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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want this car parked on my grass?

27 replies

Nightowlagain · 19/04/2015 08:57

In front of our house we have a small garden and then a fence, then there is a grass verge in front of that, maybe 2 feet in width. It is ours, we have to cut the grass and maintain it. A lot of the houses in the street are housing association, and the council deals with their grass and outside space, so I think the person parking outside on our bit thinks it is public land iyswim?

They are parking half up off the road with two wheels on our grass. I understand why they are doing it, it's a narrow road so they are being considerate in some ways I suppose! And there is a shortage of parking. Which is one reason I object, as I want to know that space is available if I come back and there is no spaces on the road. I also object just in principle, it's our grass, and I don't want to look out and see someone's car sat there! That's why I don't know if AIBU, maybe I'm just being petty.

I have vague plans about planting some bulbs and stuff out there. I can't if they're there can I?! It just irritates me that someone is parking on my grass! So give it to me straight, AIBU?

OP posts:
CadleCrap · 19/04/2015 08:59

Move your fence? Yanbu

PurpleWithRed · 19/04/2015 09:01

Not if it belongs to you - it's part of your garden. You need something typically British and understated to signal that it's yours. Maybe some of those big stones painted white or a little fence that you could take down if you need to park there?

WizardOfToss · 19/04/2015 09:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JemimaPuddlePop · 19/04/2015 09:02

Are you sure it's yours?

We also have a grass verge in front of our garden but it's part of the public highway/pavement, as are most bits of grass beyond a clearly defined garden boundary.

KatieKaye · 19/04/2015 09:04

If you are 100% certain that you own this area of land and do not just have an obligation of maintenance over it, then incorporate it within your garden - whether by moving the fence, putting in some other sort of boundary, digging up grass and planting over, putting pots on it or even a display of garden gnomes!
But make absolutely sure you have clear title to the land before doing any of the above. It is possible the land is not within your title even if you do have to maintain it

SoupDragon · 19/04/2015 09:05

We also have a grass verge in front of our garden but it's part of the public highway/pavement, as are most bits of grass beyond a clearly defined garden boundary.

My parents have a similar grass verge that is theirs, just like the OP describes.

Original poster
Nightowlagain · 19/04/2015 09:06

Well the reason I think it's ours is that the council never maintains it, so it must be our responsibility? But I suppose I'm not 100% sure, I'd have to check the paperwork from the sale. Our driveway ends parallel to the edge of the verge by the road, that is our land so surely the verge must be, it doesn't stick out further than the drive?

Our row of houses are quite new, the fence runs along the row of three houses so to move ours would be weird.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nightowlagain · 19/04/2015 09:08

Ok thanks for the messages, I thought I'd get flamed tbh! IABU is scary.

I'll check for sure about the ownership before leaving any snotty notes, I didn't realise we could have to maintain it and it not belong to us.

OP posts:
londonrach · 19/04/2015 09:11

Check paperwork as suspect it might not be yours. If it is yours put a fence up. Problem solved

AlternativeTentacles · 19/04/2015 09:12

Check out the deeds and if it is yours, put some large stones on it and get it planted up!

JemimaPuddlePop · 19/04/2015 09:13

If you're definitely sure it's your op, I'd stick a small sign in the ground saying 'private property - please do not park on the grass' or similar. That way it can be removed if you choose to park there yourself.

I know what a pain a grass verge can be - people park on the bit outside my house which I don't mind per se...but through the winter it gets churned up by tires and is like a huge mud bath. There's not much grass on our street so people also make a beeline for it to let their dogs have a shit Angry

I've asked the Council highways to come and pave it a couple of times because of this (as it's a hazard due to slippery mud/dog shit) but had no luck.

If I owned it, I'd pave it in a second and put a sign up to keep others off.

feebeecat · 19/04/2015 09:14

There is a road like this near me, several of them have a row of white painted rocks just along the kerb edge. Looked odd when they first appeared, but guess it makes sense - can still park there, but just not half on/off & as they are white & stick out no one can claim not to have seen them.

frizzyhairstress · 19/04/2015 09:15

yanbu

ToBeeOrNot · 19/04/2015 09:16

If your houses are quite new it may be that it should be part of the public highway but has not yet been adopted, which is why there is no maintenance.

RoganJosh · 19/04/2015 09:17

Even if it isn't yours I would still put some white stones on it.

wheresthelight · 19/04/2015 09:30

we have similar that is council owned but it is in our deeds that we are responsible for maintenance so it could be that there is a covenant in your deeds.

however Yabvu for your comment about wanting to know the space is available for you, they cam park on the road outside your house regardless of whether you own the verge as it's public highway

toots111 · 19/04/2015 09:40

Penguin bollard Smile

Original poster
Nightowlagain · 19/04/2015 09:44

wheresthelight the saving the spot for me was only in relation to parking on my verge. Obviously they could just park on the road but the road is quite narrow so they probably wouldn't. I don't think its U to want to be the only people able to park on my own land, if that's what it is of course!

OP posts:
LillyBugg · 19/04/2015 09:49

It's like this on my in laws road. They all use removable bollards or cones to stop people parking on the grass. It's near a school and people always try and park there at pick up time despite everyone living within a mile of the school, lazy sods It's a pain when we all go over because between us all we can sometimes have about 5/6 cars so we really do need the additional space.

Find out if it's yours and then definitely use something removable to mark it as yours but still leave it useable.

SomewhereIBelong · 19/04/2015 09:49

It may be what is/used to be called a service strip - between a garden and a road. Here are some of the rules we have service strip rules so I would definitely check.

RustyBear · 19/04/2015 09:49

Not sure you can assume it doesn't belong to the council just because they don't maintain it - our council has pretty much stopped maintaining lots of areas of public space and only cut vegetation on lots of verges if it is obstructing the road or pavement.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 19/04/2015 09:50

We looked round a house with a similar sort of thing - and turned it down partly because of the wierd grass strip - seemed a right pain to have to maintain. The people who bought it obviously get fed up of the hassle and walled it off. It must be like sitting in a prison! Grin

cathpip · 19/04/2015 09:51

We have a section of grass which although it is outside our boundary we own it. We have put up stones around the edge as cars were being parked on it and ruining the grass, did have to show one neighbour our deeds as we were taking away his parking space apparantly :)

shewept · 19/04/2015 09:53

If its your yanbu. You own it.

But yabu a little, to get upset when you don't know if you own it or not. Find that out first before you get to worked up about it. Save the outrage for the Grin

shewept · 19/04/2015 09:54

Also even if you do own it. I can see why people think its public space, so put a sign up or removable bollards etc.