Charity using our street to park their Luton vans.

[Lutonvan]

Sorry for the long post -

A well known charity has been using our street to park 2-3 large Luton vans for about a year. Initially this wasn't a problem as noone wanted to complain about it but I live in a large town with dreadful parking. Our street has about 80 houses and extremely limited parking, we are also the only non permit holding street left in our area.

We have basically no space for cars to park before 9ish and after 5pm, ever (unless you have a driveway). Residents have resorted to parking on grass when this happens. They will drive here in individual cars around 9.30am when there's spots available then load into the vans together and arrive back shortly before the 5pm rush and drive home.

They live nowhere near here (a neighbour said they live the other side of town) but have chosen our street as their designated parking area. They wear full uniform for this charity and they deliver/collect furniture. There's about 4/5 people who do this.

They leave their rubbish on the road, park overhanging people's driveways, park in blind spots and on corners, park opposite driveways and block other people's cars in trying to squeeze in front of the double yellows. Once they parked over our driveway and I asked if they could move it back a little and they got very confrontational with me and refused.

Last year the vans remained unmoved all over Christmas and New year's stopping any actual residents parking there for about 2 weeks. Many reported them as abandoned.

I don't know what to do, I mean, yes it's legal for anyone to park there, that's the reason we have all left it so long but can corporate businesses/charities actually do that? Is there anything we can do? Or do we just leave it.

Definitely complain to the charity - they may think the vans are being parked at a depot and the drivers have taken it on themselves to park on roads more convenient to them!

Perhaps, rather than notes which are easy to remove and throw, use a chalk marker pen to leave a message on the windscreen. They can't be removed with just water, only glass cleaner or a mild detergent and some effort on their part. You could start by drawing willies on the windscreen. If you like. No one likes driving round with a willie on their windscreen.

There might be local bye-laws in the area which prevent businesses from parking commercial vehicles on the street. In any case, they can take action against nuisance parking, which appears to be the issue here.

There’s a lay-by outside my daughter’s school, big enough to accommodate maybe 5 cars if all parked well. The school backs onto a housing estate and one of the residents was bringing a large van for a charity home and was parking it in the lay-by (presume his own car was on his drive). I called the company and explained that I totally get that the vehicle is legally parked but that it was causing a bit of a nuisance to take up 2/5 spaces which usually would be used by numerous parents dropping off (they didn’t leave until after school had started most days). They were really understanding and it stopped straight away. Sometimes people are reasonable and just haven’t realised that they’re causing a nuisance!

I think that you should write exactly what is in your OP to the charity explaining that it is causing frustration and distress for residents. You don’t sound like you are being unreasonable. They might be mortified and make it stop immediately. If not, you could resort to eggs, flour, willies as previously suggested.

Thanks so much for all the responses I really appreciate it! I have family staying over for a couple days but I will be calling them tomorrow to see what we can do. Do you think it's best to call the local branch directly or their customer service lines? Not sure which route is best to take.

Absolutely laughing a lot at some of the responses...chalk paint pens is definitely something I have in the house 👀

I agree with a pp. You need to make it undesirable.

We parked on a road near a train station years ago, it was the nearest free road. We came back to a letter saying next time they're scratching up our car. At the time I was fuming but in reality, they must get so many people parking there to avoid paying that it becomes very frustrating. We've never parked there again in fear of our car getting scratched up!

I'd do similar. Write a polite note to start with, saying residents are finding it hard to park and collectively, you'd like that they find somewhere else to park the vans.

If it continues, then I think you may have to subtly up the anti. Businesses shouldn't use residential streets to house their fleet of vans. Yes they're a charity but it's telling how they don't park in their own roads.

If you complain and the charity does nothing it risks you contacting local paper and them having negative headlines - which might mean less revenue for the charity.
They don't want negative publicity.

Have you tried contacting the charity itself and explaining? Tell someone high up the issues, about the rubbish and rude drivers, sure they won't be impressed by their behaviour.

If they park over your drive again, while your on it, just call 101 and they will contact the registered owner to move it, or failing that remove via tow truck at their cost. They won't if you're not parked on the drive though.

Don’t bother with either of those, go straight to the top. Find out what part of the organisation deals with these deliveries and go there.

So, came home today and this is how the van has parked due to no spaces available. I was almost run over last time they parked there because of the blindspot. So many kids live and play on this road, they have no regard for anyone. A neighbour has put a very kindly worded letter on their windscreen asking them not to park there. They have taken the letter, put it on a clipboard and hung it over the dash mirror like a trophy for all to see.

They are arseholes. I haven't included the clipboard picture as it's very outing. But they just don't care.

Please complain now, OP

Aren't they on double yellows too?

Ask the local police to come and ticket it?

Take a really clear picture from all sides with registration clearly showing and ask mp/police etc what can be done.

Parked on a corner of a junction - sure that’s a no no in the gospel of the highway.

double yellows. Etc etc.

ring the local shop.

ring the national charity.

ask on local social media with pictures if anyone knows which charity these vans belong to etc.

Do you think the police would do that at this time?

Our local council website has a section where you can report illegally parked vehicles. As long as you have pics of the license plate they can issue fines etc

Sod it, here's the clipboard one. It's actually not as nice as I remembered 🤣 I drove past so didn't see it properly and it's also not hanging but you get the picture.

I know it was placed under the wind wipers so they have done it on purpose. Also you can see their uniform hanging up 👀

Hopefully you can read this one

Reported to police and charity

The charity workers who are parking so poorly and being abusive are clearly assholes. I'm glad you've reported them. I hope they get steep tickets for their poor parking.

Agree with PP who said residents can't claim public land for their own (possessive parking winds me up). Bit of a bloody cheek for one organisation to be constantly using the same street though. Blocking driveways, being rude, and now this latest on the double yellows and near a junction... Also not on. Glad you have reported.

We have a very zealous council traffic warden round here who checks our road (only during the day). He checks the disabled spaces and if anyone is doubled parked (eg behind their housemate), tickets them too. Did drive straight past a mini digger which someone had left in the road for days, and we need it in the evening when people start parking vans and recovery vehicles here, but hey ho.

I’d complain to the charity direct with images and explain how long it’s been going on. I probably would be tempted to say that if things don’t change you will share all this on SM. I can’t imagine they will want people thinking negatively about them.

The van is filthy, too. Not a good advert for the charity.

I'm sure the charity will do something. I once reported some chuggers on a train who were having really offensive conversations loudly wearing the charity T-shirts and lanyards. They fired them.