Upstairs neighbours blocking the porch with their car..

[Morningcoffeeee]

We have an open drive that leads from the pavement on the street to our porchway where our front door is. The driveway is our allocated parking but we don't have a car so the neighbours from the flat upstairs use it for theirs.

Instead of parking it horizontally like normal they've taken to parking it vertically, blocking our path that we use to get in and out of the flat. As such there is a 1 metre gap between our front door and their horizontally parked car which we have to navigate a pram around. It's very awkward.

As soon as I open the door it's there in my face blocking the view to the street.

Aibu to think it's CF?

Will try to attatch a photo but it's not letting me at the moment.

Incase anyone has missed my other comment, DP has already asked them to move the car.

A few months ago landlord asked us to send some photos of the empty drive so he could advertise it to be rented out. Photos promptly sent but haven't heard anything since about anybody renting it.

My one concern with renting it out would be that somebody (like us!) Would pay for the space then arrive to find CF neighbours, or somebody else, in the space.

We have a church on the next block so on Sundays the street is rammed, if CF neighbours aren't parked there then churchgoers will be. Nobody thinks to ask and I find it a bit rude.

I agree there needs to be something put on the drive to stop the unauthorized parking full stop, unfortunately landlord isn't one who likes spending money and the cost would be his responsibility as we're only renters who only intend to be here another year or so.

Get a junker moped. Park it in your space.

I think you are in a no win situation if the landlord rents it out you will have all sorts parking there, CF upstairs will be the least of it. Why on earth would you want to rent a flat where you can't get your pram in and out? I think the landlord is at fault here. He needs to put some sort of barrier in, or allow you to.

I would also maybe let the parking space yourself rather than let your landlord do it - so that you can claim it back should you need it, or let it when it's convenient for you, be that on a short term basis if you have friends visiting or you want to use it yourself when you get a car.

I think (you'd have to check, I'm not an accountant!) that you can still earn some money from your house so that the income you earnt from renting out your drive would be treated in the same way as if you were renting out a room. And maybe start asking them to move, every time they park in your space. It probably feels mean on the one hand - but on the other hand, the longer they do it, the more entitled they are going to feel.

Have a look at some of the parking sites and see if you can get an idea of what you could charge for your space. Then you can tell them to move because it's yours and you're going to rent it out - but if they want to rent it, providing they park properly, you are willing to let them have it at a discount if they want to do it directly with you... downside is that you don't have the legal protections and insurances that I assume the parking websites would give you... But then at least you'd be getting money in, you'd know who was parking there and could tell them they have to park properly or you'll let it out to someone else!

oops. got interrupted doing my post and discussion's now moved on. ignore me!

I don’t think your landlord can rent it out without your permission, it’s part of your contract with him. You don’t seem very proactive - you are only going to be there a minimum of another year so couldn’t buy some planters?

My one concern with renting it out would be that somebody (like us!) Would pay for the space then arrive to find CF neighbours, or somebody else, in the space.

Why would that be your problem?

We can buy planters that wouldn't be a problem. I meant that we wouldn't want to pay for fencing or a wall.

@SaturdayNext fair point, it wouldn't. I suppose if we rented it out then we'd have the renters on our case if somebody else took the space they paid for.

What a pain in the arse.

If your current rent includes the parking space, then I presume your landlord will be reducing your rent by an appropriate amount if he rents out the space separately?

Christ, I read your title as "Upstairs neighbours blocking the porch with their CAT"!

Go to bed Hilda!

Ask the Landlord if you can paint "Flat 1" (or whatever you are called) on the ground where the space is. Makes it clear at minimal cost. Perhaps a small but scary notice on the wall inside the property too such as:

"If you park here without the permission of Flat 1 you will be trespassing and appropriate action may be taken!"

Do they access their flat through the porch too?

Nope they don't access their flat from our porch they have a separate entrance

If you are happy for them to continue parking, go back to them and explain look your happy to park, however they need to be vertical, not horizontal. Take them down to the car parking space and use gestures if needed due to language barrier. Do it with smiles.

What about getting a bollard out there?

Basically you sink the bottom bit into the ground. The top part is then moveable. So when you have guests you can take it out, when you don’t you can lock it in place.

Planters as others have said also works.

You could also have it towed. Put a notice on it and say this is not legally your parking space. Unauthorised continuing use of this space will cause your vehicle to be towed. Please refrain from parking here again.

if they have parked in your driveway which is a part of your property doesn't that mean that they are parking on someone else's private space? an you get their car towed on that basis?

Paint your flat no on the space.

Can you get a temporary barrier like this to cover the driveway entrance, and then put a table and chairs or plant pots in to reclaim the driveway as your outdoor space?

That’s really fucking cheeky- although not as bad as the bloke from down the road doing it.

Have their car towed away.

Bollards or planters

I like SaucyJack ‘s temporary barrier, along with putting a table & chairs and/or planters.

Tbh I’m struggling to understand why you’ve let people parking in the space go on so long. You’re paying for the damn thing. There’s no way I’d let anyone else use it without my permission.

Will look into the bollard, something needs to go there before baby #2 comes because there's no way I can maneuvere a double pram around that as easily

Believe it or not the upstairs neighbour and the neighbour down the road got into a row about who should park there, when it's neither of their spaces in the first place.

I all but gave up and quite frankly didn't care about upstairs parking there until they started parking vertically across our doorway. I've no idea why they're doing that. It's probably a subtle fuck you to the neighbour down the road.

Big planters and a big fuck off 'Private parking: offenders will be towed at their own expense' sign.

i think the issue is.... you are your husband dont seem to be very vocal about how it is yours, and how you pay for this space and that they are trespassing in your space, you need to be making a bit of ruckus about it, you need to be telling them to move off your space... you are paying for them to park in that space, it is rented and paid for by you, why are you just letting them park there... when the neighbour parks there you need to step out and not let him walk past until he moves the car, when him and the man down the road argue about who gets to use it you need to step out and say none of you are using it as it is mine, if you see them about to drive in step out and stand in the way and tell them to clear off, take a blood chair and sit on it in the way