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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fucked off the neighbours use my drive constantly

303 replies

crappymeal · 17/02/2025 16:13

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?

OP posts:
Sherararara · 17/02/2025 17:25

olympicsrock · 17/02/2025 17:21

This is one situation where a diagram is not needed . It’s OP drive and she doesn’t want the neighbour to use it.

OP as they are clearly utter piss takers or stupid or both, I would write a letter and deliver it saying . Dear neighbour “ As you have not respected my multiple requests to only park after asking permission , not allow your children to play on my drive and then not removed cars immediately on request , I am now removing any permission for your family or any guests to use my property. For avoidance of doubt DO NOT PARK ON MY DRIVE EVER or I will call the police without warning and ask for the vehicle to be towed”
Yours sincerely
OP

Show quote history

It’s far from clear and we definitely need a diagram.
I’m willing to bet neighbours have some shared rights to use it.

BlessThisHousehold · 17/02/2025 17:27

crappymeal · 17/02/2025 16:18

I did think of parking the car at a weird angle but because it's quite a wide drive way they would still be able to get around it.

I think gates/fence is going to be the way forward.

Just find it crazy that they always do it without asking and even if I'm out the front and tell them I have got visitors coming they will say 'well our friends won't be staying long so don't worry'

Show quote history

Do they not have their own drive? This would piss me off. They’re just taking liberties.

TequilaNights · 17/02/2025 17:27

As there is a car on your drive now, it's the perfect time to go and knock and tell them they have to move the car and no longer have permission to use it.

Original poster
crappymeal · 17/02/2025 17:28

The car has left again now. I didn't go and knock on the neighbours door and tell them because they would have known where they parked and didn't make them move either. I have told them before when we've both been out the front and I get a 'okay' but they keep doing it anyway.

They're obviously taking the piss. All of them.

I will try the letter but I'm not sure that will do anything.

I will have to get the fence. And if it carries on until then, ring to get it towed.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
suburburban · 17/02/2025 17:29

crappymeal · 17/02/2025 16:58

And as we speak a 'friend' of theirs has turned up and parked on the drive, brilliant!! I went out and asked them to move the car but they haven't. They just looked at me and went inside the neighbours. I know this isn't the end of the world but for fuck sake!! I'm looking at fencing now.

That is unbelievable

Who does this

CoralOP · 17/02/2025 17:30

I seem to have just fixed my neighbour parking problem. Sooo many people park in front of my drive gates and I'm done.

The other day 2 cars (who have parked there many times) managed to park in the space in front of my driveway in our cul de sac.

I pulled up so full of anger because i had only been out 15 minutes and continously blared my horn for about a minute.

Both of them came out and I shouted can I get on my driveway please, one apologised, the other wouldn't look me in the eye and both moved ,they haven't done it since and now squeeze on their own drive and block their own cars in.

I've apologised to other neighbours I've seen for the noise but they are all fully supportive, this is going to be my new way to deal with it now, I'm so done being nice and civil to ignorant selfish entitled people.

Petuniaspetal · 17/02/2025 17:30

Date and time the letter, take a picture of it and record posting it.

rashdecisi0n · 17/02/2025 17:30

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

It's not really their prerogative to decide that though! I also have an issue with particular neighbours thinking they have a right to use my drive - very annoying.

Fountofwisdom · 17/02/2025 17:32

They are absolute cfs. I would blow my top.

Secondly, who the hell has FIVE separate visitors a day?? Are they running some kind of business and these are customers?

Fencehedge · 17/02/2025 17:33

Don't put anything in writing, don't get anything towed. You have to declare neighbour disputes when you sell your house. Just put up your barrier / fence with a gate, ensure it isn't too high (otherwise it needs planning permission), and carry on with your life.

buffyfaithspikeangel · 17/02/2025 17:35

Honestly some people...

My neighbours keep blocking me in, we had a blazing row the other day
He says "I have done my best with you"
I said "have you tried not blocking me in?"
He says "but you can just knock? I can't not block you in ever"
Me AngryAngryAngry

Half the street was curtain twitching and now we are at a stalemate because he thinks I'm being unreasonable to expect never to be blocked in, I think he's a fucking cheeky twat

Newshoesnewname · 17/02/2025 17:35

You need to get your hose pipe out to wash your drive.

When they come out to the car you will probably get distracted by shouting at them not to park there and might accidentally wave the hose around............

A good soaking every time will soon stop them parking there

CautiousLurker01 · 17/02/2025 17:36

crappymeal · 17/02/2025 16:18

I did think of parking the car at a weird angle but because it's quite a wide drive way they would still be able to get around it.

I think gates/fence is going to be the way forward.

