u/SubstantialHat8116

I am genuinely interested to understand if my feelings are unreasonable.

Background, we live in a nice estate. Don't really speak to the neighbours. The people to the left of us are a bit odd, but fine, in their 70's. Detached plots.

The part of the front garden of the neighbours (to the left) runs adjacent our driveway. Their house is at an angle so they have a triangle of land Infront of their window up to their front door which is along side our drive.

They never cut back their shrubs, I end up doing it as it encroaches. Fine, I don't mind doing it too much as I'll stay clear of our cars.

I have CCTV on the garage covering the driveway (he's so old and doddery I'm not even sure he's noticed)

Now over the past week the neighbour has been spending a lot of his time on our drive measuring up. Now I'm assuming he intends to put a fence in.

1. Is it not neighbourly just to knock on the door and explain when he intends to do? Seeing as he is doing all of this from my land.

2. The only way he could dig posts currently, is off our drive as his garden is so overgrown with shrubs. Again will be interesting to understand how he navigates this.

3. It gets hellish windy, he had a palm overhanging our boundary which was getting worse and worse overhanging our car/falling over. He very very reluctantly removed it about 2 months after requesting, citing it was at his parents house at one time. I can't imagine he'd do the best of jobs installing a fence, so potential issue with that falling on the car.

I haven't said anything yet, as they haven't actually done anything apart from a lot of measuring and leaving screwdrivers in the ground.

Is it reasonable to ask what he intends to do, and if so at what point of this process...wait until he starts digging?

Having been in a strong accumulation phase for the past 5 or so years. I maybe have another 5 to 10 years before I can take my foot off the gas. Maybe it's the tism in me, but I think I am going to really struggle with this.

Current position is age 35.

House - 600k, 520k equity, 80k remaining hopefully to be clear in the next few years.

Pension pot - £225k (contribution of 40% combined employer/employee core salary only)

S&S ISAs - £145k

Premium bonds - mortgage overpayment/emergency fund -£36k

Gia - £7k

Company share scheme - £36k

Salary £55k, additional shift/overtime/retainer makes up a huge addition of 25k. So 80k total.

If I ask to drop days, I will very likely have to drop the shift/overtime and retainer payments. So say I drop a Friday (5hrs a week) I'll effectively see a 45% drop in income. Basically trapped in the golden handcuffs.

I currently take around 2 weeks unpaid leave a year as it is, am I better off just pushing this more and more until my employer pushes back?

How have people engineered their coast fire lifestyles once they feel they can coast?

I'm not sure once the mortgage is paid off and I'm £700 a month better off, I'll feel more comfortable to start reducing hours. Equally I still want to have enough cash to create experiences for my son (18 months old) and wife.

I've just had a look at my NI record to find some anomalies.

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To be clear I have always worked for the same employer from age 17 to 35.

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My first few years of employment show NI credits, I'm guessing because I was in full time education/undertaking an apprenticeship.

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However:

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Fy 24-25 is showing, paid employment £3026, Ni credits 9 weeks

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Fy 25-26 is showing, paid employment £3169, Ni credits 53 weeks.

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Both years are showing as 'Full years'.

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All previous years, apart from the first 3 or so just say Full Year, from paid employment.

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Now we did have a child at the start of 2025, but it seems odd to receive credits when I earnt well in excess of the thresholds.

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Any ideas? Is this something I need to raise with HMRC, or not to worry about?

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Many thanks!