AIBU or is my neighbour?

[StrayDoll]

I live on a new build estate where the houses back onto a shared car park. Each house either has a garage and a designated parking space or 2 designated spaces with no garage. I have a garage and one space.

The car park also has a visitor space. In the last few months I've been using this visitor space whenever it's free as my partner has moved in with me and now uses my space (his vehicle is too big to fit in the visitor car port). If the visitor space is being used I use one of my neighbours spare spaces they don't use. This was suggested by them and I'm very grateful however I don't want to take liberties so use the visitor space as much as possible.

There are 8 other houses that share this car park and no one is bothered about me using this space apart from one neighbour. We have had issues in the past which means he is being petty and regularly takes the visitor space if it's free. He has 2 cars, one in the garage and one he keeps on his space. He doesn't need the visitors but does it to wind me up.

As an example I went out earlier for an hour and he jumped straight into the space. When I then went out again he had moved back to his space and luckily I got it back but it made me laugh how petty he was to take it.

AIBU to take it when 7 other households are not bothered and only one is?

Does your partner need a massive car AND a motorbike?

It's just frustrating when nobody else apart from one has an issue. If everyone felt the same I'd feel different

It would bother me but I wouldn’t say anything. Not worth the hassle.
I think you should keep the visitor space clear.

So annoying one neighbour isn’t enough? You won’t change your arrangements unless they all agree?

We have neighbours who are driving us mad, we seem to be the only ones bothered by their behaviour but it doesn’t mean it’s any more acceptable because the other neighbours don’t care.

use your garage,
you have 3 vehicles, one too many

Yes YABU, but you've accepted that now. You say all the other neighbours are fine with it, but I bet they're not. They just don't like confrontation and if it doesn't directly affect them they'll keep out of it. Only 'petty' neighbour is willing to make a stand. Good for him. Because it is really cheeky to do what you're doing, and you ARE inconveniencing everyone else.

I wouldn't be surprised if petty neighbour was having to make sacrifices so that he didn't use the visitor space and that's why he's so pissed off. You can make a sacrifice too - move the bike to the garden. I used to put my bike in my tiny garden and put a cover over it. You stop seeing it after a bit.

Be a good neighbour, stick to the rules.

I cant understand why you think the neighnour is unreasonable to park in the space but you are not

It's just annoying one person with an issue outweighs all the rest without.

But the fact that you are being very unreasonable doesn't change regardless of if it's no one that has an issue (or should I say no one that has vocislised it, as a pp said, people are too faced or too nice to say it's an issue) or every resident. If no one voiced their gripe with it then you would just be occupying 3 spaces as standard and would never try to modify your behaviour.

Also can the bike not be kept right at the back of the garage and the car would also fit in? I know my garage fits this.

The bike may inconvenience you in the garden however why is your inconvenience more important to avoid than that of your neighbours and their visitors?

I’m a LL with a property similar to yours, group of around 15 houses, all have parking for 2 cars and v limited visitors parking.

I wouldn’t hesitate to issue first an informal then a formal request for you to find an alternative solution, I would clearly check my covenant to determine what is permitted. Our covenant clearly says that any abuse of shared parking is in breach of conditions. If you’re in breach of conditions then technically you can be served notice. I would hope it wouldn’t get to that’s stage and you would find an alternative solution.

It doesn’t matter how good a tenant you are, you stick to the rules as everyone else does, just as you expect your LL to stick to his rules and obligations to you. it sounds like you think other people should only stick to the rules for your convenience but that they don’t apply to you. You didn’t rent the property on the basis that it had parking for three vehicles and therefore if your circumstances change you should make provision accordingly.

Clearly you have created a situation that is not sustainable. My advice would be that you check the covenant and adhere to its terms. I doubt there is much room for interpretation, it would be very unusual in these circumstances. I suspect you don’t feel like you want to back down now, but if you want to stay living there for the longer term it would be best to put those feelings aside and stick to the same rules as everyone else. They’re there for everyone’s benefit.

You’re not aware of the other neighbours having visitors Because you’re in the visitors space. You need to sort it out.

Years ago I lived in a block of flats and didn’t have a car. Other flats were always using our space because they had a visitor and I didn’t often use it. It was so annoying. Whilst we didn’t have a car it meant on the odd occasion we did have a visitor, the space was always being used by someone else. It was so selfish.

OP

Your neighbour is making a POINT

And a very valid one at that. Stop being so entitled and find another solution. The obvious one being to move the bike FFS

I think you are being entitled but why on earth does your boyfriend get all our allocated parking? Fair is you use your space, he uses the other. The other vehicle gets to park on the street. Using the only visitor space so often is rude. Would a neighbour rent you a space they don't use - for you boyfriend's car.

