. The other home sharing the driveway has 3 adult (youngest is senior in HS is only one currently living there) children and 2 parents and now also have an additional adult male living there (who parks in our extra spot on our property) (we park in our garage.) When it snows, we seem to be the only ones out there shoveling and not sure how to best approach without it turning ugly. We were told by the sellers that when there is significant snow there is someone in neighborhood that can be paid to plow. When we asked them about this, the neighbors said they will not contribute to this. The covenants are clear - 50% shared responsibility. The neighbors have told us to only do 50% of shoveling of driveway but we do not have a car that goes on two wheels like that. They work at home and seem to have very flexible schedules (father does not work) and at home most of day. We commute 5 days/week, have daycare & school schedules and are away from house most of day. We have come home to a snowy driveway at 7pm and gotten stuck in the driveway due to no one shoveling all day. (we then shoveling until 10pm after getting the kids fed and ready for bed.) Another time, after shoveling 3/4 of the driveway, the dad drives out the driveway on his way to pickup the teenage daughter at her boyfriend's house and just waves. Are we suckers? Any advice out there? We have had pretty bad neighbors before and really do not want to be on bad terms here. Should I text them "hey, your turn to shovel" or ask them to come over to talk about the driveway? Was is best approach? |
Anonymous
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Is it like a pipestem?
Can you afford to pay someone else to plow it? If not, you are kind of screwed, since it seems like they don't really care if it gets shoveled or not. (Do they have 4 wheel drive?) |
Anonymous
| Is the driveway wide enough for two cars at the same time? You could park your car way at the bottom of the driveway right by the street instead of in the garage, and then just shovel a path to your car. |
Anonymous
| Just accept the fact that they are not going to shovel or pay for the snow to be removed. There's no use in getting angry about it. You can't force them to pay or even help without it getting ugly since they've already told you they're not paying (and it's obvious that they're not helping). |
Anonymous
This is what I would do. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
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Buy a snowblower or hire a service. Your neighbors are jerks. Ask them again if they want to go halfsies. If not, then go it alone.
PS - You gambled when you bought a home with a shared driveway. |
Anonymous
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I think if you need the driveway shoveled you are going to have to do it. The neighbors are obviously not going to jump up to do it even when they see you working on it. Rude and obnoxious and one major reason we avoided all such shared driveway situations.
If you have no need to get out don't shovel and see what happens. Or buy a snowblower and use it, at least it won't take as long. And tell them it is not okay to park routinely in your driveway. |
Anonymous
| Also, kick out the person parking in your spot on your property (that you presumably shoveled or paid to have plowed). That's definitely not cool going forward. |
Anonymous
| I wish the driveway was just a bit wider and then maybe we could do the parking at end idea. Also, I think getting a snowblower might be a good option. I really do not want to get into it with them. I have already had to ask their new "live in" friend to move his car for our Christmas guests we were having over and he looked at me like "whatever" with no social skills. I don't think I would buy a house with a shared driveway again. Everything else with the house is great. |
Anonymous
| It's probably time to move your woodpile, storage shed, kid toys, etc into that parking space. Sorry, Charlie. |
Anonymous
| Can you park on the street/curb in front of your house and just shovel a path to your car? |
Anonymous
Now would be a great time to have a cord of firewood delivered to that extra space. |
Anonymous
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Put your kids bikes and outside toys in that spot. If you can't do it now then def do it in the spring. They do not get a space on your property. I don't even understand how you allowed for this to begin. Don't worry- they won't say anything to you about it- what could they say- you need to move your stuff so I can park in your space.
As far as the shoveling, you are out of luck. |
Anonymous
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What a bummer, OP!
I agree with the others just to suck it up. I, too, have had horrible neighbors and the problem with the ones who stay home, or work at home, or seem to have a lot of time to be at home is, if there is an issue that has caused bad blood…..that while you're getting on with life, they have lots of extra time on their hands to sit around and concoct ways to make your life miserable. I like the idea of parking just in the driveway and leaving the car there---just because I'd like to find out if they are totally free-riding on your shoveling (meaning they need it shoveled) or if they just don't need it shoveled given their car or schedule that allows them to stay in until the snow melts. You don't have to do it forever--I'd hire a service and suck it up--but first I'd do the former just out of curiosity. |