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AIBU?

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Original poster

Parking on neighbours' empty drive

135 replies

Vinntet · 19/08/2023 18:39

I hope not a TAAT, but DP's car is currently parked on our next door neighbours' driveway without their permission and I'm worried this might have us known as as being CFers!

We share almost an access drive which goes across the front of both our actual drives and we've had a skip delivered to ours this morning. I stupidly told them to put it on the side for easiest access to the backgarden, which is also where DP's electric car needs to be parked to be reach the charger which is on that side of the house!

It just won't reach from 'my' side of the drive, but will from the empty spot on NDN's drive, who we think have gone on holiday (not been around since Weds). We'd move onto the road when it's fully charged, or ask nicely if they come home, and DP sees no issue.

Is this fine or CF territory?

OP posts:
readbooksdrinktea · 19/08/2023 19:19

Yes, it is

ihadamarveloustime · 19/08/2023 19:20

If I was your neighbour, I'm sorry, but I would be pretty annoyed. I wouldn't want someone else's unsupervised electric car sitting on my property whilst charging ... too many fires. If he's not actually sitting in it, watching it, until it's charged, it shouldn't be there.

ChrisPPancake · 19/08/2023 19:20

Can you text (or otherwise message) neighbour and ask?

Pottedpalm · 19/08/2023 19:21

I despair at the miserable, unfriendly attitude of people on here.
Last week our car broke down on holiday and was relayed home by the AA while we carried on in a hire car. The driver who dropped the car off rang to say he had delivered it and asked if he should leave the keys with our neighbours as they had seen the car coming back without us and came out to make sure we were ok.
When we got home we parked on their drive as they only have one car and space. We were intending just to unload but they said to leave it there until morning. We are neighbourly, don’t socialise except at village events, but we all help each other whenever we can.

Zonder · 19/08/2023 19:21

Can you message them and just ask?

Misty84 · 19/08/2023 19:22

Just leave a note on the car explaining OP, as you’ve done here, therefore if they get back they’ll understand the issue and can contact you/knock on your door. Hardly the massive drama that others on here are making it out to be!!

Original poster
Vinntet · 19/08/2023 19:25

Actually, they wouldn't have to find anywhere to park if they arrived home, because the shared part of the drive is off the road. They'd just stop or pull up to the end. They have visitors park there all the time, even though it's for turning.

And everything's already been removed from the garden and the skip is full, so no, we're not being generally disruptive to the neighbours. It's been done while they have been away.

OP posts:
StillWantingADog · 19/08/2023 19:30

I’ve had a similar situation and texted the neighbour who was away to ask if I could use their drive for a few days

they were fine with it. I wouldn’t have done without checking.

SparkyBlue · 19/08/2023 19:32

Some weird unneighbourly comments on here. Several of my neighbours have had builders doing jobs over the past two years and often with work vans etc we'd all offer up extra space if we had it on our drives and if someone went off to work for the day they would often shout over to use their space. We all get along and are not over friendly (I've never been inside any of their houses) but we do understand when work is being done or skips being delivered it's nice to be helpful as you might in that situation soon. The last time we had a skip we asked our immediate neighbours if they had anything that they wanted to throw in and it was appreciated. I'd stick a note on the car and if they return then I'd obviously move the car immediately .

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 19/08/2023 19:32

They could have friends they've offered their drive to, someone coming by to water the plants, someone coming to feed the cat, or any number of reasons why they need to access their drive way.

Would you use their garden if they weren't in? Sunbath on their loungers? Use their BBQ? Use their bath?

jlpth · 19/08/2023 19:33

As long as he puts a note on the front/back of the car, whichever is visible first, saying it can be moved immediately then it’s fine.

zurala · 19/08/2023 19:35

I'm amazed you don't have contact details for your immediate neighbours. But as others have said, if you aren't close enough to have their number then you definitely aren't close enough to randomly use their property.
If I were them I'd be really pissed off.

