To be fucked off the neighbours use my drive constantly

[crappymeal]

My drive is big enough for about 3 cars if they squeeze on. We have a car which normally gets blocked in by the neighbours who use ours without asking.

It also means if we have visitors, they don't have anywhere to park and they have to find somewhere up the street although the roads are skinny and it's a bit of a nightmare (and I guess that's why they won't do it).

They usually get about 5 visitors a day and don't ask if they can use it first.

I wouldn't mind every now and then (which I have said before) but it's almost every day now and I think they're taking the piss.

I've tried speaking to them and they have said that the visitors don't stay for long so it doesn't matter?

Not the same but we had an issue with neighbours over them stepping into our back garden ( fence blew down) whether we were home ir not,in the end we got a fence but they did get offended abd hardly speak to us now.... sone people just don't get personal property!

I always think its a good idea to piss snarky neighbours off early on. It saves so much time later.

Drop them a note so they know it's coming and then say nothing more about it.

Hi Neighbours

I'm sorry to say that despite me repeatedly asking you to check with me about using my driveway (and being very clear that use was to be occasional and with permission only) you have taken advantage to the point where my own guests often cannot access my drive and it can take up to 20 minutes for you to move one of the cars if I need it moved. This is not working for me at all, so I am just letting you know that I am arranging some work to the drive to prevent this from happening in the future and the driveway will not be accessible any more.

If you have a genuine emergency, please do let me know, but other than that, I'd like to ask that you desist from parking there from now on.

Best wishes
Neighbour

Nuh....never mind the "genuine emergency" or the "look what you made me do"
If you MUST send a note (and I wouldn't) say something like "This is to inform you that I will be putting gates/bollards/movement sensing machine guns at the front of my property to control the vehicle access to it and to prevent children using it as a football pitch," My issue with sending a note is that it gives them a chance to come over and argue, bung a car on the OP's drive to prevent the work going ahead of any other CFery they can think of.

It's your property. Of course it isn't rude! Want to let them help themselves to the food in your fridge too? They are taking the piss and sound like right arseholes.

Park your car on their driveway. Every time you come home. See how they like it. Or find out what the going rate is for parking in your area with Just Park and charge your neighbours the going rate! https://www.justpark.com/how-it-works/rent-out-your-driveway

What do you say back, when they say their friends won’t be long? You need to be less passive and more firm now. You have been very kind to offer your drive on ‘occasion only, though unfortunately you give some people an inch, then, you know the rest… Bloody cheeky, and also letting their kids play on your drive. As a parent I would be so conscious of my kids overstepping boundaries with neighbours!!

This is madness! They are setting a precedent that they have been using it continuously for a long time if you aren’t careful they will claim a RIGHT to use it!
literally just scream “get the fuck off my driveway you cheeky entitled prick” at full volume next time they use it? The longer you let this go on for the harder it will be to get them to stop.

Penguin bollards.

You need to stop being so meek, OP.

Before you spend loads of dosh, put a lot of heavy, planted up pots across hald yhe drive and then park on the other half.

They wouldn't be such CFs as to move your plants, would they? Too much like hard work, easier tojust park elsewhere. If you're out so only one side of drive is free and they park there, then just try to get them towed. If you feel guilty about it, you can a,ways put a note through their door warning them it's going to happen in 20 mintes. I theink they have to stop you being able to get out thatmakes it an offence, but it could be stopping you from getting. Worth checking.

Use lots of pots. It's prettier.

Or send a cease and desist letter from an actual solicitor. It will cost you less than ultimately losing rights to your own driveway because you've let them get away with it for too long to rescind permission.

Whatever you do, do it now, not next week/month/year.

Tomato ketchup on window screen.

My mum had this, bought a house with double garage, mum had stopped driving so back door asked if they could park on mums drive (bottom of her garden) every now & then, except it was nearly every day. I opened the electric door, nearly hitting their car.
Final straw! day I was visiting only to find two cars parked up, their son & his girlfriend parked up, I knocked on their door, only to be told I would have to wait an hour to park up as they had popped out 😩
I went round day after & asked them not to park in future as the nurses & carers would be using the drive (to this day they haven’t used it.
You just have to be firm & tell them straight. I felt that the other neighbours thought we were right mugs.

At the end of the day it’s wear & tear on your drive! Are they going to contribute when it needs resurfaced? Are they hell!

This would infuriate me so much. To feel the need to erect a fence/gate that you presumably wouldn't choose to have without your cf neighbours, and all that involves - no chance.

I agree with what has been said, that you need to tell them the next time they park that they do not have the right to park there, never have had, and if they leave their vehicle there you can not be held responsible for any damage caused when that truck load of cow manure gets deposited on your drive, or your nephew wants to practise 3 point turns, etc.

It doesn't matter how long or short their visit will be, they do not get to decide what happens on your driveway, don't let them bully you, who knows what they'll try next?

So is it a shared drive or not?

If it's a shared drive (and is marked as such on the deeds) then OP doesn't have a leg to stand on.

If it's OP's drive she can put a gate up or some other obstacle.

I don't see what drug dealers have to do with the ownership of the drive ??

May I suggest that if you are getting a gate put in then, if you can afford it, you really do want to think about having an electric gate.

It can be a real hassle having to get out of the car each time to first open the gate and then close it after you have driven through it. An electric gate makes a whole world of difference.

Not sure if I'm visualising the situation right but is it something like this?
You need to leave a gap at the front so you can all reverse out independently?

I would just get one of those bollards you can put up or down if so. Lots of people have them round here to prevent their cars getting stolen.

Oh, I think they usually 'get' personal property just fine... when it belongs to them.

It just doesn't register to them that other people matter, and care about their own personal property, just as much as they care about theirs!

An astonishingly high number of people work to the principle of 'what's mine is mine; what's yours is up for grabs'.

I like the stinger idea, but I'd end up forgetting and driving over it myself!

I think writing: I've told you not to park on my drive - with lipstick, every time, would be a winner.

Unfortunately and astonishingly, you have no legal authority to get it towed, even though you own the land!!! I know, it's messed up but there's a grand total of zilch you can do about a car on your drive until it moves. Hole in the law I guess.

Spray adhesive all over the windscreen of each visiting car, every single time.

Block the wall somehow for starters and have bollards put in, Either rise and fall or the fold flat ones.
A nice prickly hedge if you can manage it. I'm afraid you are going to have to tell these CFs no more parking.
I wouldn't be waiting 20 minutes. Can you move it now?. Hand on doorbell.

Do you actually live your life like this? Or think that other people do?