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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want to park in my garage

140 replies

Poppets14 · 22/10/2021 19:12

My garage is on a corner so if my neighbour parks out side her garage - it blocks mine.
The parking round the back of mine is horrendous so I want to start using my garage to park my car.
If I do this this means that my neighbour can’t park outside hers as she’ll be blocking it- and possibly the neighbour next to her won’t be able to park outside her garage as it won’t give us enough space to get into our garage.

It’ll mean they’ll have to find somewhere else to park or park in their own garages.

Do I have a legal right to have access in and out of my garage?

I’ll probably ruffle a few feathers but the neighbours are so inconsiderate when it comes to parking

OP posts:
Original poster
Poppets14 · 22/10/2021 19:53

@Chasingsquirrels

March?? No way. The end of November would be generous.

You need to look at your deeds and check your garage access.
Maybe you all own part of the land outside your own garage (in which case you'd have maintenance costs).
Maybe you own the garage and the carpark land is communal and you have rights of access over it but not rights to park on it.
Or maybe the carpark land is adopted?

You garage looks double on the aerial photo, do you just have the half where the cross is? Can the other half access their garage?

It is connected to another neighbours garage. She doesn’t drive but doesn’t want people parking outside her garage

Thanks everyone for your advice

OP posts:
NeedAHoliday2021 · 22/10/2021 19:53

They don’t have a right to park outside their garage and can’t block yours (they have because it’s what they’re used to). If they shifted up a bit, could you get alongside them by your garage? If not, drop a note to say the garage will be in use from 1 December onwards and that you realise this may cause others difficulties as they will not be able to park as they have been, but you’ve exhausted other options.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 22/10/2021 19:53

do you store things in garage or is it just for car?

could you park sticking out a bit (antisocial i know but to make a point?)and if you did would it block them?

could you park a bit in front of theirs i am a chicken so i probably wouldn't but some would

you need to take back your parking!!

Clymene · 22/10/2021 19:55

If the land is council owned there's no reason you can't park in front of her garage.

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 22/10/2021 19:55

When the neighbour moved her car park yours in the space she vacates, if she complains suggest that you both use your garages instead.

Original poster
Poppets14 · 22/10/2021 19:55

@Clymene

If you put your car in your garage and she then parked her car in front of hers, you wouldn't be able to get out.

What a silly design.

Ridiculous isn’t it! We’d have to agree to not park outside the garages only inside the garages I guess
OP posts:
Tilltheend99 · 22/10/2021 19:55

One of my pet peeves in life is people not parking in their garages. The world would be a much better place if everyone did. Streets look so untidy to me now they are all just sprawling car dumps.

Bollocks989 · 22/10/2021 19:56

Can you park in front of your garage?

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 22/10/2021 19:57

I don’t know the legalities, but I understand your frustration. We once lived somewhere with a really similar setup. Even though everyone parked in their garages, it was an absolute nightmare if you wanted to be in our out at the same time. You ended up doing a weird hokie kokie. The garages were tiny too, our neighbour couldn’t open her boot if she parked inside, so always had to empty her shopping etc parked outside.

As I say, not helpful, but I really sympathise!

oviraptor21 · 22/10/2021 19:58

^^ This

oviraptor21 · 22/10/2021 19:58

As in what @Bollocks989 said!

Bollocks989 · 22/10/2021 19:58

Just brazen it out

SpeakingFranglais · 22/10/2021 19:59

Your deeds and those of the neighbours probably give you all right of access over to the land either vehicular or on foot to the garage but no right to park there.

Obviously they are blocking your access is need to park elsewhere. How would they like it is you parked in front of their garage door, which is what they are doing.

loverloversweet · 22/10/2021 19:59

This is so badly designed! Thing is, we use our garage as my husbands work bench area/childrens bike and outdoor toys storage and for our tumble dryer so we don't put the cars in it. We have a drive though so it's fine but I do understand why you want to park in your garage AND why others might not want to park in theirs! Comes down to poor design and perhaps a chat with them all to discuss moving forward? Say you will be using your garage come December 1st unless they've got a better solution!

getsomehelp · 22/10/2021 19:59

If everyone park at 45 degrees? Could you get in your garage?

iwishiwasafish · 22/10/2021 20:00

The Highway Code rule 243 advises drivers that

Except when forced to do so by stationary traffic, DO NOT stop or park:

  • where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles, - - or where it would obstruct cyclists
in front of an entrance to a property

The Traffic Management Act 2004 grants councils the power to enforce contravention of this.

You could ask the council to paint white lines, but you’d probably have to pay for it.

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 22/10/2021 20:00

YANBU and I agree that you need to tell them you're doing this from the start of December not march.

There is no way it's reasonable to expect you not to be able to access your garage. It's actual purpose is to store a car in, even if most people don't use it for that. If you didn't want to use it then fine, but you do. She'll need to find somewhere else, for either her car or all the shit in her garage

I'd also put a sign on your garage "in constant use, please keep access clear"

bizarrustii · 22/10/2021 20:00

This reply has been deleted

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Bollocks989 · 22/10/2021 20:01

Why December, your neighbours are both being selfish and you are being v.considerate. start tomorrow

Bollocks989 · 22/10/2021 20:02

As bizarrusti's suggests

Monsterpumpkins · 22/10/2021 20:03

Google tells me check your deeds....

KnobJockey · 22/10/2021 20:04

We had similar outside my old house, but luckily not enough cars to cause an issue. A lot of council/ ex council cul de sacs are like this.

I would give her the option- either she leaves a spot permanently clear for you to park in or you'll start using the garage and she will have to leave access clear.

The couple of times neighbours teenagers/ friends parked in 'my' spot I just parked myself flat behind them so they couldn't leave. Soon stopped them doing it if they couldn't get an answer as I was bathing the little one, etc.

MargaretThursday · 22/10/2021 20:05

Why did developers build garages that are hard to get into?

Our garage is at the top of our drive, which has a steep slope and a 90+ degree at the top. I don't think we could get the car in if we wanted to. And if we did get it in, whether we could get it safely out is another question.

I think you've got a choice. Call them round, have a reasonable discussion about how it can be fairly done. May work/may make them all stubborn and determined not to budge.
Or look at the legalities. If they own the land in front of the garages, I doubt you can do anything. If you own it, then you probably can tell them to stop parking there, but enforcing it might be hard. If it's public/council land, you can try asking them for help. They might park hatchings there, but you may also have to ask a traffic warden to come by otherwise I'm sure it would be ignored.

Dahliasrule · 22/10/2021 20:06

You need to reclaim access. It would be a nightmare otherwise when you try to sell.

KnobJockey · 22/10/2021 20:06

@bizarrustii has posted how we all actually parked. My neighbour had a large, disabled access taxi so he parked diagonal outside my (your) garage, and all of our smaller cars parked against the row of houses.