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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:
Chloemol · 22/10/2021 21:48

Tough you have a right to park in your garage. They can park in theirs

I would let them know, agree a date from when so if they need to empty their garages they can then start using your garage

Bluntness100 · 22/10/2021 21:53

@thenightsky

Can you put up a sign reading 'access required at all times' ?
What difference will that make?

The question is do they have a legal right to park there.or not.

Bluntness100 · 22/10/2021 21:54

@Chloemol

Tough you have a right to park in your garage. They can park in theirs

I would let them know, agree a date from when so if they need to empty their garages they can then start using your garage

But they may have a right to park in front of theirs. That’s rhe issue,
Lennybenny · 22/10/2021 21:54

If you give them till march, they'll spend a lot of months getting arsey about it. End of November as a pp said. Check your deeds and the land you own. Start using it casually and leave the door open a few hours while they're around so they can see that they will block you in if they park....if they're dicks about it you can remind them you are allowed to use your own garage.

Bluntness100 · 22/10/2021 21:55

Honestly I think you’re getting bum advice op

You don’t own the land in front of your garage because of where it is

It’s wholly possible they own the land in front of theirs. And as such you cannot prevent them using it.

mayblossominapril · 22/10/2021 22:02

Check your deeds. You can also check theirs for £3 online at the land registry. Once you know who owns what you can decide what to do

Bluntness100 · 22/10/2021 22:06

@mayblossominapril

Check your deeds. You can also check theirs for £3 online at the land registry. Once you know who owns what you can decide what to do
Exactly, you need to check their deeds, you need to see if they own land outside their garages. It’s obvious you wouldn’t due to its location but it’s possible they do.
TriciaMcMillan · 22/10/2021 22:06

@Poppets14

I think it’ll be easier to move

It’s stressing me out to think I’d have to live next to people that hate me for changing the parking set up!

Thanks for everyone’s advice

Hang on, you're not seriously suggesting you'd rather move than deal with this?
Lysianthus · 22/10/2021 22:11

@ivykaty44

do you keep anything in your garage?

if not id suggest you park in th garage and leave the doors open so they can see you're parked in there - then if they park and block you in - you knock them to move, eventually they'll either have to park in their garage or somewhere else - but they'll know as they park up that you'll likely to knock and ask them to move

then knock to get back inside, never make any comment, just keep doing it

Yes absolutely this. And start doing it as soon as the coast is clear so to speak. Drop a note if you feel kind, warning them that this is the new regime. Best of luck.
Teaseall · 22/10/2021 22:21

@Poppets14 ahh Poppets don't consider moving. Just switch it around and imagine if they were asking you this very reasonable request, would you hate them? I very much doubt it. You are just bringing to their attention some actions of theirs that are causing you difficulty and are easily rectified.

I had similar in a previous house, our garages were in a block just down the road but we were near a football ground, where inconsiderate parking often happened on match days. My rather cantankerous next door neighbour would regularly park in front of my garage (because it was closer) because he couldn't get 'his' spot on the street.

I would always knock on his door and say it wasn't a problem he'd parked there although it would of been nice if he'd asked but that I needed access to park in my garage so could he move regardless of the time of day. Eventually after 3 or 4 times he stopped, unless he asked beforehand. No drama Grin

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/10/2021 22:28

@Tilltheend99

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.
Most garages are too small to actually fit a car in. I blame the planning laws that allow new builds to have garages no modern car will fit into.
CheshireCat2021 · 22/10/2021 22:32

I have a friend with a similar garage setup but each house can access their garage ok. They each own their own garage but not the land outside it but they have a right of access across it to their garage. This is a similar shared open parking space. When some parking problems began due to the number of cars appearing and her neighbour was complaining (who doesn't use her own garage) my fiend decided to start using hers, but when she checked her deeds, she found the deeds said that the open space where everyone was parking cannot be used for parking and is only for access to the garages which must be used. So hopefully you might find something similar. You each have to use the garage but can't park outside of them?? Good luck.

VanGoghsDog · 23/10/2021 00:06

@Bluntness100

I think you need to expect them to continue to park outside their garages as is their right, which will block you In. And then take legal action to see if you can legally stop them parking in front of their own garages

Good luck with that.

What makes you think it is "their right"?

It's council land, they have no right to park on it.

On my street everyone (except me) parks on the pavement at the front of their drives. They have zero right to do so, it's council land, not car parking spaces.

Bluntness100 · 23/10/2021 07:26

If they had no right then the people who owned the land would have signs up saying no parking here. If they have been doing it for years or they own the land then yes they likely have a right.

OnlyCans · 23/10/2021 07:42

This thread is crazy.

Your neighbour has as much right as you to park there. Comments that she will have to find another place to park are unfair and entitled. You can't ask her to clear out her garage and park in it. That's none of your business. She obviously doesn't want to do that.

The ground is likely council owned and therefore you equally have a right to it.

Just say "I'd like to start parking in or in front of my garage, how are we going to work this?"

It's very rare people actually park in their garage and insurances add a premium if you do so because even those that do also store stuff in there that tends to fall on the car and causes a claim. I work in insurance so this is true. Some are kind enough to match it to driveway parking if you promise nothing else is in the garage.

DeepaBeesKit · 23/10/2021 07:52

They cannot park in front of their garages if that means blocking access to another garage. The fact that that bit of land has habitually been being used for parking is irrelevant, it's the access route to a garage and should not be blocked.

Bluntness100 · 23/10/2021 07:53

@DeepaBeesKit

They cannot park in front of their garages if that means blocking access to another garage. The fact that that bit of land has habitually been being used for parking is irrelevant, it's the access route to a garage and should not be blocked.
Goodness what a leap. You don’t even know if they own the land in front of their garages. 😂
DeepaBeesKit · 23/10/2021 08:13

There are some garages near my house that are similar, they are arranged in rows so that only one person can be manoeuvring in and out at once and anyone parking in front of their own is blocking others access. Its surprisingly common in older council properties and 70s estates, there was no expectation of parking in front of garages and certainly no right to do so.

TracyLords · 23/10/2021 08:14

Can you not just park in front of your garage?

DeepaBeesKit · 23/10/2021 08:14

It's not really leap. It's a general principle that you can't park blocking a door and that includes garages!

ivykaty44 · 23/10/2021 08:15

Your neighbour has as much right as you to park there. Comments that she will have to find another place to park are unfair and entitled. You can't ask her to clear out her garage and park in it. That's none of your business. She obviously doesn't want to do that.

actually the area was designed for every driver to place their cars in the garages and no-one would be parked on the tarmac outside the garages - that is an area that was to be used just for driving to and fro the area

Over time though this has changed and for the many in a row this isn't a problem - but for the one at the angle it is of course

if the Op was to park in the garage and this meant the driver next at the perpendicular angle couldn't leave their car in this space - eventually they could clear their garage and park inside - if not they will struggle to park somewhere , just like OP has

DeepaBeesKit · 23/10/2021 08:17

For eg I'd be amazed if the deeds to OPs property dont include a right of access over the land in front of the door to it (whoever owns it) which will in itself forbid obstruction of that right of access.

hedgehogger1 · 23/10/2021 08:22

You need to give a shorter time scale or it will never happen. Wanting to park in your garage over winter makes a lot of sense, reducing de icing time in the morning

Original poster
Poppets14 · 23/10/2021 09:12

They do not own the land in front of their garages

OP posts:
Original poster
Poppets14 · 23/10/2021 09:13

Our deeds say we have access to the garage - so would assume theirs would say the same?

OP posts: