Dealing with neighbours inconsiderate parking

[Tooshyshy123]

One particular neighbour keeps parking on the small footpath which runs down the side of our house. In fact he parks on it so fully there have been times we cannot get out of our gate and have had to clamber over our wall to get out. We did speak to him but he still continues to do it even though there's loads of space further down and there's no reason to park on the path.
Anyway we are thinking of putting some planters on the path outside our gate, possibly right on the edge of the pavement close to the road. Obviously this will stop him parking on the path but will we get into trouble? There will still be room to walk down the path though in an estate of only 6 houses, we are pretty muchnthe only ones who uses it.
Already tried speaking to council who refused to consider dropped kerbs, yellow lines etc

I’d hire a tiny skip and leave it there for weeks just to piss him off.

Agree with this. The council are hardly going to come out on the back of a complaint about planters on a footpath at the side of your house. If they had multiple complaints, maybe, but guessing if you say no-one uses it other that the cf car owner, then they won’t come out. Sometimes you just have to be pro active and take things into your own hands. On our neighbourhood site, there’s posts about some fly tipping down a public side path, been happening for months. Reports made to council, but nothing happening. The residents are having to remove the rubbish themselves.

Bird seed is worth a try- you can throw a handful over his car and the birds will romp along to guzzle it . The mess they leave is unholy (I parked under a tree at my parents' house , my car looked like Mr Blobby !)

Even if he has a dashcam all it picks up is you waving your hand .
You can act puzzled at the lack of trees for the birds to roost in...

This.

Take loads of photos of his parking (all times of the day for several days) also clearly showing the non existent space between your gates and his car. Then report him to the police and various council departments - parking, highways, antisocial behaviour and any others that may be relevant. Send them all multiple photos as they will otherwise assume it only happens once in a while. I would also advise that you stop climbing over your wall, and climb over his car instead.

If you’re worried about him claiming compensation for any possible damage to his car, write a letter clearly stating his parking isn’t acceptable with copies of the photos. Send it recorded delivery. If you hear from his insurance company, send a copy of the letter, proof of delivery, and photos. Deny causing any damage yourselves, but suggest it most likely was caused by delivery drivers who also had to clamber over his car in order to deliver your parcels. Car insurance claims are usually against other car owners so it is highly unlikely it would be pursued, especially without concrete proof.

Bottom line, your neighbour is batshit and obviously getting some weird kick out of massively inconveniencing you for no reason.

Have you seen those spikes people put on their cars when parked on the side of the road to stop other cars getting too close? It’s like a fluorescent triangle stuck to the side of the car pointing out to the road. Is something like that possible for your gate so you can always get out? Not sure on the legalities of it I’ve seen them on loads of cars in London though.

@Tooshyshy123 the suggestions to damage his car are probably not wise for several reasons.
I suggested contacting the fire station to do a safety visit, something like that might work

This will end up acrimonious; it’s just not worth it. We knew a guy that had a hellish few years because of this sort of thing, it ended with the pot being thrown over his garden narrowly missing his grandchild x

Just do it. Worse that can happen is you get asked to move them. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission

We drove over a large nail that destroyed our tyre. I would be a shame if someone left one outside your gate

If it’s on the pavement report it to nextbase. They’ll usually get a fine and points.https://nextbase.co.uk/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/

Buy a really cheap car and park it there when he leaves. Never use it just leave it there to block him using it.

I doubt you’ll get away with putting pots there but your bins would work to block him from parking there!

Oh that would give me the rage, mind you I'd also be stuck as I couldn't get my wheelchair out of that gate with the car that close...

I would be sorely tempted to ram my chair into the side of his car over and over til he moves it... if I could walk, I'd exit the property by climbing over his car every time. (And probably get punched by the owner!)...

Neither of these are useful suggestions OP but I can see how infuriating it is. If it is blocking you into your property, say you needed to get a pushchair or wheelchair out, or for some reason can't climb over the wall then I would call the police each time (non emergency number though).

Call the police he's blocking you safe access to your property

Every time he parked there, I’d wait for him to get inside and set the alarm off. Every time. Fuck that guy!

You don’t own the pavement or road outside your house. Unfortunately you can’t stop him parking in the road there. And you cannot put planters on a public right of way either - you would be obstructing the pavement which pedestrians need to walk safely on (and folk in wheelchairs/ with prams need for access - it’s difficult for the to walk around a planter). The issue here is that he’s parking on the pavement. The only issue to resolve that is to continue reporting to the council.

This is hilarious and brilliant 😂, I would do this. No permanent damage but birds mess all over your car is vile. Throw just enough so he won't know it's bird seed and hopefully he eventually gets the message.

Alternatively, we once received a letter from a wheelchair user about a tree on the boundary of our property was obstructing the pavement (it really wasn't bad) and making it difficult for them being in a wheelchair. We felt terrible and cut it back immediately. Perhaps if he got an anonymous letter telling him they needed to report his parking if it continued as wheelchair user was being forced onto the road? Maybe that's make him think? Xx

Pouches of cat food work well, if you have seagulls.

So, you can't exit via the back of your property? How will you get out if there is a fire? If it's a fire hazard, try the fire department. You never know they may have something they can take action under.

So if you can't actually get out your gate I would take pics and send to the police he can be fined for obstruction of a foot path.

I'd ask the council to put a bollard in at the entrance to that section of the path, at the road crossing.

Of course you can’t just put massive trip hazards on the pavement!

Sprinkle a handful of screws on the path when he isn’t there.
Change the gate to open outwards, and then never close it properly
The birdseed idea is brilliant

Screws, yes!

If it's not on your land then no you can't put pots on it. Maybe speak to you local parking enforcement people, and se if they can come out and issue a ticket, if they can report it every time till he gets the message and is significantly out of pocket from fines