Just find it crazy that they always do it without asking and even if I'm out the front and tell them I have got visitors coming they will say 'well our friends won't be staying long so don't worry'

Show quote history

Just get some planters and block off half the drive entrance (like a makeshift wall) and park at the entrance you have left. Nice time of year to plant up and make a pretty boundary. The day you buy them and place them, drop a note through their door to say they won’t be able to park on your drive any more. Simple.

olympicsrock · 17/02/2025 17:37

If the OP gets a stranger’s car towed ( not the neighbours ) , there is no dispute with the neighbour. It’s not like the OP is asking for the neighbour’s car to be towed.

Sarahbackinthesaddle · 17/02/2025 17:39

Pinkywoo · 17/02/2025 16:24

May I be the first to suggest fanfare .....

Penguin bollards.

Yes!!!!

Cardinalita90 · 17/02/2025 17:39

Electric gates would be best and under no circumstances give them the code or fob. I know that's a big outlay but manual gates they seem cheeky enough to just open anyway.

FofB · 17/02/2025 17:39

Can you park smack bang in the middle of your drive? Right at the entrance?

gettingtothebottomofit · 17/02/2025 17:40

Don't worry about annoying them, if they think you're batshit they'll back down immediately and do everything they can to avoid antagonising you in future.

My neighbour thought he was being clever, wheeled my recycling bin out of sight of the cameras, filled the entire thing with bags for life (not recyclable in recycling bins), wheeled it back. Unfortunately for him the angles were such that it caught his face and shoulders dead on the cameras when he left.

So when I got home we took all the bags out of our bin and shoved them in his unlocked porch.

When he discovered what we'd done he rang our bell raging. Which I found a bit of a cheek tbh. Anyway, he kept saying "NEXT TIME, you can put all the bags into one bag to put in our porch because it's made our porch dirty and we've had to tidy them all up and it took ages." And I kept saying, "There isn't going to be a next time because you aren't going to do it again, and also those bags can't be put in the recycling bin."

He then tried to deny it was him, and we told him that we had video footage he could see if he liked and also that he shouldn't return to the scene of the crime in the same t-shirt.

We had a nice big yelling match and then he stormed off thinking I was batshit insane. Haven't heard a peep since, except when he very politely came over to hand over a parcel that had been delivered to his address by accident.

So yes, be assertive and a bit crazy. Never back down, never surrender.

GlomOfNit · 17/02/2025 17:42

Sorry, we really do need a diagram here! Because I can't get my head around the idea that people are driving into your front garden/yard, essentially, and parking there. Is there a missing barrier/fence between your front property and the NDN's which might embolden CFs? I just can't imagine anyone thinking this is ok.

MistyMountainTop · 17/02/2025 17:43

Some houses in our street have those fold down bollards, I don't think they're too expensive?

Sherararara · 17/02/2025 17:44

GlomOfNit · 17/02/2025 17:42

Sorry, we really do need a diagram here! Because I can't get my head around the idea that people are driving into your front garden/yard, essentially, and parking there. Is there a missing barrier/fence between your front property and the NDN's which might embolden CFs? I just can't imagine anyone thinking this is ok.

This

BlunderMifflin · 17/02/2025 17:47

I don't know why people keep suggesting to call the police and/or get it towed! If this is the UK it's not a police matter and the police don't go around towing cars off people's driveways!

Jennyathemall · 17/02/2025 17:48

GlomOfNit · 17/02/2025 17:42

Sorry, we really do need a diagram here! Because I can't get my head around the idea that people are driving into your front garden/yard, essentially, and parking there. Is there a missing barrier/fence between your front property and the NDN's which might embolden CFs? I just can't imagine anyone thinking this is ok.

Agreed.
OP is being very cagey about doing a diagram -“oh I’m terrible at drawing” - from what has been said there is obviously a unique arrangement of properties and I bet it’s far from as simple as the OP has made out. She’s pissed and just wants sympathy but I bet there’s more to this than the one sided story we’re getting.

aster10 · 17/02/2025 17:50

crappymeal · 17/02/2025 16:16

I think that's going to be our only option but just think it's rude to do this.

Show quote history

It’s not rude, it’s your land. They are incredibly rude. It’s interesting how other rude people make us feel rude. (I guess it is the essence of a projection). Good fences make good neighbours

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 17/02/2025 17:50

Your mistake was telling them they could use your driveway occasionally. Reasonable people would appreciate the concession and would be courteous but these people are CF’s and taking advantage. And for them to actually say it doesn’t matter because the visitors don’t stay long is taking the piss.

Get your big girl pants on and tell them they are no longer to use your drive - and tell them why. No ifs or buts, you withdraw consent. Then get a penguin bollard or strategically placed planters so they can’t do it.