property line dispute

We bought our house 3 years ago. We have a concrete "ally way" between our house and the neighbors. They own 2 feet and we own 4 feet. When we moved in the previous owner's had a privacy fence going across the entire allyway with a gate on our side. We never had any problems with our neighbors regarding this. He recently moved out and is renting his house to some young guy. He put his garbage can behind the fence on his side of the ally. He had to use our gate to access his side. We asked him to remove his garbage because it smelled and we have two doors into our house off of that ally way. He complied and then several days later stated that the owner of the house said that he has the right to access that part of the ally way. I told him that he wasn'e able to use our gate to do it, He then threatened to take down the 4 foot section of fence that is overlapping onto "his" property. Two issues: do I need I grant him access to that property? and does he have the right to remove our fence that is partially on his property?

What you do is go to the township- this is a renter, he has no right to threaten you in any way, or remove YOUR fence. If he does anything of the sort, you call police immediately and report his actions. But call the township, explain to them what is going on, let them handle it. They will notify the owner of the home and see to it that the renter understands his rights AND yours!

Good luck

Similar situation occuring in my neighborhood.

One neighbor has a driveway on the side of the house with about 1 1/2 feet beyond that belonging to the house next door. This neighbor has a work truck and was having things stolen from out of it (valuable tools). This neighbor discussed with homeowner of the other house putting up a gate extending across the driveway and up to neighbors home. The property in between the driveway and neighbors home was concreted in and the gate installed. This was done 13 years ago approximately. Recently the neighbor has decided the gate must be removed.

It has gotten ugly to the point of the one neighbor using a chainsaw and cutting part of the gate out that is on his side of the property. The police have been out repeatedly and there have been threats.

What are the neighbors with the driveway and gate's rights? Is there something in their favor since the neighbor who is now disputing it HELPED install the gate and has been OK with it there til recently?