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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to expect to park in my own space?

30 replies

lovelyladuree · 03/12/2011 19:39

We are currently renting a house which has private parking in a gated courtyard. There are six houses and three flats in the complex. The larger houses, like ours, have two parking spaces; the smaller houses and flats have one allocated space. If we owned the house, then we would own the spaces (as some other residents do). However, our rental agreement includes two parking spaces. So, to make things like getting DS & DD out of the car, loading up for car boots, etc. I park down the middle of our two spaces. The thing is, one of the other residents thinks we are being greedy (he has one allocated space which is taken up by his car) and tries to park a generator-type contraption in our spaces every day. He works for a utility company and brings his van and generator home. He happily parks the van on the road outside, thank god. I have asked him repeatedly not to block my car in, and his initial response was 'I can believe your little car needs so much space'. Last night I parked properly (!) in one space so MIL had somewhere to park, and I woke up to find the generator slap bang in our parking space. I put a very polite note through his door asking him to move it, but he pushed it back through my door with 'fuck off' written on it. He is such a meat head and I don't know what to do. AIBU? Should I just concede defeat?

OP posts:
Auntiestablishment · 03/12/2011 19:40

YANBU.
When are you moving out?

OldGreyWassailTest · 03/12/2011 19:42

Note back - "If you want to park in our space it will cost you £50 a month as that is the extra on our rent that we pay for 2 spaces."

AnnieLobeseder · 03/12/2011 19:43

Is there a management company that looks after the complex and car park? How are the parking rights enforced? Maybe speak to your landlord if you don't know. You might be able to get his generator clamped or towed. Failing that, you could report him to the company he works for for illegal parking. Speak to customer services or HR.

WowOoo · 03/12/2011 19:46

Yes, concede partial defeat as you won't be there for ever.

Park in one space and don't reserve it. Can your MIL block the generator in for short term.
If i understand what a meat head is, it's better to try to be nice for a bit.

lovelyladuree · 03/12/2011 19:54

Thanks for really helpful responses for my first ever post. Have almost stopped grinding teeth. We are going to be here for about 3 more years because of DPs work so I want a quiet life for sure. There is a management company of sorts, and the rep lives next door to me, but he is more scared of meathead than we are! Writing to the utility company is a brilliant idea. What really grates on me is that the meathead's own car has sat abandoned for a year. It has weeds growing around it and the tax expired ages ago. The solution to his parking problem is staring him in the bloody face.

OP posts:
HeidiKat · 03/12/2011 20:09

Report the abandoned car to the DVLA and hopefully get it taken away and then he might park his generator there.

HappySeven · 03/12/2011 20:11

I like OldGrey's idea (if you're brave). Perhaps the meathead doesn't know you are meant to have two and thinks you're cheekily taking the spare?

dreamingofsun · 03/12/2011 22:11

agree with happy - nicely point out that you have the 2 spaces as part of your rental deal and very nicely ask if he would mind not parking his generator in your spot. if needs be apologise to him and say you need the spaces because you have children and you don't want them to bang your doors against anyone else's car. be very careful - this sort of thing can escalate and before you know it you will have scratches all over your car or generator marks all over the bonnet.

RubyFakeNails · 03/12/2011 22:29

I would simply write back "only when you fuck off out my car parking space", if he's the meathead you say he is the gentile approach may not wash.

You should at some point if this continues tell him you will be insisting he is charged for this (poss take payment piece by piece from his van or generator thingy!).

You need to appear tough, if he's someone who thinks he can bully his way in and out of situations don't let him walk all over you. Can you put something in the space so he can't park there?

GnomeDePlume · 03/12/2011 22:55

Contact the utility company to tell them that some meat head has abandoned one of their generators on your property. Tell them to get it moved. Be PA about it. Be a pain in the arse to his employer, it will work better than anything else. If you phone every day they will soon get fed up and tell him to park it properly.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 03/12/2011 23:12

Clamp the generator van, maybe?

