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Original poster

CF Parking Thread! (with diagram of course)

94 replies

LivingMyBestLife2020 · 09/01/2021 14:35

The house next door to me is for sale. It appears to be over priced but that’s another thread. Saying that, it’s has had an awful lot of viewings. They come in blocks of about 6 viewings every other day or so.

Anyway, I digress. The house for sale has a large driveway which fits 3 cars easily (green area on the diagram)
I have a double drive, one behind the other, and park in the red spot. The yellow spot is empty. The black arrow where they walk across.

Every single time there are viewings, at least one car parks on my drive and then slowly saunters across the front of my house, right across the window, where they have a nosey in!

I ignored it the first time but now every single viewing slot, somebody parks there. Yesterday I was in the kitchen at the back of the house. Took the bin out, opened the gate and came face to face with two women! I asked what they were doing and she said “just looking at the neighbours house!” I noticed her car on my drive and asked her to move it. She just reversed backwards on to the road, then walked straight across my lawn.

It’s happened 4 times now. As soon as I see viewings going on I’m going to reverse my car into the second space. It’s not like they can mistake which house with is. There is a full branded EA car on the drive (leaving 2 easily accessible spaces) and a for sale board.

Sorry, no advice needed, just needed a moan! 🤣😂

CF Parking Thread! (with diagram of course)
OP posts:
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/01/2021 21:31

Yeah, it sounds like they've advised viewers to park there so as to keep their driveway free so that it looks better for viewings.

Surely, if the only car on the drive belongs to the viewer, that psychologically makes them imagine it already being their home and possibly more likely to put in an offer?

The only way the lawn would belong to the house for sale would be if the whole lot including OP's house was the property for sale. Who in their right mind would think that OP's house was an 'outbuilding' three times the size of the 'main' house?

How has the EA framed the photo? Does it look like it might actually be your house that's for sale - especially with them lying about it having a front lawn?

I reckon that, as well as lying about there being a front lawn, the EA has also told them to just park on the drive, as the EA knows that the house is empty anyway. Maybe the viewers assume that your car belongs to the EA.

That's why it's had so many viewers but no sale yet: they all think that it's your house up for sale (as the only one in the picture with the claimed front lawn), which makes it look like an absolute bargain, as yours appears to be a lot bigger, nicer and have more land than next door. When they realise the misunderstanding, they hesitantly look next door to find the actual number they've been given for the house for sale. They're disappointed and too annoyed to move their car, at having been deceived (not your fault in the slightest, but people's minds subconsciously attach the blame to you simply for being the 'wrong' house), hence they leave it there to 'punish' you for a stranger's lying to them.

I might be being too British about this, but I wouldn't even park on the drive of the house I was coming to view unless I'd been told to do so. It would seem very presumptuous to do that before I'd bought it (or even decided/agreed to buy it).

SnoozyLou · 09/01/2021 21:37

I might be being too British about this, but I wouldn't even park on the drive of the house I was coming to view unless I'd been told to do so. It would seem very presumptuous to do that before I'd bought it (or even decided/agreed to buy it).

I thought that.

Maybe if they're all doing it, they have been told to.

And ownership of patches of grass aren't always obvious. It has no fence - they might think it's owned by the council (the patch at the front of my neighbour's house was). It does seem more like they think it belongs to the other house though.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/01/2021 21:42

Not saying that you should have to, but if I were you, I'd be inclined to paint on a very big board "That is house No XX, which is the one for sale' this house (and its front garden) are NOT for sale" with a big arrow on it - large enough to be seen from the road by a slowly-moving car - and then stick it on the closest front corner of your lawn with the arrow pointing in the right direction.

That way, they won't even bother to stop the car and will just turn around and go straight back to complain to the EA, who will be wondering why they've suddenly had a drop in interest and complaints from those who have shown initial interest.

hennaoj · 09/01/2021 22:11

Put a sign in your front window saying 'Stop being Nosy'. Giant Asda Gnome on the path where they are cutting across too. I find it helps to appear slightly unhinged if you want people to stop bothering you.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/01/2021 23:22

And a tape along the perimeter of the garden saying "Danger: Porton Down High-Alert Experimentation Zone - Keep out!"

Saz12 · 09/01/2021 23:41

Call EA and tell them you’re sick of the parking & trespass, so from now on you will be telling people to leave your property and interrupting viewings to get them to move their cars.
And do it.

Also put off putting item in your window (plastic turd 💩 ?) to make sure anyone who peers in your windows won’t end up being your neighbour.

ChristingleAlltheWay · 10/01/2021 00:10

We 'only' rent yet we lay down the law re parking here when someone bought the house next door. We suspect the guy who owned it before told them they could park on our land. It's not obviously ours but it's clear enough on the deeds. The new owner moved our stuff off the patch a few times and moaned at dp for parking there. We soon put him right. Not his fault he was misled but it needed nipping in the bud.

