To not want their car on my driveway?

[Parkingmoan1]

I live in a city in a ground floor flat, no garden but I have a driveway that comes with my flat.

I don't have a car so this Is why I don't know if I'm being unreasonable..

My doorway / driveway gets alot of direct sun so I like to dry my washing out there on racks when the weather is nice. I also like to sit out there on a chair with a cold drink and a book sometimes.

A few months ago a family moved into the flat above me and have taken to parking their big people carrier on my drive. They didn't ask my permission, just assumed they were entitled to because I don't have a car.

My frustration is when their car is there I can't put my washing out, it also blocks alot of the sun. They park it diagonally aswell which is a PITA for me getting my pram in and out.

They are out there at the minute cleaning and hoovering the car about 3ft away from my doorstep so I can't sit out and enjoy the sun / a bit of peace and quiet.

AIBU to be unhappy about them using my drive in this way? The poll results will determine what, if anything, I say to them.

Hope it stays gone!

I'm sorry I don't have anything useful to add, I am just interested in seeing if they come back again!

Maybe look for a trellis planter, like these? Often found cheaper in Wilko/other similar shop at the end of the space, pretty flowers, and blocks the view of the road?

Well done though op. You sought help from here and followed through.so often these threads turn into weeks and pages and still the op doesn’t confront the issue.
so I think actually you are far more capable than you think.
and the note is anti faff,direct and leads no room for what is meant.
think you should be proud of yourself today.

Do you have a garden? If not what about some planters for the kids to put some bits in.salad leaves.wild flowers,veggies. There is so much you could do with that space if you don’t have a car. It’s basically a patio.if you can utilise it as your own of course.

Well done OP!

Definitely let them know it's your private drive, that you don't give them permission to use it and you want them to stop parking there. Take the advice on planters, bollards etc to back up your stance. Hopefully the landlord will help too. You don't want them getting squatters rights on it!

Squatters rights over a driveway - how would that work?

That would be all he’d need to do, if he trusted that it was definitely someone from that set of flats. But apart from the lack of trust on even that when it’s a third hand report, there’s also the fact he probably wants a good relationship with the tenants who aren’t parking incorrectly and that isn’t facilitated by “reminders” not to do something they aren’t doing.

Fortunately, OP seems to have had success with the note.

You can get planters on wheels which you could strategically place at the end of the drive but could be moved if you have visitors?
like below (I search planters on wheels). they might also afford a bit of privacy if you’re sitting out.

alternatively, you can get ‘caddies’ for plant pots that allow you to love them about.

Yaheetech Raised Bed for Garden 2 Tiers Wood Plant Raised Bed Elevated Planter Box kit with Wheels and Storage Shelf amzn.eu/d/dG57PpW

or

COSTWAY 2/4 Pcs Raised Beds for Garden, Elevated Planter Box Kit with 8 Legs, Self-Watering System and Drainage Holes, Indoor & Outdoor Vegetable Fruit Flower Herb Growing Box (40x40x45cm, Brown) amzn.eu/d/42pp4hq

🤞

You could possibly get a bollard installed which only you can unlock which would prevent others parking in your driveway in future.

If they bought the flat and had a decent solicitor for the conveyancing they would have been told the status of the driveway. However, are they renting? If so, they may not know and may even have been somewhat mislead by an estate agent or the owner or just assumed it was shared and noone told them otherwise. You need to say something as long term usage to give them or whoever owns the property some rights to carry on using it. As a poster suggested maybe put some heavy planters on it to prevent parking whilst you dont need to use it for that purpose or do something else to make your ownership clear and stop the parking! Be prepared for an awkward conversation and stand your ground as some people can be very persuasive and try and guilt you into agreeing to something you dont want and would be advised not to agree to! Be firm and don’t feel guilty - it is there mistake!

• It is THEIR mistake!

Best of luck, people who act like this are notoriously entitled.

Any updates Op?
Hope they now use the back carpark

Make it into a garden with a few pots etc. so they cannot park there.

Or rather than entitlement it could be a simple case of miscommunication between their landlord/agents and themselves.
rather than painting people you have to live with for the foreseeable as entitled from the get go, I find it better to give people the benefit of the doubt to begin with.

I was going to suggest a polite note on the car to avoid confrontation. People probably don’t realise. I put sticky notes on peoples prams at nursery in the “shed” when they don’t fold them - as they arrive early thinking there is lots of space and it’s ok but by 8:30 it can be so rammed it’s hard to get in. I have a set of stickers in my bag ready to put on saying “please be considerate to others by folding your pram, thank you” and since starting this lots more prams have been folded 😉 a polite observation is all (most) people need when they don’t realise it is inconvenient to others.

Absolutely this! Lovely big planter as a feature in the middle of the driveway, or a bird bath, something like that.

Do you work for the nursery?

this is massive overkill if not!

Shirley phallus, 3 of the the same post is overkill! 😂

Sorry for the triple post!

You need something like these... you can get them at Wilkos and the likes. They are the size of a good wash basket, but with a couple of holes cut into the side about 2 inches from the bottom (to create a water well) they make great cheap planters. They'll take about 3/4ers of a bag of soil so they are movable but heavy so will make your point without causing issues. Stick some solar lights in so they are seen in the dark too.

In them you can plant flowers etc but also you could get some potatoes in for Christmas or some lettuce/raddish/peas with your kids? You could do just the end of the space or if you can go up the two sides too... just position them once the neighbours cars are in so that you don't impact their door opening! Then you have a protected space for your washing/cuppa in the middle!

You could ask your landlord if they will help with the cost if you need to as it would be protecting his land too to not allow them to take over the space.