How to make peace with neighbours crappy parking

[inanotherlife4]

I bought my first house in November 2024. It’s a small bungalow in a lovely, quiet area, and for the most part, I’m very happy here. I met a few of the neighbours when I moved in and they were all lovely and very welcoming. The only downside is my neighbours parking. It’s the couple who live next door to me. We're not directly attached but our driveways run alongside each other.

They don’t like parking on their drive and instead both park on the road whilst the drive sits empty. She parks her car outside their house and he parks his transit van on the kerb outside mine. The only reason I can think of is because they can’t be bothered to move their vehicles when one of them needs to get off the drive (a nuisance I know, but every other neighbour manages it)

Unfortunately, I had noticed this during the conveyancing process but naively assumed that they were taking advantage of the space whilst the property was empty (had been empty for 2 years prior to me buying it) and that they would stop when I moved in. Well, how wrong was I?!

I also had to have my drive repaired after moving in and ended up parking down the road as he had taken the space outside my house and there were no other spaces available. I know, legally, they haven’t done anything wrong and are entitled to park there, but it was a struggle lugging furniture, shopping and heavy items down the street, whilst their drive was empty. They knew I had nowhere else to park at that time but continued parking there and watched me struggle.

Anyway, mine has now been repaired and I’m able to park on it again. He continues to park in the space outside mine, but doesn’t block access so no issues there. There isn’t much space between my house and the kerb and my property is also on a slant so his (large van) looks even bigger from the window. I’m coming to terms with the fact that this will probably be my view for the foreseeable future and it’s really getting me down. I’d understand if they had nowhere else to park, but that’s not the case here.

I appreciate people live with much worse and have to park miles away from their property, but we don’t live in London or a large city where this is expected. We live on a very quiet residential street where each person has their own driveway. Anyway, I’m trying to remain positive and think of all the things I love about living here but this is still winding me up on a daily basis. It’s all I can see when I look out of the window.

I know I can’t approach them about it, so will have to put up with it. If you are or have in the past experienced something similar, how did you make peace with it?

Honestly I’d speak to them about it. Genuinely they may not realise how intrusive it is.
We had this where we used to live, the lady in question asked the van driver if he minded parking elsewhere as it was blocking her light and her view and he said ‘oops sorry I didn’t realise actually how shit this is for you, of course ill move’ and he did. No dramas.

I could have written something similiar. But now with a baby to carry and a disability which is getting worse, we are looking at bloody moving house. It’s getting too me too much.

We’ve spoke to next door a few times “oh no problem at all, we won’t park there. We know what it’s like.” Blah blah blah. And since Christmas it’s been a fight to park outside my house.

As you say, they're doing nothing illegal, BUT it is highly illogical, and just making problems for others for no reason whatsoever. I was going to say what PP did: that even if they don't want to keep swapping vehicles around on the drive and trap one of them in, that wouldn't stop them from parking one of them (preferably the van) on their drive.

Most people with cars who don't have a drive would love to have one; and assuming they don't have any other issues such as the drive being too narrow for them to open the door and access the vehicle, it's pathetically lazy to have a drive and not use it.

Do they park across the dropped kerb to their drive or only in actual parking spaces that don't block an access? If the latter, I don't know what the law is, but is it worth investigating whether the council could insist that they have their dropped kerb converted back to a standard one?

The whole idea of having a guaranteed access point to a drive is to reduce the number of vehicles that need to park on the road. If they have an access to a drive that they never use, all it's doing is removing an available parking space from general circulation for no purpose whatsoever. Even if they don't ever use their drive, they would surely realise that losing an access - and thus not technically having a drive anymore - would seriously impact on the value of their property.

Do you need a skip?

I'd be tempted to start planting something tall as close to the road as possible so you don't have to look at the van.

Just park your car there every time. I wouldn't want to look at a 'wall' of a van either right outside my front door if possible to avoid.

Herds of grazing wildebeest?

Buy a long caravan. Cheap. Decorate it with florals and religious canvases.

Don't let anyone know it's yours
Make sure the whole street can't park outside yours :)

I would suggest swapping so their van is parked outside their house as a minimum

I totally get it as my neighbours do that to me. It's actually depressing.

I spoke to them and they are going to work in their driveway so they can park at least one vehicle up it.

That will be a relief.

How irritating. They are choosing to do this which makes them inconsiderate. If you raise it with them they might stop, but as we’ve already established they are inconsiderate, I fear that’s unlikely. I hate awkward conversations.

Given you’ve just had a nice new driveway, I’d keep it nice and pristine by getting myself a jet washer and giving it a good going over every week. Do you car at the same time. Be a shame if all the crap and spray was to get all over his van, but it can’t be helped if he’s parked there now can it. You might not stop him but it might make you smile.

Even better, an empty trailer, with a concealed drop down wall/ramp at the end, disguised as a hippy caravan!

That way, as well as stopping them from parking there, you permanently save a space or two inside for yourself!

They are being rude parking the van outside yours having decided that they prefer not to use their own driveway and prefer not to look at the van themselves. You either have a chat and ask them to swap the car and van so that THEY look at the van or just park in that space yourself . It’s a shame your neighbours are dicks

I think this is the better response. The neighbours have already behaved badly by continually parking a large van outside her property (even though they are legally entitled to do so).They haven’t behaved reasonably, I would not therefore expect them to be reasonable people. I’d be buying the moped/old banger and at the very least parking there at every opportunity.

Is the van half-parked on the pavement casing any damage you can report to council?

Buy a tank. Park on top of the van.

Park outside your house or their house at every single opportunity. I could keep that up for months, even years.

It has to be legally parked, taxed and insured 😀

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-47130604.amp

What cocks. Speak to them politely and then when they ignore you, start a war.