To ask neighbour to move the rusted car in shared garage area

[fancyaflatwhite]

This is a sensitive one. Our neighbour is a widow, and I think the car must have been her husband's. It's off-road and has been parked up against the side of a shared yard behind the back of our row of terraced houses - at least since we moved in here 4.5 years ago.

It is very, very slightly blocking full, clear access to our back gate - but we can get easily in and out of our property. It's not blocking any car access and we residents can still easily use the area for parking when we need to.

We have a polite but not close relationship with the neighbour. She keeps herself to herself. And I really don't want to upset her or cause any upset.

The car is becoming an eyesore. It's very rusted with flat tyres and gathering moss. It looks dumped/abandoned.

We're currently trying to sell our house, and some viewers have asked why the car is there and if it's staying.

AIBU to ask her what the plan is for the car, so I can share the information with prospective buyers?

I would offer to buy it off her and have it towed away/scrapped.

It would be worth the money to get rid of something like that.

There’s nothing wrong in explaining your situation and asking her if there is a long term plan for the car. You might need to be extra sensitive when asking but it sounds like you know that anyway. It might even give her the nudge she needs to do something about it.

"It's very rusted with flat tyres and gathering moss. It looks dumped/abandoned."
That would worry me. Something in such poor condition could attract the attention of vandals who decide to find out what the car would look like torched.

I would definitely raise the matter with the owner. You might find she'd like to be shot of it too!