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Neighbours parking- cf

68 replies

Lochnessgiraffe · 10/06/2021 12:31

We moved house a few months ago. We don't drive so don't have a car therefore we have a large empty drive. Our next door neighbours have 3 cars on their drive. I bumped into my neighbour yesterday out walking the dogs and he mentioned that they are going to buy their daughter a car and could they park on our drive. I said no I didn't think that would work so he offered to rent it off me. I repeated it wouldn't work. He then said he'd ask me again when they bought the car as I don't use my drive and he'd ask DH about it. How do I get him to understand no! Argh.

OP posts:
lifeinlimbo2020 · 10/06/2021 20:00

Can still put narrow planters at the edge of your drive though. Also he could just change the Astro into a hard area for parking

WeAreTheHeroes · 10/06/2021 20:04

Make sure the planters are heavy enough that they can't easily move them - you don't want them thinking it's okay to open their car doors over your drive and walk over it for their convenience.

monkeysonthemoon · 10/06/2021 20:06

Get one of those Little Tikes cars and put it on your driveway.

MrsDoctorDear · 10/06/2021 20:14

@monkeysonthemoon

Get one of those Little Tikes cars and put it on your driveway.
Grin
30degreesandmeltinghere · 10/06/2021 20:26

You need a snowman and a high viz.. Given that our summers only last a matter of weeks you prob won't have long to wait for snow!!

Twentypast · 10/06/2021 20:42

Just a thought but our neighbour had a nasty break in when they were home. 3 men armed with knives. The police said they were targeted because they thought the house was empty as there was no car on the driveway. They don't drive.
Since then another neighbour with 3 cars and a driveway for 2, uses that driveway instead of parking in the road.
It could be useful for security.

forensicfleabag · 10/06/2021 21:31

@Twentypast

Just a thought but our neighbour had a nasty break in when they were home. 3 men armed with knives. The police said they were targeted because they thought the house was empty as there was no car on the driveway. They don't drive. Since then another neighbour with 3 cars and a driveway for 2, uses that driveway instead of parking in the road. It could be useful for security.
Contrary to this, my brother has his house broken into specifically for the keys for the cars on their driveway- nothing fancy, 4 year old Corsa and an uno.
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 10/06/2021 21:47

out of interest (& not that it matters, its absolutely your choice) what is your reason for saying no, what don't you like about the idea? I need my drive for my own cars so would never be in that position and not sure how I would feel about it.

I can't speak for OP, but I'd feel the same in her position - unless it was a family member or very good friend (i.e. not one who would feel the need to go over my head and speak to the other adult householder).

I suppose there is the anti-burglar consideration, but it can actually go the other way, if it's a fancy and/or new car and burglars/thieves break into your house specifically to get the keys to 'your' car, to steal it.

If you have an empty drive, you know you've always got a guaranteed space for visitors, tradesmen, deliveries, even the emergency services. You don't have to constantly look at somebody else's car on your own property, which would be weird if they weren't family/good friends - just like you probably wouldn't want your neighbour to dry their washing or store their shed in your garden.

If you or your visitors have young kids, it's somewhere for them to play on bikes or ride-on toys. Unless you have a massive drive, car owners often get used to only having 'just enough' room to walk between the road and their house, as they have to pass the car; why would you not want a clear drive to saunter up and down for the sake of somebody else's car living there? It's easy to forget just how big cars are, when they live outside, but they're actually massive things that take up a huge amount of space - even the small ones - that you could use much better if you're not a car owner.

The neighbour's car could leak oil on the drive, the neighbour might want to wash it regularly in it's regular parking spot. Even with everyday use, it's not just the car standing there, but it's somebody coming on to your property every time they use it, the noise of the engine starting up and doors slamming if they use it at unsocial hours. If the NDN's DD is in the habit of coming and going out with friends late at night, you hear approaching footsteps and maybe chatting on your drive late at night. Some people will sit in their car for a while, whilst it's stationary - making/taking calls, listening to music, doing life admin etc. - all on somebody else's property. It might be a fairly ordinary and inoffensive small car now, but once it's become established that it's her parking space, what if she bought an ugly big old beat-up camper van doer-upper, SORNed it and either left it there and/or expected to keep tinkering with it just outside your window? If you complain, there are tears because they've nowhere else to store it and it's always been their dream to own one, what difference does it make to you as it's only using the same drive as before, you're a nasty unfriendly 'neighbour', nice neighbours do each other favours etc.

In addition, just about any favour ends up being taken for granted if it continues for long. I highly doubt they'd be continually grateful for their kindness in using their drive: no, they'd expect it as the norm. For all you know, they could even complain if it gets into a rough worn state (probably from their use of it) and expect you to repair it, to avoid damaging their tyres!!

I'd hate it - even an empty drive is personal space between the public pavement and your own front door. I certainly wouldn't want to give that up arbitrarily, especially for somebody as rude as him.

cstaff · 11/06/2021 00:29

Well obviously he wasn't speaking to the "man about the house" because we are living back in the 50s doncha know. Just make sure that your husband doesn't let you down or do you have his dinner and a drink ready when your dh comes in from his tough day at work. Ffs

Lochnessgiraffe · 12/06/2021 16:51

Update- dh has just had to go round as someone going into their house has just parked halfway up our drive..
Dh has gone round telling them to move it

OP posts:
FakeColinCaterpillar · 12/06/2021 17:21

Just sitting down with my popcorn… but really, how rude! I take it you don’t have a gate.

Lochnessgiraffe · 12/06/2021 17:33

I know!! It's been moved as they left but I can't imagine it'll be the only instance. Cheeky fuckers!

OP posts:
FakeColinCaterpillar · 12/06/2021 17:50

Have you got a gate or could put one in? Means you could lock it when you don’t have visitors.

Travis1 · 12/06/2021 17:51

Definitely time to invest in those planters

lljkk · 12/06/2021 18:04

even if you don't rent to neighbour... would you rent to others? Can be a money-spinner. Justpark is the website I've used for parking my car somewhere.

fairgame84 · 12/06/2021 18:11

Line your drive with one of those stinger straps that the cops use.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 12/06/2021 18:55

Update- dh has just had to go round as someone going into their house has just parked halfway up our drive..

So it was irrelevant, really, when he asked you and then said he'd ask your DH - what he really meant was that he was TELLING you what he had decided was a fair use of YOUR property and he was intending to do. Did he think he was actually being courteous by giving you the heads-up?! Nasty, entitled idiot.

paniniswapx3 · 12/06/2021 18:57

Not unreasonable to ask but definitely unreasonable to not take no for an answer and then to have a visitor park on the drive!

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