To ask neighbours AGAIN to leave me a parking space

[Sweetpeach3]

Long story short. Bought my house over a year ago....
neighbours are fine in general just a few annoying things, i.e have parcels delivered and their kids don't move out of bed all day to answer the door- we take them in and end up with them for atLeast 2 weeks unless I take it for them! (Kids are in their 20s just lazy)

My other issue is parking!!
They have 2 cars and a large van
Quick brief on how the situation is---
I own the land at the back of our houses (I can discribe it as a large alleyway were you can fit 2 cars side by side and it's 3 detached houses long) it's straight acces to all our gardens but I do own it overall. We do also have a parking bay outside our houses that would fit a car each. We're on a busy main road also

A few weeks ago they parked both their cars in front of my back gate so I literally couldn't get in the back gate and then had the van on the front (taking my space ) so I had to park over the main road. I left them a letter and they apologised and agreed they would leave the van an car at the back an leave me enough access to open my gate and then a car on the front so I atLeast have one space.... I'm heavily pregnant with 2 young kids so I think I'm being reasonable letting them use the whole back aslong as they leave me 1 pissing space
They also have a drive in their back but don't use it just block up the access road for everyone else
I know the past 2 people who have lived here have had the same issue with them
Last week we was having our loft and stairs re built. The man next door came home for dinner and sat on my front beeping (assumed we wasn't home) for my workmen to move their van out of my space as his van wouldn't fit. His car would of May I add!! Then when I went to the door he apologised as he didn't know we was home an said he will use his back why he's got his van!!!! Just utter arseholes but other then this their ok neighbours just very selfish

But
This past week iv been lumbered with 2 huge parcels in my downstairs bathroom they won't collect but they are in. I'm not walk-in them around AGAIN as they are heavy and they've took up the whole back and have 2 cars on the front. I'm due in 2 weeks an they know how busy the road is so AIBU to ask them to move one of their cars so I can park on my front as I'm struggling to walk and then to get 2 kids into a car on the opposite side of the road. Parked on the road not in a lay by designed for residents parking or on my backs so I'm not having heart failure trying to get over this main road to my car with kids an bags etc
Really annoying me because their kids are in their 20s and their late 40s no health issues as im aware making them have to all park so close.
I agreed to let them have the whole back aslong as I can have the front an they left me enough room to open the gate

Finding them so selfish right now???

I just don't want to have the neighbour war with them that's why iv tried be civil but like my ex said - this is clearly why all the other neighbours havnt got on with them
On the whole they seem nice but I have seen the arrogant side to them lately like when he sat beeping for my builder he was so rude an didn't realise I was home
He clearly felt a dick because he can't to apologise and explain himself but doesn't matter. Don't speak to people or treat them like that he wasn't parked anywhere wrong. If they ever had more then the 1 van I made them park the other over the road

Access for driving is very dfferent to access to park and use the land - they should pass through your land to get to theirs.

Put signs up saying no parking - you need to giev a clear message - at the moment you are not.

Definitely get the space at the front designated as disabled, you just need to make sure your council are aware that the space at the back of the property is not suitable due to access limitations.

I'm afraid often being kind to people opens the door to them taking the pish

Check the deeds for your property.

They may have vehicular access but quite probably NOT.

They may have 'a right of way across the land', and unless it specifies this right of way is vehicular, then that just means on foot.

The fact they have a driveway at the back does NOT automatically mean they have vehicular access, so please do not assume that it does.

None of these types of access give them the right to park at the back.

Personally, I would check the deeds.

If they have right of way on foot, I would offer them the right to access by vehicle and to park in specific places, FOR an annual fee (that fee can be a fiver, it doesn't matter ) and clear understanding, in writing, that this a permission you grant annually.

If they have vehicular access then do same but obviously you just need to specify the parking.

That way, they have far less chance of coming up one day and saying 'well we have parked here without challenge for x years, for free, and now we automatically have the right to do that'.

Can you bollard off (with removable bollards) your parking space at your end of the drive? It seems to me that ND doesn't need to go any further down the alleyway than a turning space to back into his own drive, so technically you could bollard off beyond the point at which he needs to go to turn round. Then you could get out of your gate.

YANBU at all.

They are CFs and you need to a) stop taking in any parcels for them and b) make them move their car from your space EVERY time.

Rude ignorant asshats.

Access is not parking. Put gates up. Leave a foot gate.

I was going to suggest this, too.

People are so insensitive. OP identifies as having posted a diagram. The inclusive thing to do is to accept it exists, even if none of us can cis-see it.

lamancha

The spaces at the front, are they owned by you or on public property?

I'd second the back land situation, also don't give them rights they're not entitled to as I'm sure that if they do park for X years they can apply for a change to the land rights I think (check thoughas I'm not entirely sure) so say they can have access but no longer park there and you'll leave sufficient space for them. Put some lighting up too so it's not so dark

I would approach the council first to see if they can designate one of the front spaces as a disabled space for your son. If that fails then tell the neighbours that due to the continued parking problems at the front then you will no longer be giving them permission to park at the back. Put up signs in the alleyway that say "Private property. Vehicular access permitted. No parking", and fit some security lights too.

I would point out that they have use of the land at the back for access to their own backyards but NOT to park on as it blocks entry/exit to your property. Everytime they park there ask tell them to move.

Everytime.

If they park in front of your house blocking your gate tell them to move.

You don't have a good neighbourly relationship with them anyway, so no point trying to salvage what doesn't exist. Just tell them to move every single time until they realise you're going to tell them to move every single time.

Just an update.
They moved the car before I even got the kids to bed to go around an say something lol so must of seen the post or realised I'd been fuming all day and seen me struggle getting in!

But I knocked on and gave the parcels back today an they said thanks and how are things etc. I just made the comment (nicely in convo) on how I'd had it for a week and if they want parcels delivering in future that if I was them I'd make sure I'm in because my kids think Santa is delivering everything for them an no box gets left alone and I can't be hiding their things aswel as mine. And I havnt heard a thing since. Been a few days so see how it goes !!
Their a lovely couple (never really sen their older kids) so don't want to rock the boat their just abit lazy..... but hey x