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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Housemate parked blocking the driveway!

38 replies

LightningOne · 04/11/2018 12:44

Hi,
I live in a rented house share of 4. 3 of us have cars. Driveway can only fit 2 so whoever is 3rd has to park on the street.
Recently, rules have come in for resident permit area (so we have to pay a permit fee each year to park on the road) starting from next week. It has been agreed to all housemates need to get a permit as that's the only way it'll be fair but whichever two get home first can park on the driveway each day.

One of my housemates was a bit bitter about this before and anyway, he is the one parking on the street at the moment. The parking bays have been marked as boxes on the street and told that once the permit time starts, if someone is parked outside these boxes, they'll incur a penalty charge. He did initially park in one of the marked boxes (i.e. not blocking the driveway but the bay nearest to our house). The other day, he got back home and saw that someone else (random person) had parked in that bay. Instead of parking in the next bay (further from the house but still within 1-2 mins walk), he parked across the driveway basically blocking me in. I guess it could be possibly to get my car out but only with a lot of effort. His car horizontally covers the entirety of my car width!

Only issue is currently the house does not have a dropped kerb and hence, bays were marked to park across our house but this has been corrected by the council on the promise that the landlord will pay to reduce the kerb.

What should I do? I think it's very inconsiderate and lazy of him to park like that. Don't want to speak to him about it as he's very stubborn and set in his ways and not likely to change his mind.

Any help appreciated :)

OP posts:
SassitudeandSparkle · 04/11/2018 12:48

Well unfortunately, he has parked legally and it's you and the other housemate that have parked illegally if the marked space outside the house is still there. At least if he parks across the drive you can ask him to move, if someone else does you'll really be stuck!

Get the kerb dropped ASAP!

worknamechanged · 04/11/2018 12:48

You just need to talk to him. Yes, he and you may not enjoy it, but if it matters to you, and it seems like it does, then talk to him

LakieLady · 04/11/2018 12:51

Find a reason to leave the house at silly o'clock every now and then, and wake him up because he has to move his car to let you out.

He'll soon stop.

SoupDragon · 04/11/2018 12:53

You don't have a driveway, you have a paved front garden. Or a patio with aspirations as I've seen it described on MN before.

The cars on the drive are the only ones currently parking illegally.

HellenaHandbasket · 04/11/2018 12:53

I wouldn't be overly concerned about someone in my own household blocking me in.

Houseonahill · 04/11/2018 12:54

I guess he gets home later than the rest of you which is why he is always on the path? If that's the case can't you work out some shit driveway Rota where you each get two weeks on the drive and one week on it or something just to keep the peace?

HellenaHandbasket · 04/11/2018 12:56

If he is always on the street, I would be annoyed if I were him.

SushiMonster · 04/11/2018 12:57

You don’t have a driveway if you don’t have a dropped kerb.

AnotherOriginalUsername · 04/11/2018 12:59

My husband parks like this daily. I either move his car, or ask him to move it if I need to get out Hmm

CuriousaboutSamphire · 04/11/2018 13:12

He's your housemate!

Tell him not not be such a dick or you and the other housemate will make sure to do the same to him some day!

The situation is not of your making! He can sulk all he likes, but sooner or later Being An Adult is required! So, when you need your car just tell him to move his! At least then he can have an off road parking space!

TwllBach · 04/11/2018 13:16

Slightly on a tangent here, but do the permits need to have car registrations on them? Or could you buy a permit between the three of you and introduce a rota system whereby each of you has to park on the street for a week/three days/a month/whatever, but share the permit?

NB - I have never had to use a permit so I don't know whether you apply for one with your specific car registration or not.

arranfan · 04/11/2018 13:16

You need to talk to your housemate tho' it's entirely possible that he will try and wear you both down into agreeing that he gets one of the driveway spaces because he will behave unreasonably if he doesn't get one.

LadyintheRadiator · 04/11/2018 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsHopey · 04/11/2018 13:22

Sounds like he always gets the short end of the stick and is pissed off and being a bit passive aggressive.
Just cause he comes home later than you (shitty work shifts?) He's stuck with the shit parking spots.

arranfan · 04/11/2018 13:23

I have never had to use a permit so I don't know whether you apply for one with your specific car registration or not.

In my area it's a permit with your car registration on. The guest permits have to have the registration number written in.

Howhot · 04/11/2018 13:26

You don't have a driveway OP. Even if you did, I would be fine with this as long as you can all agree to be accommodating and let people out as and when they need without fuss. Parking can be a PITA so why can't you all just work with eachother?

user1493413286 · 04/11/2018 13:28

I would say to him each time does he mind moving his car because you’re worried that you’re going to hit it when you reverse off the drive; that will get him moving it and after a few times he won’t want the bother of keeping moving it

Spam88 · 04/11/2018 13:30

Unfortunately there's not really anything you can do until the kerb is dropped and the parking space is removed - just be grateful it's him parking there rather than a random person you can't ask to move.

Once the driveway is all sorted, might it be an idea to suggest instead that the first person home always parks on the street (when it's quieter and they're more likely to get a space nearby)?

EK36 · 04/11/2018 13:33

I wouldnt use the driveway until the Kerbs dropped because some one could legally block your drive off at the moment.

EK36 · 04/11/2018 13:35

Good idea from spam 88.

TokenGinger · 04/11/2018 13:35

Why are you all paying for a permit? Why don't you all split the cost of one permit three ways and agree which one of you parks on the road? Bearing in mind, the one who takes the brunt of parking on the road should also have the cost of their insurance increase split three ways between you, given that it costs more on insurance if you're not parked on a driveway.

I'd be pretty pissed off if I was the one who worked later and therefore always had to park on the road. He can't help what he works/what his commitments are.

I also wouldn't be arsed if I was blocked in by a housemate - DP blocks me in every night.

I think YABU here. I feel sorry for the housemate who always gets the short straw.

KTheGrey · 04/11/2018 13:36

Isn't it more practical to chip in three ways for one permit, and that person parks in the boxes? You would all pay a third, not a whole permit?

VisitorsEntrance · 04/11/2018 13:47

I would think that one permit for the house makes more sense. Whoever is home last gets the permit.

Jux · 04/11/2018 14:01

Sorry, is the space across your drive marked as a parking space? I can't really picture it. You have a drive but no dropped kerb for it, so you have to bump over the kerb to get on the drive?

kikashi · 04/11/2018 14:13

In my area the reg of the car is printed on the permit and can only be used by that car. Also, you can't have a permit if the property has off street paking such as a driveway or garage unless there is a surplus of permits available.

I think you should draw lots for who has to park on the road but split the cost even though only that car will be listed on the permit.

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