Begsthequestion · 19/08/2023 19:36

I wouldn't mind at all if I was your neighbour and on holiday anyway. It's an empty space, and sounds like a one-off, so I think you'd have to be really petty to object to something like this.

Ponderingwindow · 19/08/2023 19:40

Absolute cf

but a bit understandable and you can mitigate the situation by making sure one of you is standing by watching to see if they arrive home. If they do, move it immediately. They should not need to come find you to ask you to move your car. At most they will be delayed by a couple of minutes that way and not figuring out where to put their vehicle in the interim.

Tickletuesday · 19/08/2023 19:41

It wouldn’t bother me if my neighbour used my drive whilst I was away, particularly if I can clearly see a skip on their drive. I would let them know when they return that you did it, just in case another neighbour tells them. Maybe a token thank you. Most people are reasonable and are happy to help you out. Obviously you let them know that they are always welcome to your drive when you are away.

DrFosterWentToGloucester23 · 19/08/2023 19:41

Honestly, I would have no issue at all if my neighbours did this. Especially for such a short period of time and when I was out! As long as you are in to move the car in case they come home whilst you’re charging the car, I don’t see the issue.

Friggingfrog · 19/08/2023 19:41

I have a shared drive and we are happy for our neighbours to park on our drive while we’re away and vice Verca but we let each other know the dates. I think just put a note on it. Sounds like they can still get on to the drive and they can just knock if they need for you to move it. Am sure they will understand. If they have cameras, perhaps pop once they’re home to explain what happened. It’s not a huge deal, not really a CF situation imo

Mumof4plusbonus · 19/08/2023 19:42

You’re literally using it for a few hours and will move it when charged or beforehand if they return (or ask them at this point). Personally as a one off I would have no issue if my neighbour did this and I don’t know many who would. Unless it’s one of a long line of things which it doesn’t sound like. It will be fine, don’t overthink it. It’s not like you’re using their electricity or affecting them in any way.

panko · 19/08/2023 19:43

If someone has an accident then you're in deep water legally.

LooselyBasedOnAMadeUpStory · 19/08/2023 19:44

Would you use their garden if they weren't in? Sunbath on their loungers? Use their BBQ? Use their bath?

Don’t be ridiculous. Parking on their drive for a couple of hours hardly means OP is likely to start helping herself to everything they own. Op has already said they feel bad enough for parking there.

There are some very unneighbourly people on this thread.

FheridanSox · 19/08/2023 19:45

I wouldn’t have any problem with this. We live in a cul-de-sac with very limited parking. Neighbour often has parties with many people who usually end up parking on our drive. If I come home and there’s a car in my drive, I either knock up and ask them to move or just park behind them and let them knock up and ask me to move. It’s literally 3 mins out of my day to help keep good relations with our neighbours. Never even thought of it as cheeky fuckery but then, I don't sweat the small stuff. They obviously return the favour and when we have people over they are happy for them to park in their drive (which is bigger than ours and will hold 4 cars!). I think sometimes people look to make things into a bigger deal than it needs to be.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 19/08/2023 19:49

PathOfLeastResitance · 19/08/2023 18:50

Can’t you use an extension lead?

No, not to charge an electric car from a charge point!!!

avemariiiaa · 19/08/2023 19:53

I wouldn't even think twice about doing this or be pissed off with a neighbour for doing it as a one off.

Put a large visible note on your car to say:

So sorry, made a mistake when organising skip delivery and can't reach the charger from our side. Please knock on if you come home and will move immediately.

It's really not a big deal.

avemariiiaa · 19/08/2023 19:53

panko · 19/08/2023 19:43

If someone has an accident then you're in deep water legally.

?!

Hayliebells · 19/08/2023 20:02

💯 CF behaviour, you don't know who they've told can park on their drive. Don't you have their contact details? Can't you just message them to ask them if it's OK. If you don't even have their details, you don't have anywhere near the kind of religion where it would be OK to just park on their drive....