UnderperformingSeal · 10/01/2021 00:59

I might be being too British about this, but I wouldn't even park on the drive of the house I was coming to view unless I'd been told to do so. It would seem very presumptuous to do that before I'd bought it (or even decided/agreed to buy it).

Me too, but plenty of people aren't so "British". When we were looking at one house the next appointment turned up a bit early and not only parked on the drive, but brazenly asked the agent if they could come in and look it over unsupervised while we were still being shown around. Agent, to be fair, told them no.

DishingOutDone · 10/01/2021 01:16

I'm confused which may mean others are - you said the EA details say that buyers have access to a front lawn - so surely viewers would believe that the large lawn is shared between the properties, or might even think its part of the public highway or a verge type area?

Whatdoyoudowhendemocracyfails · 10/01/2021 01:27

Next time one of the buyers appears ask them politely if they think your front lawn is included in the sale?

ThePants999 · 10/01/2021 05:02

I disagree with most previous advice. Don't do anything to block people from parking there. Just rush out screaming at anyone who does. That way, hopefully they won't buy it cos they won't want to live next door to a crazy aggressive person, and YOU don't end up living next door to a cheeky fucker.

CostaDelCovid · 10/01/2021 12:08

@ThePants999

I disagree with most previous advice. Don't do anything to block people from parking there. Just rush out screaming at anyone who does. That way, hopefully they won't buy it cos they won't want to live next door to a crazy aggressive person, and YOU don't end up living next door to a cheeky fucker.
This is just inflammatory, antagonistic, a hassle, a bad example to OP's toddler and will make her look like a lunatic.....
CostaDelCovid · 10/01/2021 12:15

OP to me, it's obvious which bit of grass is yours and which belongs to the house next door. Pls ignore those who are saying otherwise. I think some people just love to pretend not to 'get it'.

Definitely speak to EA. At the very least, they can advise their staff to politely request that viewers park in the drive of the house for sale and avoid yours and your lawn

chocolatepowder · 10/01/2021 12:25

Are you number 31 and 32 is for sale. Who owns the lawn outside 32?

TaraR2020 · 10/01/2021 12:25

Make a scene.
Repeatedly. Vociferously.

I think it's a rare occasion where you can do so, so enjoy it.

You don't want those people as your neighbours and when sellers and estate agents realise you're putting people off they'll do something about it - I hold the estate agents every bit as accountable as the entitled prats who trespass on your property.

Grin
SoupDragon · 10/01/2021 12:26

This is just inflammatory, antagonistic, a hassle, a bad example to OP's toddler and will make her look like a lunatic.....

And clearly lighthearted.

Whatdoyoudowhendemocracyfails · 10/01/2021 14:19

“I think some people just love to pretend not to 'get it'. “

Bit rude.

We’re trying to think of reasons that every viewer that comes to see the property next door is making the same mistake.

But crack on with slagging us off.

DishingOutDone · 10/01/2021 15:07

I see OP hasn't come back, I think Sundays is probably prime viewing time! She's probably spread-eagled on her lawn shouting NO at randoms about to plough across it.

TitsInAbsentia · 10/01/2021 15:30

@DishingOutDone

I see OP hasn't come back, I think Sundays is probably prime viewing time! She's probably spread-eagled on her lawn shouting NO at randoms about to plough across it.
I am going to be majorly disappointed if it's anything less than throwing buckets of dishwater out of the upstairs window!
QueenoftheAir · 10/01/2021 16:04

I asked what they were doing and she said “just looking at the neighbours house!” I noticed her car on my drive and asked her to move it. She just reversed backwards on to the road, then walked straight across my lawn.

Next time there are viewings, try to catch the estate agent, and ask them to ensure that a) viewers don't park in your drive; and b) viewers don't walk across your lawn.

If that doesn't work, ring the agency & ask to speak to the sales manager or office manager with the same request.

Some people are just thoughtless (and this leads to rudeness).

TheMaddHugger · 10/01/2021 16:30

🐱‍🏍

QueenoftheAir · 10/01/2021 17:17

Grin Grin

CostaDelCovid · 10/01/2021 23:08

@SoupDragon

This is just inflammatory, antagonistic, a hassle, a bad example to OP's toddler and will make her look like a lunatic.....

And clearly lighthearted.

No, it really wasn't. The PP made it clear they disagreed with previous advice
SoupDragon · 10/01/2021 23:34

No, it really wasn't. The PP made it clear they disagreed with previous advice

Yes, it really was. I can't believe anyone would think it was something other than a joke.