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.

I would go round and say; do you know it is my drive and actually I do t want anyone using it as i use it myself for drying my washing and sitting on. Or Can you buy a few bug planter and put them out so they cant get on drive. I have done that in past for similar reason. Just blocked it off and they never asked why...so they knew....hah. Two or three planters that you fill after placing them so they are too heavy to lift. With some conifers and flowers. Put down a strip of artificial grass too and call it your garden!!!

Definitely not. If he’s an ignorant twat speak to his wife. Failing that put a note through their door inviting them for a chat?

ParkingMoan1 you mention the fact you can't fence it off but from a previous rented property we had similar issue and used a temporary barrier designed for crowd control as fencing meaning it could be removed when we moved. It all depends on whether they'll move it out the way so I'd ask the landlord just in case maybe may a small play area for your child with some nice planters beyond the barrier.

I would probably day hi and introduce myself and say sorry, don't know if u realise but this is part of my flat and my outdoor space that I use. I've been meaning to make it lore of a feature and put some pots and chairs out.

Hopefully response will be oh, sorry, I didn't know, if negative and entitled, well then that creates a whole new situation but their fault and problem so do whatever u want, bollard, spikes lol x

It's your private property that you have paid for - penguin bollard is the answer.

If you don't want to speak to them could you write them a note politely explaining you use it for washing and to sit in, so to please stop. You could also buy a folding parking barrier with a key, so they can't part there and you could fold it down if you had a visitor who needed the parking.

I had this once in an previous house I lived in. I had 2 parking spaces in a communal carpark, as did the house next door. I always let my neighbour park in my space if they had visitors, but also used the parking space for friends and my then boyfriend to park in. The nice neighbours moved out and new neigbours with a camper van moved in. They just parked their campervan in my spare space, didn't ask or anything. In the end I did say something and they did move it (not sure where), but they didn't apologise and seemed cross with me. They were fine though really. I made a point of getting friends with cars to visit and park there for bit so they could see it was being used.

Absolutely this. Cheeky bastards.

It could really be that they do not know it is your driveway. I used to live in rented flats. I was first floor and was told by the previous tenants that I could park in a space in the car park. It turned out that it was owned by the basement flat. I got a note left in my window. I had no clue until then that I could not park there. I checked with my landlady who also thought it was a space for her flat but it turns out she was mistaken it had at some point been sold to the basement flat. I would never have parked there had I known.

Could you fence it in in some cheap way.

Did you get your washing out after op

No-one would park in the drive-in of a house so sit your apartment? I would buy a few terracotta pots and plant a hebe or two ( low maintenance) to secure your space. There is no need to get into any discussions if this takes too much out of you. I had a neighbour who partially blocked my drive-in by parking outside their house but encroaching on my drive way by about four feet. This meant if someone visited I had no space for their car and I lived in a narrow cul-de-sac so this was important and why I spent the money on a double drive-in, I sorted it, without any discussion, by parking on the extreme right of my drive-in this meant he would actually be blocking my car. He had to change his pattern of parking. Mission accomplished with no discussion or embarrassment.

What a palaver over nothing. When they were in the driveway you should have come out and said 'no parking, private drive'. That's it!!!!

Do they have a parking space they are supposed to use?

My mum used to have this problem in two houses where in one they used to use her parking space and in another they used to park up against her front room window on her land!
They seem to think because you dont have a car they had a right to use your space instead!

Just pop out and politely say, I’m sorry but this is actually my drive. I’m sure they don’t realise.

They'll be another poster along soon complaining of their neighbour putting washing out in the car park

Please let us know how you got on! You are not being unreasonable at all!

Do not put up with this! Put a note on the car if you don’t want to speak to them.
They wiii know they shouldn’t park there and are taking the absolute pss!!
You could offer to rent it to them should you want to but make sure it’s the going rate.
I hate people taking advantage!! X

It's a good idea to try to be more assertive, just for general day to day life. People will take advantage if you let them. Also, what happens when they move out and another family move in and assume they can park there? Good luck with everything x

Nip it in the bud now . Tell them you want to make it into a recreational space and stick some pots on it.

This would annoy me so much 😅

I always hate these posts. Go and tell them this is your drive.

Yanbu get that washing hung out!

Get some planters on it to mark your area. They pop a seat out and washing and it makes it more obvious. Perhaps they thought it was a free for all?

You need to tell them sooner rather than later. Do you own or rent? Either way it's your drive. Next time they go out in it put your washing there and be sat out reading. They will probably ask you to move. If not just tell them then. Don't delay with this it needs sorting.

Presumably she would need the landlords permission and she shouldn't have to pay out considering it's them using land they're not supposed to use.