Neighbours have asked to store their motorcycle under the car port

[SledsImOn]

We live in a converted house. I've never been entirely sure whose bit is whose, on the drive - upstairs is two flats, and they park their cars on the front bit, while we park at the side, where our door is (they have a door on the front of the house, to their staircase).

We get the car port, then, which seems a bit unfair but it just works best that way.

They got rid of their car a while back and the chap bought a bike for getting to work. Their child is about 18, they are an older couple. Now they have bought another car, and so the bike is kind of wedged next to our front window, not being used.

Just now they knocked on the door and asked if they could have some space to put the bike, so it doesn't get rained on too much (he has never bothered to get a cover for it before - talking 9 months or so of being left unlocked and uncovered in all weathers)

I have said no, because basically, there's about 2ft of space between our car and the wall, and I have actually sold my own motorbike so that I have enough room to get the pram out! It's going to be a squeeze anyway, if we're to be able to actually open the car doors on both sides.

So for him to put his bike there would be impossible for us.

I aksed if he is going to keep it, as he hasn't used it for weeks, and he said he won't get much if he sells it but he might sell it if he can get a decent amount.

I feel terrible. I said I have an old cover I kept from mine, if I can locate it he can borrow it - but tbh, I lent him my pedal cycle for a few months last year, and he left that out in the rain so it went rusty too, and I don't think I'll get the cover back.

Who should have the right to the car port here? I feel like I'm being selfish but we've been here about 4 1/2 years, never had a problem with using it, and I cannot think of a way to let him put his bike there unless we park on the road which just isn't possible.

Also the neighbours have no possible need to use the carport as a right of way. They don't have access to the garden, and that's all you can use it for really apart from getting to our front door.

So my stuff isn't blocking access for them (I did clarify about the garden when we moved in and agents confirmed it's just for us).

If they kept stuff under the port it would probably be blocking our access.

say no. And Keep that bookcase there for a bit longer, right up till you start parking the pram. will you be locking the pram to something solid?

the M/bike owner could have kept the bike under cover IF they had chosen to use a cover for it.

Yes I will lock it to the handrail next to the door. The carrycot bit comes off to come inside if the weather is bad.

I agree he could easily have used a cover if he had bothered. And my bicycle is still rusty thanks to him. And he is so heavy that thew saddle was falling off when I got it back...he never bothered to tighten it, I don't think they have any tools, they are hopelessly unprepared for anything.

Btw if anyone wants a bookcase and is in the south east - please come and get it in a couple of weeks!

"Mayor, just out of interest - would you insist on parking your bike under it too?"

I don't know tbh. Probably not but it would depend completely on the circumstances/relationships of the situation.
If I was paying the same rent as another tennant and there was a communal carport which I felt they had just assumed control of due to their proximity and not any actual right or through their rental agreement I might end up getting pissed off and doing it.

Especially now you say you're keeping other stuff there, I think there'd definitely be a part of me wondering why you felt you were entitled to the covered parking spot and a storage space even though nothing in anyones agreement says as much and we all pay the same rent.

If I got on with a neighbour then I might avoid the aggro to keep the peace, but otherwise I can very easily see why other residents would be put out and think you were being unreasonable.

Some might say "well he's been fine with the arrangement for X years, why kick up a fuss now." which is fair enough, equally the other side could say "well the OP has had the benefit for that period just because she felt she should, so why shouldn't other residents now get a chance to avail of it. it's not exactly fair that one resident gets to dictate the use of a communal area."

Yes, I can see what you mean.

I would be open to discussion of the other neighbours having the car port.

It's just that it leads directly to our door, and our garden - it's ergonomically the sensible thing. Plus my having to keep up the garden/build fences/plant things (I sort out the front garden too, which no one else ever bothers with!) I need somewhere dry to store materials. I also paint our front door, they never ever bother with theirs which is horrid and had a hole in it...I offered to do it for them once but no one took me up on it.

I take the maintenance aspect quite seriously, have even done major projects such as tiling the bathroom and gutting the kitchen, laying tiles myself, plumbing, I always shovel and grit the drive when it snows - no one else bothers - so they can get their vehicles on and off it.

They had a broken hob the other month and demanded an entire new kitchen which was paid for and fitted for them - I never asked for that. I paid for and built my own. We have different takes on what is expected iyswim.

I think with power comes responsibility and I do what I can. They just live on the top floor, and smoke out of the window - which is forbidden. I leave them to that as I think, keep yourselves to yourselves and I'll do the same.

I don't know - I think sometimes they see me as part of the management! Or in cahoots with the landlord or something. I'm not. I just have a different attitude.