Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking on neighbours' empty drive

135 replies

Vinntet · 19/08/2023 18:39

I hope not a TAAT, but DP's car is currently parked on our next door neighbours' driveway without their permission and I'm worried this might have us known as as being CFers!

We share almost an access drive which goes across the front of both our actual drives and we've had a skip delivered to ours this morning. I stupidly told them to put it on the side for easiest access to the backgarden, which is also where DP's electric car needs to be parked to be reach the charger which is on that side of the house!

It just won't reach from 'my' side of the drive, but will from the empty spot on NDN's drive, who we think have gone on holiday (not been around since Weds). We'd move onto the road when it's fully charged, or ask nicely if they come home, and DP sees no issue.

Is this fine or CF territory?

OP posts:
SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 19/08/2023 19:32

They could have friends they've offered their drive to, someone coming by to water the plants, someone coming to feed the cat, or any number of reasons why they need to access their drive way.

Would you use their garden if they weren't in? Sunbath on their loungers? Use their BBQ? Use their bath?

SparkyBlue · 19/08/2023 19:32

Some weird unneighbourly comments on here. Several of my neighbours have had builders doing jobs over the past two years and often with work vans etc we'd all offer up extra space if we had it on our drives and if someone went off to work for the day they would often shout over to use their space. We all get along and are not over friendly (I've never been inside any of their houses) but we do understand when work is being done or skips being delivered it's nice to be helpful as you might in that situation soon. The last time we had a skip we asked our immediate neighbours if they had anything that they wanted to throw in and it was appreciated. I'd stick a note on the car and if they return then I'd obviously move the car immediately .

StillWantingADog · 19/08/2023 19:30

I’ve had a similar situation and texted the neighbour who was away to ask if I could use their drive for a few days

they were fine with it. I wouldn’t have done without checking.

Original poster
Vinntet · 19/08/2023 19:25

Actually, they wouldn't have to find anywhere to park if they arrived home, because the shared part of the drive is off the road. They'd just stop or pull up to the end. They have visitors park there all the time, even though it's for turning.

And everything's already been removed from the garden and the skip is full, so no, we're not being generally disruptive to the neighbours. It's been done while they have been away.

OP posts:
Misty84 · 19/08/2023 19:22

Just leave a note on the car explaining OP, as you’ve done here, therefore if they get back they’ll understand the issue and can contact you/knock on your door. Hardly the massive drama that others on here are making it out to be!!

Zonder · 19/08/2023 19:21

Can you message them and just ask?

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:21

I despair at the miserable, unfriendly attitude of people on here.
Last week our car broke down on holiday and was relayed home by the AA while we carried on in a hire car. The driver who dropped the car off rang to say he had delivered it and asked if he should leave the keys with our neighbours as they had seen the car coming back without us and came out to make sure we were ok.
When we got home we parked on their drive as they only have one car and space. We were intending just to unload but they said to leave it there until morning. We are neighbourly, don’t socialise except at village events, but we all help each other whenever we can.

ChrisPPancake · 19/08/2023 19:20

Can you text (or otherwise message) neighbour and ask?

ihadamarveloustime · 19/08/2023 19:20

If I was your neighbour, I'm sorry, but I would be pretty annoyed. I wouldn't want someone else's unsupervised electric car sitting on my property whilst charging ... too many fires. If he's not actually sitting in it, watching it, until it's charged, it shouldn't be there.

readbooksdrinktea · 19/08/2023 19:19

Yes, it is

Isthisexpected · 19/08/2023 19:19

Insommmmnia · 19/08/2023 18:57

If you don't have their contact details you aren't close enough to be using their property

Show quote history

This. You're not really neighbourly enough.

EbiRaisukaree · 19/08/2023 19:19

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:12

It would take all of a couple of minutes to ask them
to move!

Show quote history

What happens if they have a night arrival and get home at 2am to find they can’t park on their own drive? I would be absolutely fuming, and I can’t imagine that CF DH would enjoy my ire while in his dressing gown having been woken from sleep. But it would be what he deserved.

Callisto1 · 19/08/2023 19:18

Well to begin with you have to find somewhere else to park @Pottedpalm so it might be more then a couple of minutes. And if I'm getting back after a holiday I could really do without the extra faff!

RedToothBrush · 19/08/2023 19:18

You are CF.

anyolddinosaur · 19/08/2023 19:17

Yes it's CF territory. Your neighbour could return at any time and you are causing them inconvenience when they have to come and get you and wait for you to move the car. That wont be a few minutes unless someone is sat in the car, seems them coming and unplugs from the charger.

If you were my neighbour I would not be doing anything like taking in parcels for you in future - and I'd dump things in your skip.

and if you have a skip you are probably having work done and that's going to be annoying too. If they dont come back you still owe them a bottle of good wine and an apology.

Original poster
Vinntet · 19/08/2023 19:15

It's much cheaper to use our electricity supply then use the card in a garage, and his boss monitors this. It was the same when they provided diesel company cars, that you were not supposed to use motorway service stations.

I realise these are all his (or our) problems and not the neighbours'.

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 19/08/2023 19:13

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:12

It would take all of a couple of minutes to ask them
to move!

Show quote history

They shouldn't have to ask some cheeky twat to move from their own driveway.

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:12

Callisto1 · 19/08/2023 19:04

I'd be majorly annoyed if I came back from a holiday with tons of stuff and couldn't unload it because someone parked in my drive!

It would take all of a couple of minutes to ask them
to move!

BeansOnToast32 · 19/08/2023 19:11

Why can't you use a local charging point rather than using the neighbours drive?

Original poster
Vinntet · 19/08/2023 19:10

It's fastest to charge it at home, so I'd say yes it'll be done this evening, and obviously he can't go out in it while charging, so could move it straight away if needed.

He's pointed most of this out to me like I'm stupid to think they would care very much. From his point of view, he could go and sit in a (shut) supermarket car park while it charges very slowly (because of me) or just do this instead while bothering nobody.

OP posts:
GoodChat · 19/08/2023 19:10

It depends on your relationship with your neighbour. Our old neighbour used to ask us to park one of our cars on her drive when she was away so it looked like there was movement at the property.

As long as they're not there, it's fine. If they were, it'd be CF territory for sure.

Viviennemary · 19/08/2023 19:06

Cheky if you haven't asked. Unless you are good friends.

Callisto1 · 19/08/2023 19:04

I'd be majorly annoyed if I came back from a holiday with tons of stuff and couldn't unload it because someone parked in my drive!

Frabbits · 19/08/2023 19:03

If they are away, really, who cares? Charge it up and move it and no harm done.

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:03

Well I seem to be alone in thinking that this is just fine! It wouldn’t bother me (or DH) if our neighbours used our drive in an emergency, or indeed just used it when we were out, or on holiday. But then we are all pretty normal
and friendly round here!