AITA for refusing to split plowing costs for a shared driveway?

A Reddit user shared their conflict over refusing to split the cost of plowing a shared driveway. After moving into a new home, the user decided not to pay for plowing since they plan to use their smaller driveway during the winter and had past issues with the neighbors. Now, tensions have risen, and the user is worried about being labeled a bad neighbor. Read the full story below to decide if their decision was fair.

‘ AITA for refusing to split plowing costs for a shared driveway?’

This past spring, I purchased and moved into a new house. Some relevant info, part of the reason I moved was to be within walking distance to my office, shopping, bars, etc. Also, my house has two driveways, one that is partially shared with the neighbor and a smaller one on the other side of the house in front of my garage.

I’ve mainly used the longer, shared driveway so far, but since I don’t plan on driving much in the winter and don’t want to deal with clearing snow, I plan to use the smaller driveway and just maintain my walkway or enter through the garage.

I was approached by my neighbor at the start of the winter asking to split the cost of plowing the shared driveway 50/50. I told them I’d think about it, but honestly I think it’s ridiculous to ask for any money, especially as much as half the cost.

First of all, the neighbors don’t actually live there, they rent out 2 units in the building and just use the garage for storage. On top of that, they spent the whole summer renovating the building which included blocking the shared driveway for days at a time, parking construction vehicles on my property, and they even dumped a bunch of concrete on my land.

They just aren’t good neighbors. They also wanted to have the plow guy come every time it snowed at least 3″ which I think is overkill. We live in New England. I told the neighbors I wasn’t interested. We have had 3 significant storms so far and they haven’t had anyone out to plow at all.

I feel like they were just trying to take advantage of me since I have been pretty understanding with all the renovation mess and stuff, but I would use my portion of the driveway if it was plowed so maybe I should pay something.

I don’t want the little community I live in to think I’m a bad neighbor. They’ve been owners in the neighborhood for a lot longer than me and I don’t want them to hurt my reputation. I own a business in town so having people in the community speak poorly about me really matters. The wife hasn’t spoken to me since I turned them down, but the husband seems mostly okay with it.

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

Mobile_Following_198 −  INFO: When the concrete was dumped on your land, what was the neighbor’s response? Because that’s not the neighbor’s fault but rather the construction worker’s fault. How the neighbors themselves reacted to this is what you need to look at. Also with the parking of construction vehicles, etc, did you ever mention anything to the neighbor about it?

ETA: NTA, especially since the owner did not clean up the concrete. If he had taken responsibility for the construction workers and 1) worked to make them not park in the street, 2) cleaned up the concrete, then this would be a different judgment probably. But as it is, the neighbor already set the precedent of not being neighborly.

Excellent-Glass4552 −  NTA. Ask them to clean up the concrete on your property before you consider it.

pumpkinbubbles −  Neighbors sound like AHs and I understand your position but if you own part of the driveway, you would likely be on the hook for a portion of the liability if someone were to fall on the uncleared driveway.

You should probably check who actually owns the property and whether there is a legal easement or if it has been shared informally. Then take whatever steps are needed to protect yourself like fencing if the property is yours with no easement or sucking it up and splitting snow removal costs if access and liability is legally shared.

AlbanyBarbiedoll −  Possibly irrelevant point: Almost EVERY plow service has that “plow every storm of 3 inches of more” thing – that’s entirely standard. If you aren’t obligated by the town/village/city to clear the driveway (why would you be?) let it go. Anyone who comments should be told you use the driveway on the other side exclusively. Do you HAVE to have a shared driveway? Can you simply have your side torn out and replaced with sod?

Eastern_Condition863 −  NTA. If you don’t plan on using the driveway, then don’t pay. Also, I’ve NEVER had a private landlord pay for snow plowing. That’s nice of them at least.

StAlvis −  NAH. We have had 3 significant storms so far and they haven’t had anyone out to plow at all.. OK.

One-Warthog3063 −  Normally sharing such a cost for a shared driveway is the neighborly think to do, with both parties agreeing to certain conditions to keep the costs within what both parties deem to be acceptable. However, based upon what you’ve stated, NTA.

They appear to want to keep the driveway clearer than you wish to pay or can afford. You have an alternative driveway that leads directly to your garage that is also shorter and therefore cheaper/easier to keep clear. That one works better for you.

All that you can do to protect your reputation in the community is calmly explain to anyone who asks that you clear your shorter driveway and don’t use the shared driveway at all in winter, and that’s why you don’t feel that you should pay for half of the plowing.

Long term, suggest to your neighbor that they expand their drive way so that they don’t need to plow the shared portion or to reduce the amount of the shared portion that needs to be plowed to access their property.

Also, I would either abandon that driveway or expand your side of it so that you are not driving on their portion to access your property. AKA, both parties should spend the money to separate the driveways to avoid this conflict again.

And if you wanted to be petty about it, after checking the parcel records for any sort of mention of the shared driveway and your local laws regarding shared driveways,

expand your side so that you do not have to use their side of the shared driveway and build a fence that makes it impossible for them to use any portion of your new driveway that is 100% on your property to access their property. Thus forcing them to build their own new driveway. But check the legalities of that first.

Dazzling_Ruin_5286 −  Two separate issues. Ask them to clean up the concrete or move it to their land. As for the driveway, it is your choice to share or not. If you don’t care for it to be plowed and don’t use it, don’t pay for it. Shovel if you wish. Or if you want it plowed less frequently, say 5”, then suggest it. But most plow companies plow every 2”or 3”.

SaltyNethers −  NTA. You don’t use it in the winter, so you have no interest in having it cleared. If they want to use it, they can cover the cost. Unless there’s an association that requires you to clear your driveway, you have zero obligation to participate. All the other details are irrelevant.

rosebudny −  NTA.. but ONLY if you literally do not use the driveway, at all, not even once, during the winter months. You can’t use it on the non snowy days and then expect them to plow it on the snowy days.

Do you think the user was right to refuse splitting the cost given their minimal use and prior issues with the neighbors, or should they contribute to maintain goodwill? How would you handle a shared driveway in this situation? Share your opinions in the comments below!