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Original poster

Help me deter neighbours

292 replies

Claytonclogs · 15/02/2026 20:29

I have miserable neighbours. One woman coordinates with another neighbour to make sure that I can’t get my car in the drive most days of the week. My house is at the end of a very narrow dead end track and one of them parks their car opposite my drive each day after I’ve left for work preventing me turning in. Every day, the same charade - I go and ask them to move and maybe they do or maybe they don’t do it for a few hours. They both have drives and garages. They’ve had it in for me since I put in planning application for loft conversion. It was approved easily, it’s legal and was built considerately. I don’t overlook their properties or gardens from the loft.

Confronting doesn’t work, trying to diffuse doesn’t work, and I’m not interested in stuff like blocking their cars in retaliation. I don’t want to go down legal routes because don’t want formal disputes with the neighbours.

So … my goal is to appear so bizarre and wildly unhinged that they will think twice about blocking my drive or taking any action that might lead to an interaction with me. Creative and (legal) suggestions welcome!

OP posts:
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6
BlueskiesandPoppies · 16/02/2026 18:59

It's a private lane. OP you need to look at your contract about rights of access to your drive. Do you have a big car? So a smaller one could manoeuvre more easily if they are parked opposite? If so, nothing you can do. It's a disappointing situation. I favour the direct approach in asking them why they are parking where they are. What can you do to resolve. You say your extension hasn't impacted them, but they feel something. Could be you cannot amicably and sanely mediate this, but understanding their rationale will help MN army in providing solutions pertinent to situation 😁

Sashimiandhisthunderpaws · 16/02/2026 18:55

Private road, is it an affluent/nice area?

Lower the tone of the area with the following

Rotary washing line in your front garden with skimpy underwater.

Flag mast, maybe a rainbow/LGBQT, if the St George wouldn't do the trick.

A bench for you to sit with a cuppa and fag, whilst facetiming all and sundry.

PhotoFirePoet · 16/02/2026 18:49

ReprogramNeeded · 15/02/2026 21:03

I would stop playing along. Go one morning (not when the car is parked there) to each door and say to them you've noticed they keep parking in a way that stops you getting to your home. Ask them why they are doing it. Ask them if it's because they objected to your development work. Let them know they've made their point, but you're not prepared to put up with it any more so are they prepared to draw a line?

They might sulkily stop. Or you might need to start blocking them in. When they ask you to move, remind them of the conversation and ask again if they are ready to leave it behind.

This!

HopSplidge988 · 16/02/2026 18:48

JennieBella · 16/02/2026 18:38

I suggest you contact the community police officer. It is illegal to deliberately block a driveway and someone's access. So first get CCTV installed so they are filmed getting up to no good. Then you have proof.

You will never be friends with them clearly, but if they get their 'collar felt', that might be their wake up call.

This was my initial thought.

Edamcheese · 16/02/2026 18:48

Sorry I didn’t realise that it’s all ready been built.well to late now then just find ways to block them in.

HopSplidge988 · 16/02/2026 18:47

Just leave your car in the road so they can't block you in and so you can go about your business.

Ladygodalmighty · 16/02/2026 18:47

Lurkingandlearning · 15/02/2026 21:27

@NotnowMildrid is on to something. Parking another vehicle permanently in that spot would work. A motorbike rather than a car might give you enough space to get onto your drive without the palaver of moving your "space saver".

It would be less expensive than a car but might also play into your wish to appear to be someone they don't want to mess with. You could get yourself a full Hell's Angel's outfit. Maybe a helmet with horns on. Then wear these to wash your motorbike once a week.

Show quote history

Rooflmao 😂

Edamcheese · 16/02/2026 18:44

There are always two sides to a story. I’m totally on your side. But from what I can read they are obviously very pissed off about you up coming extension. Do they realise that it will not affect them in anyway regarding being overlooked .Have you showed them the plans and assured them that they will not be over looked. They also will realise that whilst the building work is being done they will assume that it will affect things like work vans dust and noise. And that is a big nuisance for them and they feel resentful and probably jealous,I understand that ,but you have the right to have an extension or whatever is done to your house. Perhaps you could arrange a meeting with them and show them the plans ,have a chat about how you can make sure that it won’t impact their lives too much.
If they won’t play ball then go for the jugular and be as awkward as you can be and when the building does start make sure that lots of noice and dust is being made. But you have to live there and it’s not nice having to live with this annemosity for your own mental health. Hope that you can resolve this issue peacefully.

JohnofWessex · 16/02/2026 18:40

It's a private road though so police etc won't be able to take action

JennieBella · 16/02/2026 18:38

I suggest you contact the community police officer. It is illegal to deliberately block a driveway and someone's access. So first get CCTV installed so they are filmed getting up to no good. Then you have proof.

