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

[SomewhatNewToThis]

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?

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.

Maddening
we have one neighbour who has claimed all the visitors bays near theur house

Claimed in what way - just by telling people?

Right, I have to go and do some actual things. I expect and update on my return

Cheeky fuckers.

You need a removable bollard in your parking space so she can't drive across it. DH has them at his work due to local residents thinking his car park is a free for all, they cost around £50 each and not much for a local friendly builder to put in for you. That would put an instant stop to it as she won't be able to get through your space.

No dropped kerb, no drive.

Tell them this and don't move. In fact, tell them to report you to the council.

placemarking

IceLolly
I had to re-read your post a couple of times to work out if you were serious!

Well until you drop the kerb, it's not off street parking nacho. Why don't you just do it now? Or start saving - it costs £500 for the application here and at least £1k to get the kerb dropped

Are you coming back op? I'd definitely drop them a note saying you're not going to move your car for them again as it is your parking space allocated to your property by the council.

In the interests of good relations, I'd be quite gushy while not shifting an inch.
Terribly sorry they didn't realise that's your allocated parking space not just normal road (even if blatantly obvious it isn't), what a shame they did all that work and didn't realise they can't actually create a drive there. You were happy to help out on the understanding that it was a temporary thing while their dd applied for a parking permit but you're sure they'll understand that it's not practical on an ongoing basis. Were they aware that it's illegal to drive over pavement without a dropped kerb, which obviously wouldn't be granted given the allocated parking space in front, just thought you ought to warn them as you would hate for them to get fined?

People are bonkers. Be careful as any disputes will affect the saleability of your home but a polite "the reason I bought this property over others was because of the allocated parking immediately opposite so I'm afraid your proposal isn't workable for me. I believe there's space in the permit carpark thought - said with a smile"

I always think people who assume they can create parking on their land are very arrogant as they're removing the right to park on the street for others. We get it a lot where I park for work - apparently my employer should pay and provide parking - I work in the NHS and we haven't found that magic money tree yet!

jiggly it doesnt cost anything to apply where i am in scotland. Council quoted me 2k to lower the kerb but said if applied for a minor roadworks consent which costs £32 i can get it done privately. My dad would be able to do it then as groundworks is his job. This is from my local councils page on dropped kerbs
If you want to lower the kerb and footway in front of your driveway for easier vehicular access to your drive/garage, you must first get permission from the Roads & Transportation Section.
If you are interested in a Footway Crossing Application Form see the Forms section below. Please note that you will also have to apply for Minor Roadworks Consent (MRC), if the works are to be undertaken by a private contractor (as opposed to the Council's Roads Contracts).

Well why don't you just do it now then Nacho, rather than moaning when people park perfectly legally in front of your garden?

Im not moaning about it. I accept while yes its annoying at times theres nothing i can do about it as its not a dropped kerb. I dont have the funds to do it just now

while it's much more amusing to be a prickly cowbag about it, I would go with the diplamatic route.

Knock on the door, say that you just wanted to sort out the parking issue, that you have contacted the council and can't get another place allocated for you as you already have one, and that they dont recognise the gravelled front garden as a drive.

So you will continue to park in your place as it's the only space you have available right now - but if they were to put in a planning application to get the curb dropped, your space will stop being classed as a parking space and you'll get allocated another one, you can't get another space unless they take action.

Sadly it's all out of your hands, you'll park elsewhere if you are provided with an alternative space without having to pay for it, but that's not going to happen until they get their drive made official. Obviously you know that's a lot of fuss for them, so they could just get a parking permit for their 2nd car.

that you just wanted to have a chat now, as you're not going to be around as much over the summer, so won't always be in to move your car when their daughter wants to move hers, so best they get this sorted or her parking elsewhere "before it becomes a problem".

Keep repeating that you can't fix this and won't always be able to move your car. don't answer the door next time they ring to get you to move the car.

I wonder what planet some people live on! Why make a drive if there's an allocated (I presume marked also) space blocking it. Particularly when there's a perfectly good car park the girl can park in.

InvisibleKitten is spot on. Assertive while remaining friendly. They are your neighbours, after all.

The thing is, OP likes her parking spot where it is. Why should she give it up? She was there first.

Agree with Kitten's basic attitude of being friendly but immovable; however, there is no way I'd offer to park somewhere else. The space came with the house and is opposite it. An allocated space three roads away or even in the car park at the end of the road is considerably less valuable. If I was a pregnant woman househunting, I would be looking for either off-road parking or an allocated space within sight and close proximity of the house. I'd also be willing to pay more for it. By agreeing to move parking spaces for her neighbours' convenience, the OP would be

1. Reducing the value of her house
2. Reducing the saleability of her house
3. (Possibly most importantly if no current plans to move) Seriously impacting her own convenience. I'm sure most of us would rather carry our groceries from a car parked outside our own house than from a car park at the end of the road or in a bay in another street, and the OP has already mentioned that her mother is an important consideration.

By all means be friendly and don't get the council or bollards involved to start with, but point out that you cannot and will not move your car every time the DD wants to enter or exit her parents' garden, that you own and paid for the bay and that the neighbours really need to take up the DD's parking needs with the council, to get her a permit for the car park ASAP. And put it in a nice friendly handwritten note with a copy of the document from the council that allocates you the bay, but photocopy it before you stick it through their letter box.

Do not move your car again. That is your parking spot, it has been allocated to you, you have done nothing wrong.

Chucking some stones in your front garden doesn't make it a drive any more than sticking a feather up my backside would make me a bird/enable me to fly.

Chucking some stones in your front garden doesn't make it a drive any more than sticking a feather up my backside would make me a bird/enable me to fly.

Quite.

OP come back

"This is my allocated parking space. I won't be parking elsewhere" repeat ad Infinitum and don't move your car again!!

Am I correct in reading that OP has already "posted" (as in past tense) a letter basically saying all the above?

So what happened? There is a captive audience that desperately wants an update.

I wonder if the daughter is a nanny?

They're mad! Complain to the council!

I wonder what the legal rights to an allocated parking spot are. I presume the house is freehold and then does it say in the deeds (you can buy the title for £3 from the land registry) what right to park comes with the land. Do check because it may not quite be going with the house but might be some concession from the Council which they can change from time to time. It sounds ilke you park on council owned road outside your house probably with a number on it indicating that is your precise space (unusual) rather than general residents parking. We were at my daughter's new flat today and that has residents' parking out side her old and new flats actually (I was doing heavy lifting) but no one has a specific allocated space on the street so a different situation.