AnnieLobeseder · 04/12/2011 13:16

Yup, I think going to his company is the best bet. And call the police if he gets remotely arsey again, tell them you're being harassed.

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 04/12/2011 13:26

What about getting your landlord to write to him, saying that you pay rent for the house and the two parking spaces and as such, they are yours as much as the house and garden are and to ensure that he does not use them in future?

DuchessofMalfi · 04/12/2011 13:27

I used to own a flat which had two parking spaces (which I owned also). I used to have no end of trouble trying to park in my own space. I usually only needed one of them, but it would have been nice to have been asked if I wouldn't mind someone else using the other one, but people aren't like that. I was, at times, blocked in and threatened with violence. I also had nasty notes put through my door just for wanting to park in a parking space I owned. I was really glad to move house eventually.

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 04/12/2011 13:32

Are they marked, btw? With the number of the house that they belong to? Because if not, that would be a good thing. And perhaps a sign too.

FantasticVoyage · 04/12/2011 13:33

He's a bully. Don't let him bully you.
Write back saying the spaces are yours to use as you pay for them. And keep the 'fuck off' note; if he sends another abusive one, get the police in. And don't forget that you can go to the management company - threaten to not pay for the extra space if they don't take action.

FabbyChic · 04/12/2011 13:34

Get a solicitor to write him a letter advising that the parking spaces belong to your property and are not there for his benefit.

CadleCap · 04/12/2011 13:39

I think that if he is taking a company van home, it is considered to be like a company car which is liable for tax. When you phone his company perhaps mention that and see how quickly he is stopped from taking the van home Grin

sprinkles77 · 04/12/2011 13:40

WRT his own parked / abandoned car. If it is on private property it does not need to be taxed. It does need to have a SORN. DVLA would want to know either way.

dreamingofsun · 04/12/2011 14:08

cadle - would only be liable for tax if he was using it for personal use. so if he doesn't drive it outside work hours - other than to get home - it wouldn't be.

eurochick · 04/12/2011 14:16

I think calling the company is your best bet here. And maybe the DVLA too to check that the car has a SORN. I wouldn't bother trying to reason with the meathead.

rhondajean · 04/12/2011 14:38

I have a similar situation here in that we have two spaces. We do have two cars. The rest of the properties apart from one have only one space. There is plenty of visitor parking. Some is on the other side of the properties.

The development is now almost 5 years old, people should have got the hang of the parking thing. If someone comes ot my house and parks in someone elses space, unless its say the pizza delivery guy I explain and show them the visitor parking.

If someone parks in one of my spaces, I now park along it. Because I have two spaces, I can do this without blocking in anyone except DH and the perptrator.

Do that. Then leave the car. Make him come to the door. Tell him every time he parks in your space WHICH YOU ARE PAYING FOR you will do the same.

He is being a knob because he thinks he can bully you. Dont let him away with it. Write to the factor too.
(PS you may be able to tell this REALLY grinds my gears!)

Blu · 04/12/2011 14:48

I would knock on the door with the note and say 'that note I left you came back ike this - did you write it or has someone thought it would be a joke to be so rude?' and then say 'look, I know it may seem a bit mad that we use both of the spaces that belong to our flat, but they are OUR spaces not communal spaces, and i se them for getting the children in and out and today for my Mum. If you have any confusion about whether they are communal spaces, check with your landlord'.

Be nice, be calm and stand your ground and if he kicks off say 'hang on this is a neighbourly conversation, but if you threaten me I'll dial the police!'.

MabelLucyAttwell · 04/12/2011 14:49

Are your car parking spaces numbered so that you know they belong to your accommodation? Or is is two spaces ad hoc? Could you park in one of the other spaces and not annoy another resident?

AnneTwacky · 04/12/2011 17:31

You could try and speak to/ write to the transport manager of whichever company he works for. They may not take kindly to their plant being parked inconsiderately or may insist he has to park it securely in one of their yards.

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