AIBU to find this CF behaviour?

[shockedNeighbour]

Background: I moved into a brand new house in a new build estate with around 20 houses around 4 years ago. Builders advised that there was ample parking (with overflow) however no allocated parking spaces. So parking is very much first come, first served. However most people have settled into a habit of parking outside their houses.

Today I arrived home from work to discover one of my neighbours has installed a bollard. It's a metal pole complete with key. He/She therefore seems to have "claimed" their parking space 24/7 despite not owning the land!

AIBU to find this entitled CF at its finest?

Have they installed it in the actual road? Because surely they can't do that? You can't even get a drop kerb without permission... (I don't drive so I might be wrong!)

@Disintgration1985 is is not on the actual road.

The estate is off a main road and when you drive in there is a number of parking spots marked by white lines outside everyones houses. No one has a drive.

The neighbour has basically reserved one by fitting a folding bollard to the middle of one.

Who owns that land? Contact them and tell them someone has illegally installed a permanent structure on their land. Definitely not OK if its not owned by her

So it's not on his land. The deeds will show that as either shared land or a public road.

He's a CF and I would complain to either the freeholder or council depending on who owns that land.

@HungryHippo11

Who owns that land? Contact them and tell them someone has illegally installed a permanent structure on their land. Definitely not OK if its not owned by her

Absolutely this.

Although I need to know... Is it a penguin bollard?

Ooooh, I admire her chutzpah

But also if it is not her privately owned land you can contact the owner of the land to dob her in . They will remove it as otherwise she is claiming their land as her own

The communal areas (AFAIK including parking) are maintained by a factor who charge £7 per month. I've seen the factor's gardeners pruning the shrubs and weeding the communal gardens. I've dropped them an email and asked them to deal with it.

@AdaThorne I think it just had black and white stripes (not as exciting as an actual penguin!).

Every time you think you've heard it all for cheeky fuckwittery up pops another one taking it to a whole new level.

I see you're in Scotland - just to set the legal scene - but it's CFery.

Ooh, a zebra bollard - fancy!
Also likely to be asked by the landowner to remove it, unless they’ve somehow made a deal to purchase that specific bit of land.

YABU due to the shameful lack of a diagram.

@DynamoKev yes I'm in Scotland.

My neighbours never cease to amaze me. A couple of them within the estate have just a small patch of garden at the front of their house (with large back gardens). These small areas were very tastefully planted (by the builders gardeners) with a number of lovely perennials. However recently there has been a trend of ripping these shrubs out and replacing them with white stones and gnomes!

Diagram, please!

Apologies for the lack of diagram! Hopefully you will be able to view this..... (the number of actual houses is under represented in this image but hopefully you get the idea of the layout).

That’s a beautiful diagram! Did you draw that?

I'm going against the grain here. I don't see the problem as long as there is ample parking and she/he is not taking up a space directly infront of your house.

In fact I think you should take his/her lead and put one up yourself.

But then I live in an estate where parking is a nightmare so I may be biased.

@leftbutcameback it's a quick mock up from the wonderful www.autodraw.com website.

@poptart4 I think it's beyond entitled that they have declared themselves special enough to deserve a set space when no one else in the entire estate has the privilege.

I occasionally have to park in the overflow area if my neighbours have visitors over but I figure there's nothing I can do as I don't own the space.

YANBU, but complain ASAP before it becomes accepted!

There is a house near me who reserves the space outside their house with bins etc, people have let it go on so long that they now no longer feel able to address it,

@phishy - that's my worry. I don't want the entire estate having bollards then it will become a real nightmare to park.

Also - if this goes unchecked what other madness will they think up?

Builders may have advised this but what do the house deeds show?

@godmum56 I just checked the deeds and the roads and parking bays are indicated in yellow on the map.

I then found this reference in the text: 1.1 Access Routes means the prospectively adoptable roads and footpaths, parking spaces and all other footpaths tinted yellow on the cadastral map.

Also noted this section:

4.4 The Proprietors shall be prohibited from erecting any buildings, walls, fences or other enclosure or for planting any trees, hedges, shrubs or any other plants (except grass) or from altering surface levels or from carrying out any work which would likely to cause damage to or
interfere with any sewers, drains, pipes, cables or other services (and within any service strip or any rights of access and others, landscaping or planting (other than grass seeding or turfing) may only be carried out with the consent of the Highway Authority or other relevant department of the Local Authority.

YABU to have shown us all up with your diagram!

YANBU to get the CF's sorted out

That's a fabulous diagram. Top marks for that!

You also get top marks for a CF of the highest order. Yes well done for reporting it as if everybody decided to just claim the automatic right to a dedicated parking space outside their own property when it is all public for general use you really would be in trouble.

If this went unchecked perhaps everybody else would then think what a jolly good idea I think I'll do the same.

looks clear then, I think you all have right of access over all the parking spaces and they can't block one off. You need to find out who is the "holder" of the covenant or actual owner of the of the parking spaces and your first step is the builders. This is because its the holder or owner who can enforce the "rules" and usually no one else. If there is a public space management company then they may have bought or been given the covenant or the land. Not a legal beagle but the place where I live has covenants on it to so I did some reasearch before we bought....the ones here are sensible like no one can keep pigs!