We have lived in our house for 8 years, and our neighbours have been here 4. Were three houses in a cul de sac. All owned.
Each house in the cul de sac has one allocated parking space. Our house has an extra (which we bought) bit of land which we've gravelled and turned into parking, accessible via our allocated space and one of the other houses have a similar set up. The third house just has their one space.
When you go into the cul de sac there is a round area with a turning space which is primarily for us (as we're in the corner) and the other neighbour with parking to turn so that you aren't required to reverse out onto a fairly fast moving main road almost on top of a junction. This is not a parking area but access to the houses and turning space.
However, since neighbours have moved in they've always parked one of their cars in the turning area. Though annoying, we've always let it go, as it's obviously convenient for them with a family not to have to park on the road (which is still right next to their house the road is only separated from their garden by a footpath).
A couple of weeks ago however a visitor to our home parked in the turning space because they were coming to watch my children and I needed to be able to get my car out (which I can't do if they're on my allocated space). No big deal, you'd think. Anyway I go to leave and neighbours have parked on our allocated space, completely blocking me in (because my car was on our gravelled area, and you have to drive over our allocated space to get out).
I knocked, and nicely asked them to move in the next 15 minutes or so so that I could get out. They refused unless my visitor moved. I explained that the turning space is not their own parking space, which they disputed. I was really polite and told them that unfortunately they were mistaken and that it's very clear on the deeds that they only have one space, and that their parking there is nothing more than a friendly courtesy, not their right. They insisted that it was their parking space, that their estate agent told them at the time they bought that it was theirs and did not move their car until my visitor left. They were quite rude and confrontational about it even though I was as polite and as reasonable and I could be.
I dug out the deeds - because I wanted to check I wasn't wrong in which case I'd have gone and apologised - and I was right. So I popped back round later to show them. They basically said they didn't give a shit and that they'd continue to park there there.
I explained that we didn't mind that even though it inconveniences us and the other house, but that in turn, they couldn't then complain or block us in if someone visiting us or the other house parked there. Either it's ok for people - including them - to park there and we all live and let live and accept that sometimes someone else is going to be there or no one parks there at all and it's kept as a turning space as intended.
Half the time they actually use their allocated space and their lawn, which I suggested maybe they could do if someone was on the tarmac, they refused. They've said if anyone parks on 'their' space then they will from now on block us or the other neighbour in and not move until whoever is parked there moves. I'm not sure how they plan to figure out who is at who's house!
Thoughts?! On the app so no voting option.