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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu!? Neighbour parking issue!

265 replies

itsalwaysunny · 17/12/2019 21:59

Need abit of insight as I'm stressing out tonight after yet another incident with our neighbours. Have lived here 4 years it's my grandads house so have grown up in it, now I live here with my partner and children, our neighbours have two cars and us one. Their drive is for one but just about fits 2 cars, but only because we purposefully park as close as is physically possible without hitting our house to accommodate them. They asked us to do this on the very day we moved in we agreed and have done so ever since.

Lately though the parking has been a big issue, for example one instance I was getting out of a taxi mid day after work a few weeks ago and it was parked on our driveway to help me unload my shopping, literally for two mins if that, next door neighbours arrive home and immediately get out and tell me to move they need to park. OK that's fine I say even though I'm abit annoyed, taxi moves his car and parks away from our house and then I go over and get my shopping out from the car now parked at the top of the cul de sac.

A few other times my mum has been dropping us off home ( me and kids) and she refuses to wait for us to park and get out instead forces us to go out of our way and let her pass before we park.

Last week when my in laws were dropping my children off in the evening after having them after school they parked directly behind us whilst dropping them at the door, they weren't coming in and had left their car door open so it was obvious they werent stopping, next door neighbour came home and had to wait a minute, because of the way they have been in the past and because we could see her waiting we asked my father in law just to move the car to let her in, he did and when she got out he said to her apologies for blocking you in etc and she just replied telling him there are many other places to park and to not block her in again, he just said OK and got back in the car.

Finally tonight my parents were in a similar situation dropping my children off after having them after school, they parked just behind our car and proceeded to bring the children to us waiting at the door, next door neighbour came out of the house and said to my mum 'wouldn't it be annoying if I had to go somewhere really quickly and I couldn't because you were blocking me in.' She then stood there and watched as my parents dropped the kids off then just went back in when they left?!

Am I being unreasonable to think she's blowing a huge insignificant issue wildly out of proportion?! I would like to add every single week without fail their gardener parks outside our drive blocking us in and we have to tell them to move when we need to go out, it's not a problem we just ask and they move, the same things happen when their parents drop their children off and park across the drive ways blocking us in and we have to wait a few mins to park etc I wouldn't ever dream of being so passive aggressive and being so rude to my neighbours family. It just seems like such a stupid thing to be so obsessed about and I feel like I'm walking on eggshells around them, constantly conscious of parking too close (within our boundary) so it might be too much of a squeeze for them and yet she doesn't care about us, that it might be annoying to wait 2 more extra minutes in your car whilst my children are dropped off but I'm sure there are more important things in the world!? Also when she says there are plenty of other places to park, by that she means at the very top of our road, which, as you can imagine when it's in the evening and cold or raining I would much rather my children be dropped off as close to my house as possible even if it means her waiting for an extra minute, we do that for them and other neighbours and I really don't mind!!

Sorry for the long post I'm just getting worked up and stressed out about thisSadConfused

OP posts:
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MakeItRain · 17/12/2019 22:41

So they drive over your drive to get their top car out? If so, you definitely need a fence. Go about it all sweetly and passive aggressively and say you realise there have been all sorts of parking difficulties lately so you think the best way to sort it out is to fence the boundary so you both know exactly where you can park.

Blackforesthotchoc · 17/12/2019 22:41

Just build a wall. Concrete and wooden panels would probably be cheapest. Give them the ugly side just to make a point Cake

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 17/12/2019 22:41

Nope, no diagram!

fedup21 · 17/12/2019 22:42

If your car is on your driveway, don’t they still have move their second car to get their first one off?

rhubarbarkle · 17/12/2019 22:42

You need to show the drive situation in a quick diagram. You both seem to be blocking each other in at different times? How so? But you also need to get your grit together. You are letting them tell you off all the time, they see you as an easy target, yet you are riled enough to post on aibu mumsnet, so good stuff OP, post the diagram and we'll tell you what to say.

MakeItRain · 17/12/2019 22:43

When your parents drop off, are they actually on your drive?

