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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour complaining about my parking

223 replies

nightmareparking · 03/04/2025 00:09

Diagram attached, it’s shit sorry!

I moved into my flat in October. It’s a block of flats. There is off street parking available, but it’s not allocated to anyone and is on a first come first served basis. Some families have several cars and others, like myself, only have the 1.

Shortly after moving in, I encountered difficulties with parking. I usually finish work later, and by the time I get home, most of the spaces are taken. I began parking on the street adjacent to the flats, but it got damaged in February (likely by a group of kids as other drivers in the village have experienced similar issues). Subsequently, I resumed parking outside the flats again.

Occasionally, I find myself parking on the corner (highlighted) when there are no other spaces available. I understand that reversing past can be challenging for some people, but with careful and slow driving, it is possible. I have done it myself. When I returned home on Sunday, the son of my neighbour approached me and asked if I could avoid parking on the corner because his elderly dad has difficulty reversing past. I apologised and explained that I typically park there because there are often no other spaces available when I get home. I also mentioned that I can no longer park on the street because my car was damaged the last time. He agreed and asked if I could avoid parking there when possible.

I returned home this evening and he approached me again voicing his complaints. I proposed that his dad could park on the corner if that worked better, and I could take his spot (highlighted) at the front. But it seems he wants / needs to park closer to his flat. I’m feeling a bit lost about what to do and he refuses to talk to the other neighbours, even though they have several cars. It feels like I’m being pressured to park on the street. I’m 26 and he’s in his 40s (I know him a little through a friend), which makes me feel a bit intimidated.

Should I just go ahead and park on the street, even if it risks my car getting damaged again? AIBU to park on the corner if there are no other spaces available?

Neighbour complaining about my parking
OP posts:
SpringIsSpringing25 · 03/04/2025 02:27

nightmareparking · 03/04/2025 00:44

@CarpetKnees I have attached a photo. Hopefully that helps.

🤣 how?

Tbrh · 03/04/2025 02:28

It sounds like it's not a legit space and makes it hard for people so I think you need to park somewhere else unfortunately

Chicagodog · 03/04/2025 02:28

Why don’t you suggest his dad does a three point turn and drives out rather than reverses out? That’s what any reasonable driver would do imo

Kneeboobs · 03/04/2025 02:37

There are no lines so you are perfectly within your right to park there,I would watch out for any intentional damage as you are not doing as he wants though.

dcadmamagain · 03/04/2025 02:39

Chicagodog · 03/04/2025 02:28

Why don’t you suggest his dad does a three point turn and drives out rather than reverses out? That’s what any reasonable driver would do imo

This is the solution or tell him to get his dad to reverse in - hell of course be reversing in when your car is not on the corner so if he can’t do this then it’s his reversing skills that are the issue not where you’re parking!!!

Broccoliboat · 03/04/2025 03:20

nightmareparking · 03/04/2025 00:41

I hope nobody recognises this, but this is a screenshot of the parking area. The red line is me.

That does look tight for someone to get past. Can you park up the curb so I you’re sort of on the path/grassy area? If would mean people could past easier.

Tbrh · 03/04/2025 04:10

nightmareparking · 03/04/2025 00:41

I hope nobody recognises this, but this is a screenshot of the parking area. The red line is me.

That's not a parking spot, that's the corner of the road and I'd assume illegal and dangerous. Your diagram made out like it was parking bays and that there was a decent space at the end, just enough for a small car. I'm surprised not more people have complained and that no one has hit your car by accident

RatedDoingMagic · 03/04/2025 04:20

Tell the complainer that the root cause of his problem is the residents who are parking 2 or 3 cars there, meaning that the parking area is too crowded. You aren't the cause, you're just the last car to arrive due to your working hours. If each flat used no more than one space (with a few flats using zero spaces as not everyone drives) then there would be plenty of room. You are a fellow victim of the true culprits here.

Copperoliverbear · 03/04/2025 04:23

Could you not park in a straight line a close to the last car as possible and if they have to they will have to drive over the grass a little

BlondiePortz · 03/04/2025 04:25

Is it actually illegal to park there or not? that is the question, we can all say what we think but that would make the situation clear

itsgettingweird · 03/04/2025 04:26

Does this bloke live with his father?

if not - is he visiting and parking in the spaces outside the flats?

If yes to both the above I would suggest next time he visits he parks on the road to leave a space outside the flats for you as you live there too!

WiddlinDiddlin · 03/04/2025 04:31

If where you are parking is legal and it's not obstructing careful drivers, then I would suggest neighbours Dad either parks in a spot he can reverse into so its easier to pull out or, if he is struggling to drive, should he still be driving!! He can't have it every bloody way!

