A not so private garden

I think you should take to nude sunbathing. That would make the workmen think twice about cutting through your garden!

Tell them you've sprayed weed killer in your garden and they need to keep their dogs out.

You are not being unreasonable.
Any harassment because of your padlock keep a note if it and take further action if you feel necessary.
Just Cheeky Fs.

Their own garden isn't near the back of the property so if there's any work to be done, my garden is the only one they can use, and I don't mind if I know who to expect and when.

I've been speaking to the neighbours in the adjoining ground floor flat and they had the same issue with their upstairs neighbour at first and had to put a stop to it, so I'm not alone in this.

You are not unreasonable

I’m still so confused why they don’t send people to their own garden?

All of the bins are kept in the communal area. The communal area consists of a pathway from the street to the two neighbouring blocks of flats, access to all the gardens relating to those flats, the front doors to the upstairs flats and the side doors to the downstairs flats. The bins are kept by the doors to each individual flat.

Each garden is separate and just backs onto the gardens in the next street. There are no walkways, no doors, just gardens.

I live in an end terrace (built 1891) The only access the two neighbouring houses have to their rear entrances is via my rear patio. It's written in the original deeds that the occupants of those two properties have the right of 'wheelbarrow access' which I now take to mean their wheelie bins and bikes. They have never imposed on me and I have found them to be perfect neighbours. I wonder if there is ever a similar provision in the deeds of modern properties. How do the OP's neighbours get their bins out, or are they always situated out the front?

Stick to your guns, can't imagine what they are doing in your garden anyway if they don't need to use it to get to theirs. If they need work done on their garden, and it can only be reached from yours, then they make an appointment for you to let the workman in at your convenience, but there is no need at all for your neighbours to come in themselves.

Agree with everyone else. No one has a right to come onto your property without consulting you first, except emergency services.

The equivalent wpuld be you having a tradesman to fix your TV aerial and sending him through their house to a skylight that would take him up onto the roof - but without asking them, so that the first they knew of it was him tramping through their hall and past their bedroom door.

Ask them if they would have thought that was OK or whether they would have preferred to be asked whether it was convenient. Add that you would probably always give your permission if asked - but to do it without asking is not on.

As the people in the top flat have their own entrance to their private garden, I am struggling to understand why they ever started going through your garden, especially as it’s not a shortcut.

I wonder how they would feel if you did the same and cut through theirs to get to your flat?

You are perfectly within your rights to padlock your gate to preserve your privacy.

Surely they can see that.

You are not being unreasonable.

I would be spitting feathers if I were you.

Savvy

They're not using it as a shortcut, my garden is self contained, but they are sending any random workman straight into my garden without asking me. I'm quite happy to allow access if I know who they are and what they are doing there, but my upstairs neighbours are usually at work and without expecting them, I've no idea if these people are genuine workmen or not.

Their argument is that they don't need my permission to engage workmen, but surely they should be asking my permission to access my property, especially when its not an emergency.

We went through this some years ago when we split one property into two. You should probably talk to someone who really knows but my memory is that you have to give them reasonable access, not unrestricted access, and that the interpretation of this is that - if they need access for works - they discuss it with you and you came to an agreement on a mutually acceptable solution on a case-by-case basis.

No they don't need your permission to engage workmen but they do need your permission to come into your private garden. Stick to your guns and keep that gate locked.

They're not using it as a shortcut, my garden is self contained, but they are sending any random workman straight into my garden without asking me. I'm quite happy to allow access if I know who they are and what they are doing there, but my upstairs neighbours are usually at work and without expecting them, I've no idea if these people are genuine workmen or not.

Their argument is that they don't need my permission to engage workmen, but surely they should be asking my permission to access my property, especially when its not an emergency.

Savvy

There's a separate gate for each garden, each one can be accessed from the communal area at the side of the block. There's absolutely no need to even come through my gate, each gate just gives access to each private garden.

What reason do they think they need to cut through your yard? It sounds like there is no need for it.

Keep your gate locked and stick some chicken wire over the holes in the fence. The neighbours are in the wrong and you are being very reasonable in allowing access if asked.

What is it they say- something like Good Fences make Good Neighbours?

There's a separate gate for each garden, each one can be accessed from the communal area at the side of the block. There's absolutely no need to even come through my gate, each gate just gives access to each private garden.

I had a similar situation some years ago. It is not on for people to enter via your garden.
Speak to the Landlord. Although it did take some time the HA gave my invasive neighbour another entrance to their garden even though they aready had an entrance they wanted to use the nearest place to their car.
The problem was solved.
Do mention that you are disabled as I know in my case I felt very vulnerable.

How can they access their garden without going through yours ? Is it a shortcut ?

I don't think you're unreasonable, you're within your rights. Without knowing the layout though, I'm not sure if the neighbours don't have other easy access to their yards. That could explain why they are annoyed. Did you talk to them about it first or go straight to the lock?