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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbours have 'made' a driveway which MY parking space blocks

407 replies

SomewhatNewToThis · 30/06/2017 22:52

Trying to keep it short. I live down a very weird road- very few houses have driveways. Some of us have allocated bays in the street. Other people- generally the owners of newer houses- must park in a car park about a minutes walk away created especially for our road. It's literally at the end.

Neighbours have a weird upside down U shaped house, facing the road. They have decided to put a very ugly, gravel driveway on the reminder of their front garden.

However, MY allocated council parking space that belongs to my house is where the exit to their 'driveway' is. Their DD just passed her driving test- hence driveway- and I've had to move my car from my space SIX times since Tuesday.

Neighbours have now sent letter asking me to park elsewhere so their DD can use 'driveway.'

AIBU to have posted a polite letter back basically saying no and that I will not be moving car multiple times a day in future? Hmm

Car park for our houses requires a permit. As I have the allocated space, I cannot apply for a permit as I already have a space. Neighbours have one space in car park provided for those without allocated spaces, however can apply for space for their DD as car park has spare permits available. I can't park anywhere else as you can only park in allocated bays.

AIBU to think my allocated space is mine, it's not my fault it's in front of their house and that I shall not be moving my car from now on?

Diagram provided. Grin

Neighbours have 'made' a driveway which MY parking space blocks
OP posts:
IrritatedUser1960 · 01/07/2017 08:35

People do take the piss. Don't move your car again and tell them if they have a problem with it go contact the councul about it.

blueskyinmarch · 01/07/2017 08:35

Thye have got a bloody cheek. You have proven yourself to be a pushover by having already moved your car 6 times. They think you are just going to do what they say in future. You need to out your foot down firmly now and refuse to budge.

Bunnyfuller · 01/07/2017 08:56

They've just gravelled their garden, that does not make it a drive. If they choose to park a car on their garden that's their choice and in no way entitles them to make you move. Bloody rude idiots! Definitely speak to council.

happypoobum · 01/07/2017 08:57

YANBU - I would contact the council about it and refuse to move my car.

DartmoorDoughnut · 01/07/2017 08:58

We'd report and don't move again!

DartmoorDoughnut · 01/07/2017 08:58

We'd?! Def!

CauliflowerSqueeze · 01/07/2017 09:02

While

There

Is

Breath

In

Your

Body,

Never

Move

Your

Car

Again.

Inertia · 01/07/2017 09:04

The council will act here, as it isn't a driveway.

I would refuse to move the car next time the daughter wants access to get back in - if neighbours contact police or council, nobody can make you move as you're legally parked. I would think about a camera on your car though.

Roomster101 · 01/07/2017 09:05

They're perhaps because they are ignorant of how things work (although anyone with half a brain would realise that you can't just create a drive it means that the car will be blocked by a council allocated parking space). Therefore I would check with the council and then write a letter stating what you have been told.

BrokenBattleDroid · 01/07/2017 09:09

No need to make enemies of them, just state nicely that you'll be happy to move your car... you're just waiting for the council to get back to you about re-allocating you a space and putting in their dropped kerb first Grin

Lucysky2017 · 01/07/2017 09:10

You are obviously in the right (and I'm a lawyer not that that makes me some kind of know all....) I would just explain in a simple typed letter the legal position to them.

We have someone who has changed their front garden down near where I park fairly near the tube station and they have one bit of dropped curb from ages ago which is fine and no one parks in front of it but they seem to want to stop people parking in front of their new part of the drive which is not by a dropped curb. I still park there as it is a free space to park and they will just have to live with it.

Separately the curbs and pavement are not their land. I live on a private estate and no one is allowed to make any changes across the estate land - from garden fence to road as that crosses land they do not own. Have these people here done anything to the pavement or verge on land that is not owned to them? If they have they have probably already broken the law.

SpongySand · 01/07/2017 09:10

Peacemaking

SpongySand · 01/07/2017 09:11

Noooo PLACEMARKING

Springishere0 · 01/07/2017 09:12

It's not a drive. They can't park there. They will need permission from highways and planning to turn it into a drive with a dropped kerb. Also, if the drive is larger than 5 m2 and not permeable they need planning permission also.

If they apply for it to become a drive, they will be refused because that part of the road is an allocated parking space. Your space. Do not move your car again.

KatoPotato · 01/07/2017 09:13

Throwing chuckies in your garden does not make a drive! Tel them you will not move your car so that their DD can bump up into their stony garden. Never call it a drive!

Polter · 01/07/2017 09:15

We had a neighbour at our last house who had a huge drive at the front, room for 3 cars easily, but started being an arse by parking on a scrap of gravel at the side of his house and complaining when people parked (legally) next to it. Grr. Some people are just arseholes.

I would send over a polite note with a copy of your deeds/right to park.

CoraPirbright · 01/07/2017 09:17

I would try to get involved as little as possible. Just refer it all to the council and get them to deal with it. Cant argue with stupid, entitled, arrogant chancers like this - it will make your blood pressure go through the roof!

greendale17 · 01/07/2017 09:18

It would be classed as an illegal vehicle crossing by the council.

Don't move your car

LionsTigersBeers · 01/07/2017 09:19

You are definitely in the right. I like pp's advice about simply referring them to the Council and trying not to get involved yourself. Refuse to move your car again.

JustDanceAddict · 01/07/2017 09:19

Phone the council - if no dropped kerb it is not a driveway.

PacificDogwod · 01/07/2017 09:21

I like the advice upthread to tell them you won't move your car again and advise them to contact the council if they have an issue with that.

You are clearly in the right here.

I am not place marking, on no, I'm not

Rach5l · 01/07/2017 09:28

Write a note back -

No sorry, one of the main reasons i bought the house was the allocated parking space right outside

wowfudge · 01/07/2017 09:30

Firstly, OP never move your car for them again. They have no right of access across your space to park on their gravel garden, as others have stated. Then you need to don your tin hat and send them a reply to their letter.

Is your allocated space anywhere in the title register for the house? If not, do you have anything else showing the location of your legally allocated parking space?

I would reply with a copy of the document(s) showing your allocation. I would state that the location of the property's allocated on-street parking space was one of the reasons you purchased the house. Furthermore you will not be taking any steps to park elsewhere for their convenience. Their repeated requests for you to move your car in order for them to have vehicular access to their gravelled garden are bordering on harrassment. You will no longer respond to those requests and ask that they refrain from asking you again or you will have to escalate matters.

I would leave it at that. If you are feeling bolshy, give them the number for the council's parking permit department and suggest they contact them.

Then sit back and see what happens. I would refuse to enter into a dialogue with them and ask them to respond in writing. If it kicks off, call the neighbourhood policing team.

There is no way you should be contacting the council. You need to carry on as normal and they need to realise their convenience doesn't trump your legal, documented rights.

I would also get into the habit of always taking a photo of your car on your phone every time you park it in your space. Take one photo from the pavement side and one from across the road. Then you have evidence of the position and condition of your car. Just in case. If they see you taking photos it may deter them from taking any action which may damage your car.

Pollyanna9 · 01/07/2017 09:30

I always wonder what planet people like this live on - it's Planet Entitlement along with a dash of the Galaxy of Obliviousness. Idiots.

BrieAndChilli · 01/07/2017 09:38

I would say you will sell them your space for £50,000 ( or depending on if your house is very expensive a larger amount)