Instagrump · 17/12/2019 22:43

Build that wall! Build that wall! Make your driveway great again.

dementedpixie · 17/12/2019 22:43

There is a diagram

WireBrushAndDettolMaam · 17/12/2019 22:43

Put up a fence. Next time they complain tell them you are entitled to use your own drive. Do not move your family’s/taxis cars!

itsalwaysunny · 17/12/2019 22:44

@makeitrain Yep, that's exactly what they do, right over our driveway to exit their own. I know you are all right I have been too accommodating but he literally cornored me as we were unloading the moving van and talked about us parking closer I was heavily pregnant at the time with a toddler and furniture coming out of my eyes that I just agreed and its not even that that's the main issue I still wouldn't mind this if they didn't be so rude and go on about the other stuff but now I think I'm just going to park closer and enquire about a fence with my grandad, I'm not usually a pushover but the last few weeks has really got to me so thank you for giving me the push I needed!

OP posts:
itsalwaysunny · 17/12/2019 22:46

No our car is over enough so that they have access to their drive with both cars by passing over our driveway, when my parents park they park directly behind our car so blocking their top car in but their bottom would be able to leave

OP posts:
Skittlesandbeer · 17/12/2019 22:46

I’d be calling the contractors in immediately.

When the neighbours come out to see what’s going on, smile brightly and say ‘We thought we’d try something different. We heard that good fences make good neighbours. Here’s hoping?!’

BowiesJumper · 17/12/2019 22:46

Where is the boundary? Do they drive over your land to get on/off their drive?

I would put a low wall along the boundary myself!

Runnerduck34 · 17/12/2019 22:48

So you park your car to enable the first car on their drive to drive out - over your drive?!?- without them having the bother of moving their second car ??
You are being too nice op and they are CF.
I suggest you take up your granddad's offer of putting a fence up. You've tried to be helpful and neighbourly, it's backfired and they've become entitled.Don't move for them again or apologise . I think inadvertently you have given them the message that they own or are entitled to part of your driveway.

Cornishclio · 17/12/2019 22:48

I would not put up with that. You are entitled to park on your own drive and do not need to accommodate them whatsoever. If their drive is angled and they cannot open their doors that is their issue. You may need to put up a fence though to enforce it as they sound so passive aggressive they may bash your car doors on purpose.

itsalwaysunny · 17/12/2019 22:48

@skittlesandbeer I like that!!! And the boundary is the line down the middle so they drive over our boundary and driveway to leave atm

OP posts:
steff13 · 17/12/2019 22:48

Yes to a fence. Or park at the end of your driveway and ignore them if they knock. When your driveway is only wide enough for one car, sometimes you have to move them around. 🤷 If they don't like it, they can make their driveway wider (if there's space).

Clymene · 17/12/2019 22:49

Is there some reason they can't park on the street?

countdowntochristmas · 17/12/2019 22:49

Sometimes being too accommodating is a bit like give a inch take a mile . My NDN was like this when they built their drive that they didn't want me parked outside my house as it restricted their access even though we had parked there for years . My dh agreed anyway if I came home she'd say move your car up eventually I said no . I was fuming as I had my hands full with shopping and wanted me to get in my car and move it . Also if didn't park there other people did so I thought nah not only that it wasn't her who drove it was her son who'd not long had past driving test and was rubbish at parking . I just said I'll move it if you're struggling then went in .After that she didn't ask again . F**k them sometimes being helpful backfires now it's inconvenient to you .

JasonPollack · 17/12/2019 22:49

Wait so they're telling you off for parking on your own drive?! Stop accomadating them. Get the fence. Next time they tell you to move, say no. And then walk away.

SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing · 17/12/2019 22:50

Just start parking your car further down your drive for now. They've got no right to tell you to move cars on your own drive, what the fuck is wrong with them 🤔

treenu · 17/12/2019 22:50

What entitled idiots they are.

Put up a fence or don't accommodate them any further.

So rude and unnecessary!

MakeItRain · 17/12/2019 22:50

I can't believe they are accusing you of "blocking them in" when you are on your own driveway! You've definitely been far too accommodating. Next time they say it, look them in the eye and say "the taxi/my mum's car is on my own driveway, it's your second car that's blocking you in".

bigbubbles · 17/12/2019 22:50

Does you drive have kink at the bottom or is it artistic licence?

PepsiLola · 17/12/2019 22:50

They're making your life hard, stop being nice and making their life easy!

Put a wall up!

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