95% of the voters think YABU, it's likely 95% of your neighbours feel the same.

We lived in a parking wars estate until last year. Your neighbours won't tell you directly that you're being unreasonable, but they will tell each other.

The neighbour who has offered you their space wouldn't have done that if they were fine with you using the visitor space. Your CF behaviour has been noted and they're trying to do something to reduce the bad feeling.

You need to wake up and sort this out before it deteriorates. Put the bike in a shed in the garden, car in the garage and van on the drive. The moving about is just what happens when the drive is in front of the garage.

Once you stop using the visitors space permanently, then you can have a go about your other neighbour if he's still parking there. Although I strongly suspect he won't go near the visitor space if you stop parking there.

Oh, and your LL will get involved. They're likely to have longer term relationships with the other householders. This was true where we lived - they had remained friends with two sets of neighbours who were more than happy to let them know when tenants repeatedly thought the parking rules didn't apply to them.

I`m going to be totally blunt here, you are being YABVVU, you have a garage and an assigned parking bay. The fact you own to many vehicles is your problem end of story, deal with it.

You claim to use the visitor bay when no one needs it, is this a joke? how do you know no one needs it if your parked in it? do you expect visitors to turn up when your already parked there and come ask you to move? your an idiot.

As for asking other neighbours many people don`t like confrontation and I know for a fact, after some close their door they will certainly not agree with you even if they do to your face. Your lucky some one hasn't let your tyres down or keyed your car yet, rest assured it will escalate it usually does.

You have two options, either move and rent some where with 3 spaces, its easier for you then to expect a neighbour to sell up and move or stick to your own two allocated parking facilities and ignore your neighbour what he does then is non of your business. Unless he is parked in the visitor bay and you have legitimate use of it for a visitor. Then and only then politely ask him to move, you just sound like a self entitled nightmare neighbour.

I do love a "CF doesn't believe they're a CF" thread

Inthink you knownyou are being entitled and unreasonable to the rwst of tge residents. Inconvenience yourselves rather than everyone else, who will, get more and nore annoyed with you.

Because your needs have changed you expect everybody to accommodate you?
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

@ExhangedCat makes a good point. I am on good terms with all the owners in our development because we will have our properties well beyond the tenure of our tenants and it’s our responsibility collectively to look after the development. And yes that does include letting each other know when there is a problem with tenants.

YABU, you only rent but think you own the entire parking spaces! ‘Petty’ neighbour is moving his car purposely to piss you off just like you’re pissing him off with your selfish behaviour!

Although the neighbours actions are passive aggressive, I am with him in being annoyed by you.
Rent a council garage to put the bike in and put your car in the garage.

You are astonishingly thick skinned to keep on as you are.
Have a little consideration for your neighbours and start to realise that it isn't all about you.

YABU. Stop being selfish

My Dad rents in a similar situation where there is a car park but there is garages. Now it’s known that everyone should put their cars in the garages if they have one. My Dad sticks his on the car park as it’s closer (he has issues with his knees) but if he has visitors he moves it so the visitor can have the spot.

If they have have a management company like my Dad’s I can guarantee you are being discussed at the management meetings and god help you because they can make your life hell. My Dad had a massive issue over a couple of Christmas lights last year. You really don’t want to go to war over everything because at the end of the day you are only renting.

I think taking the visitor space as your own personal space is pretty selfish! I have a relative with a similar set up and there’s someone that does this there! They have 3 cars and use the visitors as theirs, meaning anyone who visits has to park down the next street. Really selfish I think.

@StrayDoll

Not aware of any covenants about parking there. I think if there were the neighbour with a problem would have pointed it out!

I don't feel comfortable using my neighbours space all the time. For example if my petty neighbour uses the visitor space and I use my neighbours spare space it means if they have a visitor they have nowhere to park which is obviously not right.

But your neighbour has told you -you can. Maybe double check they are happy for you to keep using it and buy them the occasional bottle of wine and leave the visitor space for visitors!!

Loving the fact that there’s space next to the visitor space to park but you still take the visitor space! I guarantee your other neighbours are not impressed either! YABVU and a massive CF

@JorisBonson crying😂😂

I’d be slightly annoyed if Mrs Doll was parking in the visitors space, again, especially if you had visitors due. I’d probably be too British, stiff upper lip etc as well, and not say anything,

You do have another option, parking on the road. You may not like as you can’t see your car, but that’s one of the perils of living in a built up area.