Neighbor refuses to shovel driveway-Help (Woodbury: mortgage, house, gated)

[1 Nothing]

I live in a house with a single car garage off the alley. I use my garage for my car...I love my garage!!! My driveway and my neighbor's driveway are adjacent to each other with my neighbor's garage facing mine. In order for either of us to get into our respective garages, we drive on each other's driveway. So far, not a problem. Except for when that white stuff that falls from the sky....you know....snow. It's never been a problem until this year.

For years, my neighbor has shoveled their driveway and I have hired someone to shovel mine (I have fibromyalgia and am either not able to do certain things, or am in pain if I do). And there is another neighbor who usually uses their snowblower to clean both of our driveways when it's heavy, leaving only the ridge that the snowplow leaves after plowing the alley.

After the first big snowfall this year, this other neighbor used their snowblower to clear the snow from my neighbor's and my driveways but left the ridge of snow from the snowplow. The person I hire to shovel came by and cleared out the ridge along my driveway, but the ridge along my neighbor's driveway remained. I asked my neighbor (via text) would they please clear their ridge, and I got an earful! I was told that they wouldn't be doing it anymore. That they had only been shoveling all these years so that I could get into my driveway/garage, and they were tired of doing it!!

Among other things, my neighbor said they had been watching... "testing" the person I hire to shovel and was upset that "he ONLY shovels my driveway...nothing extra". Based on things my neighbor has said, they seem to have a problem with the man I have hired, perhaps because of jealousy (I have help to do this job), or, it has been suggested by others who know this person, perhaps because of his race. Whatever the reason...my neighbor is refusing to take responsibility and shovel the ridge along their driveway.

My neighbor uses my driveway to get into their garage, just like I use their driveway to get into mine. By refusing to shovel the ridge along their driveway, I can't get into or out of my garage. Especially with the amount of snow we have gotten.

I'm saying "they" because I don't want to identify the person via gender, but it is a single person, not elderly and not disabled...basically, this person is able to shovel, but is refusing.

So, because I can't afford to pay to have her driveway/ridge shoveled in addition to mine, I have been shoveling my neighbor's so I can park in my garage (that I love)! And every time I do that, I am in pain for quite awhile. I'm tired of shoveling this person's driveway!!! The last snowfall, I had to shovel it 3 times! This person went out after the first time and put the snow from the garbage bins back on their driveway where they know I drive! So I shoveled it a second time. They went back out and put snow back out on the driveway, AGAIN!!! A lot of snow, chunks of heavy ice/snow. I thought this might happen, so I went back out, and sure enough...there it was...This is ridiculous!

What can I do? I can't keep doing this. Tonight as I write this, my body is still in pain from shoveling. I have to live next to this person. I want to be a good neighbor, but I don't want to live like this...frustrated, upset and in pain! Any ideas???

[Ghengis]

tell your shoveling guy to only shovel your neighbor's ridge and leave yours alone

[old fed]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

tell your shoveling guy to only shovel your neighbor's ridge and leave yours alone

this is brilliant.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

tell your shoveling guy to only shovel your neighbor's ridge and leave yours alone

Originally Posted by old fed

this is brilliant.

It really is.

[Teak]

Originally Posted by 1 Nothing

I'm saying "they" because I don't want to identify the person via gender, but it is a single person, not elderly and not disabled...basically, this person is able to shovel, but is refusing.

So, because I can't afford to pay to have her driveway/ridge shoveled in addition to mine, I have been

Oh, you were protecting they's gender and then you went and spilt the beans anyway.

Take a plate of cookies over to they's house and discuss it like a couple of level-headed Minnesotans. You really should want to be on good terms with your driveway partner.

[srsmn]

Um....I dunno....I might be in the minority here, but....I have a tough time picturing a configuration where you actually "need" their driveway to pull into and out of your garage....unless you're a really bad driver.

I also don't get why you think your neighbor is obligated to shovel their driveway just because you use it. Seems entitled to me. It's their property, not yours, after all....

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by srsmn

Um....I dunno....I might be in the minority here, but....I have a tough time picturing a configuration where you actually "need" their driveway to pull into and out of your garage....unless you're a really bad driver.

I also don't get why you think your neighbor is obligated to shovel their driveway just because you use it. Seems entitled to me. It's their property, not yours, after all....

We have plenty of these in the city.

Imagine the alley is on the east, the garages are west of the alley in the corner of the lot adjacent to the alley. The garages face each other with a small driveway in front of each.

The issue seems to be that snow is moved to the center between the driveways. To enter the garage, each neighbor must cross the other’s driveway. It would seem the OP’s neighbor does not use her garage and doesn’t want to have to shovel it anymore.

We almost bought a place that had a shared driveway, but I heard too many horror stories about them so we passed on it. This thread makes me glad we did.

I would second the plate of cookies idea. Apologize for bringing it up and maybe she’ll relent and shovel it. If not, i’m afraid you have three choices. Pay to have her drive partially shoveled so you can get in, try to drive over it, or park in the street.

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

I would second the plate of cookies idea. Apologize for bringing it up and maybe she’ll relent and shovel it. If not, i’m afraid you have three choices. Pay to have her drive partially shoveled so you can get in, try to drive over it, or park in the street.

This ^

[mnlife]

If you must use your neighbor's driveway to access your own, there should be a recorded easement to provide such access. For the actual maintenance of the driveway, there would need to be a "shared driveway agreement." For a mortgage, an unwritten understanding between homeowners that "we just negotiate and fix things when they need fixing" isn't good enough. There has to be a written agreement which likely should include snow removal for a MN home. Hope that helps. (I used to work in mortgage underwriting).

[1 Nothing]

Originally Posted by WoodburyWoody

It really is.

I thought about that for quite some time, but decided to try to be a good neighbor and keep my part shoveled. Am now re-thinking this idea.