CosmicScouser · 03/04/2025 04:41

RatedDoingMagic · 03/04/2025 04:20

Tell the complainer that the root cause of his problem is the residents who are parking 2 or 3 cars there, meaning that the parking area is too crowded. You aren't the cause, you're just the last car to arrive due to your working hours. If each flat used no more than one space (with a few flats using zero spaces as not everyone drives) then there would be plenty of room. You are a fellow victim of the true culprits here.

Edited

This.

Why should you have to park on the street? You're paying for a flat with a parking space. Meanwhile other people are taking up multiple spaces. They should park 1 vehicle on the road. It's their choice to have multiple vehicles. How about his dad parks on the road so you can park in a space? Why does it have to be you just because you get home late? It's the people using up multiple spaces that are the issue.

RickiRaccoon · 03/04/2025 04:42

It's hard to reconcile the diagram with the photo. 1) The diagram makes it look like you're tucked in beside the other parked cars but just at a slight angle. If so, you're just taking away the turning bay and making the older neighbour reverse the whole way around the curved driveway. 2) The photo makes it look like you're parking horizontal on a driveway and the other cars would be parked further in. If so, you're narrowing the driveway he has to reverse in around the corner.

Either way, it sucks you can't get a safe space outside your own home. I'd keep parking there/ up on the kerb because neither alternative looks illegal and you have no other option but, if you can, flag the issue of making the parking spaces allocated with landlord so they can raise it with the appropriate body. I'm sure your neighbour will support it.

CosmicScouser · 03/04/2025 04:44

Speckson · 03/04/2025 01:03

Park on the grass.

Do not do this

Tbrh · 03/04/2025 04:44

CosmicScouser · 03/04/2025 04:41

This.

Why should you have to park on the street? You're paying for a flat with a parking space. Meanwhile other people are taking up multiple spaces. They should park 1 vehicle on the road. It's their choice to have multiple vehicles. How about his dad parks on the road so you can park in a space? Why does it have to be you just because you get home late? It's the people using up multiple spaces that are the issue.

Show quote history

I missed this. Complain to the landlord OP and get an allocated space. Not fair if you've paid for a flat with a parking space.

WonderingWanda · 03/04/2025 05:10

I can't quite get my head around the parking. Are they parking bays that you drive or reverse into or are people just parallel parked along that bit of road and you are parked in the only turning space? It sounds like the latter because otherwise why would anyone need to reverse out. In which case I'm not so sure your parking on the corner is reasonable.

rwalker · 03/04/2025 05:21

I’m confused why people have to reverse past

PurBal · 03/04/2025 05:28

From your description I was like “nope, don’t park on the corner”. But from your photo I think it’s fine. He should try to park where I live tbh. (We have 2 designated parking spaces but I have to reverse in/out due to people without parking spaces parking in the road)

Ilovemyshed · 03/04/2025 05:56

pusspuss9 · 03/04/2025 02:08

speaking as an older person, it's very difficult to turn one's head round as fa as is sometimes needed for intricate manoeuvers , or to judge distancing so this may be why this older person has difficulties. This is of course not your problem OP

When you get to this point you should no longer be driving.

Toodaloo1567 · 03/04/2025 06:06

Is the road adopted? Sounds like there needs to be a residents’parking permit scheme. The situation is unfair for you. You could contact the council.

If the road is unadopted, then perhaps contact the management company associated with the freehold. They could make the parking permit only - 1 per flat and that old boy with his stiff neck can go park in the road. Nice little earner when combined with surveillance cameras

GravyBoatWars · 03/04/2025 06:06

Complain to the landlord OP and get an allocated space. Not fair if you've paid for a flat with a parking space.

But OP has not paid for a flat with a parking space. OP has paid for a flat in a building that has a few first-come-first-served places for off-street parking and if it's full people are expected to park on the street.

People are talking about legality of parking in that spot but it sounds like it's private property so private car park/driveway rules apply, not laws for street parking.

OP, I think it matters whether there are spaces marked out with lines in this parking area or not - if there are six places marked out and you've decided that you're going to shove a car in elsewhere then you may have problems if someone complains to the building's management. If there are no spaces marked out and everyone is just using their best judgement then you have a better argument.

TheNightingalesStarling · 03/04/2025 06:15

If the problem is the end car has to reverse all the way out, why doesn't he park a few cars down?

SparklyGlitterballs · 03/04/2025 06:17

Be firm. Tell the bloke it's a legitimate place to park as there are no yellow lines. If his dad is a shit driver then maybe the son should reverse his car for him past yours. To be honest, whoever designed the area so that everyone has to reverse back out of the parking section was mad. I'm assuming it's too narrow to do a multi-point turn to change direction and drive out?

JustMyView13 · 03/04/2025 06:43

If his dad is struggling to reverse, has he communicated this with the DVLA & his insurance company?
There’s a standard to be met in the UK and it sounds like this man has started to fall below it.

From your diagram and image I can’t see how this is different to any other built up area with a parking shortage, I’d direct him to the people with several cars & be on my way.