Have a tenant renting one unit in a duplex and another tenant renting the other unit

One tenant is not getting along with single family homeowner next door.

Tenant believes they can trespass neighbor for walking on property line/driveway of my property.

My thought is that only I could trespass someone on my property as the tenant is renting their unit and allowed to use the driveway.

Trying to avoid this matter getting elevated to a higher level.

Three basic things you need a tenant to do:

1) Take good care of the home

2) Pay rent on time

3) Be a good neighbor

It sounds like they are having challenges with #3. I would try to find out more details. Have a face-to-face conversation & find out exactly what they find offensive in the neighbor's behavior.

Then, encourage them to speak to & get to know the neighbor. Talk about WHY the neighbor walks on your driveway & WHY it makes your tenant uncomfortable.

In other words, give them some hints suggestions, but let them work it out.

Imagine trying to manage tenants in a MEGA COMPLEX with a Shared Central Hallway!

Here are some golden RULES that will work on even a property as small as a duplex:

One, any problems that are not "serious" but anointing, such as:

A) Dog barking

B) Cat peeing on someones tires

C) Someone leaving trash on on another tenants steps

D) Someone allowing a guest to part in another tenants parking spot

You tell the complaining tenant that this was your FIRST REPORT of the issue, and since it only effects them, they have to work it out with the offending tenants/neighbors.

I had an upstairs tenant that when the mother was working and the father was baby sitting, he would allow the child to jump off of the bed or sofa, making noise for the downstairs tenant.

For six month the child would make noise and for six months the downstairs tenant did not complain to the upstairs tenants or call the police.

So 3 AM the downstairs tenant called my emergency number so I could hear the noise. I drove over to the unit and listened so I could be a witness. Then a 8am I delivered a 3 day notice to both tenants. If they did not work it out and the upstairs continued to allow a child to jump and unacceptable hours, and the downstairs tenant did not report this issue to the police and called me while I was sleeping on my emergency number,

I WOULD EVICT BOTH TENANTS FROM BOTH UNITS.

Guys, you gotta read better. The dispute is not between his two tenants, it is between one of his tenants and the homeowner adjacent.

As far as the question, without specific knowledge of state law, my guess would be that a tenant in possession could trespass someone. Tenant has a right to keep people out of his leasehold. However, trespassing someone is necessary only in places that are generally open to the public. For example, a store generally allows the public in, so they have to specifically notify an individual if they want them to keep out. As far as a driveway of a house, probably only need a fence or a "no Trespassing" sign.

Don is spot on.

Questions include - is the duplex a "public place". With more and rental inspections being implemented by government officials to support "public safety" personal property rights seem to be sliding over the years.

Second question - is this a shared driveway with the neighbor or does the neighbor have an easement for some reason to use the area that is being disputed?

Being a good neighbor goes a long way. I routinely give out my phone number to the owner occupied neighbors, especially with my multi-family places. Additionally, I keep the neighbor's number on my property info sheet I have on the place. I would be making the call and asking the neighbor if everything was alright and asking why they were on that driveway. There might be a good reason like keeping the duplex dweller's kids off the street. So if the owner occupied unit might actually be trying to keep the neighborhood in order. That might be upsetting a les than responsible tenant.

Duplex is not a public location. Tenant is not in possession of outside area. Rents their unit only with access to drive to park car. Driveway is not shared with neighbor.

Leave it up to the authorities. You don't have any reason to get involved with the neighbor. This kind of stuff is how daytime TV drama shows like Jerry Springer found material.

Sid is right. Not the LL's problem.

If the T wants to "trespass" the neighbor (I am not sure what that involves in your state), fine. That is between the tenant, the neighbor and the police. Leave me out of it!