You will never be friends with them clearly, but if they get their 'collar felt', that might be their wake up call.

Becbbec81 · 16/02/2026 18:37

I don’t know if this has already been asked as there are lots of pages and I don’t have the focus to read every reply.

What issues would it cause for them if you parked just outside your own drive when you get home and they are blocking you from getting on your drive (so on the road but blocking your own drive). Would this inconvenience them? If so do that and take your time when they ask you to move and say I parked it there as I cannot get my car into my drive and was too tired to have to ask and wait for you to move your car. Keep repeating until they get fed up of the taste of their own pathetic creation and decide to give up as it’s causing them too much inconvenience.

Hollybollyhughes · 16/02/2026 18:36

Who has the energy to be so petty and spiteful like this. Have you got CCTV? Is there anything you can put on the road to act as a deterrent for these dick heads. I'm struggling here to understand why due to a loft conversion, this is how they behave. Smelly manure like horse shit, fox 💩. Would that work or have I lost my marbles. You're welcome.

Biche37 · 16/02/2026 18:33

Buy a cheap sidecar/trailer with reg and park it there, securing the space. Watch them melt down in real time on a daily basis.

Ileithyia · 16/02/2026 18:30

Make fake Wiccan style symbols and hang them from the hedge, on their cars, and leave them by their driveways.

Help me deter neighbours
Help me deter neighbours
Evan456 · 16/02/2026 18:27

Clementine12 · 15/02/2026 20:42

I wouldn’t go in the drive. Leave your car in front of their’s. So they have to come and ask you to move yours. Then they will get fed up!

Great idea!

AnybodyAnywhere · 16/02/2026 18:22

Small Prophets 😎

Foxybingo32 · 16/02/2026 18:20

Get them towed for obstructing your land

Reddoorredhandle · 16/02/2026 18:19

Every so often I would be putting screws in there tyres often enough that it was annoying not so often they could claim it was me. Or if that’s too risky for you, as you drive past chuck bird seed over the car. They will soon get bored of washing the crap off.

Doverboy · 16/02/2026 18:12

Can you back down your narrow alley to your drive? Backing into your drive would be easier to do and will completely befuddled your neighbor.

Snakebite61 · 16/02/2026 18:10

Claytonclogs · 15/02/2026 20:29

I have miserable neighbours. One woman coordinates with another neighbour to make sure that I can’t get my car in the drive most days of the week. My house is at the end of a very narrow dead end track and one of them parks their car opposite my drive each day after I’ve left for work preventing me turning in. Every day, the same charade - I go and ask them to move and maybe they do or maybe they don’t do it for a few hours. They both have drives and garages. They’ve had it in for me since I put in planning application for loft conversion. It was approved easily, it’s legal and was built considerately. I don’t overlook their properties or gardens from the loft.

Confronting doesn’t work, trying to diffuse doesn’t work, and I’m not interested in stuff like blocking their cars in retaliation. I don’t want to go down legal routes because don’t want formal disputes with the neighbours.

So … my goal is to appear so bizarre and wildly unhinged that they will think twice about blocking my drive or taking any action that might lead to an interaction with me. Creative and (legal) suggestions welcome!

Why don't you block their drive when they block yours. Remember, if it escalates, they started it.

everhopeful22 · 16/02/2026 18:09

Clementine12 · 15/02/2026 20:42

I wouldn’t go in the drive. Leave your car in front of their’s. So they have to come and ask you to move yours. Then they will get fed up!

I think this is the only way to go .

FairFuming · 16/02/2026 18:08

Go out and take lots of photos of their cars while taking notes on a clip board, if they confront you just say its in public land so you are allowed to take photos and make notes for your records.

Sometimessmiling · 16/02/2026 18:02

RunningJo · 15/02/2026 21:34

Have you actually asked them why they park there? Would they be embarrassed by confrontation & stop?

Get a friend to come round in a high vis, and stand there with them looking official, get them to take photos, measure the space.
They’ll wonder what’s going on. And as your friend leaves, hopefully they’re watching so pump the air and grin madly as if you’ve had some good news 🤣

People like this have too much time on their hands & are incredibly petty (we had a neighbour who was similar some years ago - tried to stop me walking the dog in a public area because “if someone saw me, other people might walk there”).

Perfect way to handle things

Lornacranium · 16/02/2026 18:00

Grumpynan · 15/02/2026 21:06

I agree with this

Show quote history

I do too.

BeWildHare · 16/02/2026 17:51

Are they watching you to see how bothered you are?

Id get a tape measure and make a song and dance of measuring the width of your car and then the width of the gap … then try to get out and look confused about the space not being big enough.