Moving and parking

[Ethylred]

Ok it's a parking one. With a twist. Not really an AIBU, more a request for advice. Advice, not sympathy; sorry darlings, I don't need any effing sympathy.

I'm moving house on Monday in central London, having booked and paid for a parking suspension from my local authority (City of Westminster, if that's relevant) so that the movers can do their job. I've got a receipt. However, I retuned home this evening, Friday, having been away, to find that the council have not bothered to put up the usual signs announcing the suspension, so that the spaces I've booked are full: my neighbours have, quite reasonably, parked their cars and gone away for the weekend.
What do I do? I've emailed the council.

Well that’s a bit of a bugger. Yes they normally display the signs in advance.

All you can do is 1). Hope neighbours come back Sunday evening and move cars or 2). Ask council to remove cars first thing Monday.

Though not sure about legalities of removing cars without proper notice being given. But considering you’ve paid decent money to have the bays free you need to put this back at council to see what is possible in timeframe.

Other thing I would do is pre notify removal firm of the possible issue so that at least they have a heads up of what to expect. They must have to deal with this problem frequently. But forewarned is better than them just turning up and you dealing with it on the day.

Hopefully Monday will work out ok and that some of the cars will have moved.

You sound nice.

Actually I can’t be arsed.

I appreciate your suggestion and the thought behind it. Thank you. In fact I had already done that but decided not to say so in my OP, which was already somewhat long.

have you no way to contact your neighbours? They may be able to send a relative round to move the jag? Would another neighbour have keys/permission to access their property to get car keys and move it?

Erm, also, would it not have been wise to have given the neighbours the heads up beforehand anyway?

I've no idea of who they are, of who owns which car, where they live.This is central London, that's how it is.
Give them the heads up? That is why you pay the council to put up signs. Ffs.

If you're as sarcastic and snappy with your neighbours as you are your responses on her then it's unlikely anyone would move their cars for you anyway so a waste of your time.

I have no idea what you mean by your area being a bit residential.

You say that you do not know your neighbours but you do know that they’ve gone away for the weekend. How does that work?!

All you can do is leave notes on the affected cars to inform them of the Monday morning restrictions, warm the removal company and get on the phone to the council as soon as there’s likely to be someone there.

If you have ‘no idea’ who your neighbours are then how do you know they’ve gone away until Monday?

I'm glad you're not moving in near me. Attitude, much?

Why are you being so snarky with your responses? People are trying to give advice and alternatives to try to help you with the question you asked, but you clearly have all the answers yourself so why don't you ask yourself for the answer to the question you asked, Jesus 😒

Advice, darling? Based on the exact same thing happening to me a couple of years ago, also CoW:

1. Speak to as many immediate neighbours as possible and explain. If just a couple are parked next to one another they might move and let you nab the space.

2. Buy some little cones (Decathlon, very cheap) and put them in a spot when it open up. Tape an explanation, ideally a redacted copy of your confirmation. Amazing how many people see cones and just accept it.

3. Tape the homemade notices to nearby lampposts. Locals know what that means.

4. Put something on NextDoor, FaceBook or any other community group if you have one.

5. Warn your movers as early as possible.

6. Contact the council. Someone might work weekends, if not you’ll be first in the queue on Monday.

And 7) I know it’s a stressful moment but cool down and stop being so snarky in your posts. You’ve had some helpful advice from PPs. Just because it won’t magically solve everything in one fell swoop doesn’t mean it’s bad advice.

This is a strange thread. I don't understand why some of the responses have been so argumentative. If parking is permit on street then it won't be just 5 houses it could be streets worth who might park there.

OP can you photocopy your suspension certificate and put it on cars with a note? Or put your own tape up? Might help perhaps?

Gosh you're quite snippy when people are offering helpful suggestions.....obviously us bumpkin plebs from Greater London and the wider country cannot possibly understand the intricacies of your dilemma. Obviously if people are wealthy enough to live in central London (City of Westminster don't you know) they go away for the weekend without their Jaguars....presumably they just own it and tax it for show, and the removal companies don't have any experience moving pianos without dropping them on cars.

Amazes me some people think they can expect helpful advice when speaking to others like crap. It sounds like you deserve some of the trouble you get OP. Ta da.

Perfect response.

And number 7 is the most important.

Best AiBU ever when you say you aren't actually asking if you are - but are actually the unreasonable one on the thread!

Well it’s not ideal but you’ve had some good suggestions on here already. Might also be worth putting a note under windscreen wipers in case that gets seen too.

It is what it is. The removals men will do the best they can and I'm sure they're not going to drop your piano on your neighbour's jaguar! That's a bit of a dramatic assumption!

Email the council and get a refund - the fault is theirs for not fulfilling their obligations in an appropriate and timely manner.

Lucky neighbours whoever they are, you sound delightful.

Just checking you do realise that "going away for the weekend" generally means someone will be back Sunday. Monday is a whole new day.

I wonder how moving day is going so far.

There will be at least one Jaguar with a piano on its roof I’m sure!

I feel for the poor sod who’s only got a Citroen.

Sorry I have no suggestions but I do have sympathy, moving is stressful enough without having to deal with people messing up your plans. I hope it's going well today.