Neighbours have 4 cars on shared drive designed for 1 each

[FabLaura]

For 7 months our neighbour has parked 4 cars on the shared drive. It means DH & I struggle to park our 2 cars every time we use the drive as the entrance is now very tight due to their cars sticking out. I have spoken to our neighbour and politely mentioned how annoying it was for us. This was a month ago and nothing changed. One of the cars was a present for son who doesn't live there and he doesn't want the car. They said if they sold it, they would lose money and can't park on road as not taxed. Two are personal cars (1 for Mum, 1 for Dad) and the final car is a work van.

What would you do next? Our neighbours are lovely people but the car parking is driving me mad!
I haven't attached a picture as you'll see the name of their business

Why can't you put one of your cars in your garage? You must know they are going to tell you to GTF if you start telling them to park in their garage and you're not doing it yourself...

The comments about me and my husband's cars are fair: because it stops neighbour 1 parking on their drive too. Thinking about this now, you may have saved me as coming across as a bit of a dick if I had insisted they lose a car but done nothing myself.

Argh!!!!!!!!
I might have to live with this stupid car situation until we widen our drive

TheFirstMrsOsmond - I like the idea of car 1 going sideways

Nice diagram FabLaura
I would check my deeds to see what the use of the land is described as. If it's access only there doesn't appear to be much you can do as you are also using as a driveway. If it specifics one car only, you'll be causing DH an issue with his car. I'd have another word in the first instance. Dash them to get rid of untaxed vehicle. Park work vehicle elsewhere. Then you are both parking 2.
If they said no, I'd consider paving front area into a space, depending on cost and how much it bugs you.

*Ask them

OP shouldn't have to pave over her lawn just because of the neighbour's selfish parking.

I think it depends on what the deeds say as, based on your diagram (if it's roughly to scale) the problem is you don't have any access to the road directly in front of your garage and therefore have to use the part directly in front of neighbours garages to get to the road.

On the face of it, that does look like your problem and not the neighbours and the resolution is to change the shape of your drive.

YANBU they are monster people

You need to get copies of all the deeds and then have a meeting between the owners.

On the face of it, that does look like your problem and not the neighbours and the resolution is to change the shape of your drive.
Disagree. That bit of drive next to the pavement is a shared access for all the garages and parking. It shouldn't be blocked by a parked car.

OP - How wide is the dropped kerb?

OP if they put 2 cars sideways, it would help even more - but you might feel this is too much to ask

Disagree. That bit of drive next to the pavement is a shared access for all the garages and parking. It shouldn't be blocked by a parked car.

Disagree back at ya! 😉

Its more normal to expect the access to a drive to be what's directly in front of that house's garage unless the deeds state otherwise.

It looks like the OP house might have extended their garden in years gone by as they could use the bit in front of the other garages for access.

As I said though, it totally depends on what the deeds say.

'Normal' has no legal significance, and this is not a normal arrangement.

But agree with checking the deeds. And the dropped kerb will define where the pavement should be crossed.

Here's a photo from the deeds - sorry it's a bit naff as the document is 40 years old

The yellow part is our garden and the red line is our boundary.

Our interpretation is; all 3 neighbours have a slice of the drive each. We think the neighbour's car is on neighbour 1's land - hmmm this doesn't help us.

How wide is the dropped kerb?

Can’t see the photo

Have a meeting with neighbour 1?

I can't see the photo either

I would have car 4 towed every time it's parked on the pavement. They might eventually get the message.

You should keep one car on the road too though for neighbour 1.

The trouble is of course that deeds and agreements are of little use unless you are prepared to litigate.

I would never ever buy a house that has shared anything but that doesnt help now.

They are taking the piss and they know it. Like so many people these days they do as they like and let others suck it up.

The trouble is of course that deeds and agreements are of little use unless you are prepared to litigate.

I would never ever buy a house that has shared anything but that doesnt help now.

They are taking the piss and they know it. Like so many people these days they do as they like and let others suck it up.

You could park on the grass.

Unless you're in London, parking on the pavement isn't illegal, for now.

I can't see the photo

bearbehind - not illegal but still eligible for a fixed penalty notice if deemed to be causing an unnecessary obstruction.