Neighbours parking on access land

[Debs14]

We live in a semidetached converted barn, and the layout of our neighbour’s house and our house is a bit unusual. There is a pub garden behind our houses, so we only have doors, windows, gardens and driveways on one side.
We are down the end of a narrow private road and there isn’t any space to park on the road. We have a driveway that can fit 3 cars, and we have to allow access across our drive for our neighbours to get to their drive, see diagram. We own the land directly in front of our house, including the access area. Our neighbour has room for at least two cars on their drive, but it is a bit tricky to get onto and reverse out of.
Because it’s a bit awkward getting onto their drive, their son, and all other visitors, park on the access area, which is right in front of our garden. Now this is the part where I don’t know if I’m being unreasonable or not, but it really annoys me when people park there because I feel that my personal space is being invaded. Particularly on nice sunny days when I want to relax in our garden, however it feels exactly the same way as when someone else is standing too close to you.
We often ask our neighbour’s son to move his car onto his mum’s drive, which he does without complaining, but our neighbour always makes a big deal of it, like we are being unreasonable not wanting them to park on our drive. And he still always parks there unless we ask him to move.
So, AIBU for not being neighbourly, or is it reasonable to not want other people parking on your land? Also, if we own the land, but have to allow access, are they perfectly in their rights to park there and I should just put up with it?

@Sourgherkin did you see my comment from earlier to say that there is a private road that leads to our drive, but the whole of the driveway in front of our house belongs to us according to the land registry.

@Debs14 catagorically says it’s her drive and they have to allow access over it to allow neighbours to get to their drive, so it is OP’s land, please check your facts.

@Debs14 double check deeds but access is usually “right to pass and repass”etc so can drive over it but categorically not stop, store stuff etc. You aren’t being unreasonable, they are CFs and absolutely nip in the bud, to protect your property rights if not your enjoyment of your garden (which would be enough).

I mean you can't park there, next to your garden, as you have to allow access for them. Then surely they have no right to park there either, the whole point is it should be clear for access. They are parking on your land. I'd be pointing that out very clearly now.

It is not that bad. It is only in front of the gates which lead to their own garden and garage, right?

I think you need to speak to the neighbours in the first instance and firmly REMIND them that whilst they have a right of access to enter their property, they do not have the right to park in that space as it’s on your property.

It’s similar to the turn around space that you often get at the bottom of a cul-de-sac.

Not sure if you clarified this earlier, but is parking allowed on the private driveway?

edited: just re-read that the driveway is too narrow to park on.

Thank you for everyone’s comments. It’s good to know that I’m not being weird for not liking other people parking on our drive in front of our garden. I realise that we now need to go and clearly spell out our expectations with our neighbour about their parking.

This would piss me off. My response would be to park there myself. I mean if it's a parking space as far as the neighbours are concerned why wouldn't you use it? I appreciate that this is probably not a mature response though.

I couldn’t get excited about it as they aren’t blocking your access, you can’t park there cos you’d be blocking their Accra so it is “dead space” to you and they aren’t blocking your view of anything because your own cars are parked behind in any event. Why does it affect your ability to relax in your garden having a parked car there doing nothing?!

Blocking their access. God I wish I could edit!

@MuffinsOrCake but right in front of op’s garden, so she can’t enjoy her garden without the neighbours car right in front of her.

I'd be tempted to start playing cricket in my garden...

They have the right to passage not to park. They are trespassing if parking.

TBF your understanding of something plainly spelt out does seem to be akin to OP's neighbours.

You can...if not to long after you've pressed and sent your reply.

@SALaw you wouldn't be bothered if a neighbour started parking on your land? I certainly would. If you give these people an inch they'll take a mile. Next they'll started parking in OP's parking spaces.

Instead of parking horizontally I’d park vertically in a row so that all your cars bonnets are facing your garden therefore if the son keeps parking there it means he is blocking you in and you can’t get out. Which means he can’t park there.

(OP you don’t have to respond to someone who willfully misunderstands you or is more invested in their initial take than in understanding the issue. Just ignore the gherkin.)

You have a tricky issue. You need to find the exact wording of the clause that allows your neighbour access over your driveway. That wording will determine whether their rights only allow them to travel over the driveway to their own property or whether they are entitled to other things too. You could try posting the wording on the Legal board here for initial advice on whether you can legally insist they don’t park on your driveway.

Unfortunately, even if the wording supports your desire to stop them parking, enforcing that isn’t necessarily easy, quick or cheap. Trespass is tricky. Disputes with neighbours are difficult to live with and may affect your ability to sell. Using the courts can be expensive and time consuming. But if the clause supports your desire to stop them parking you could seek the advice of a solicitor and then decide if you think pushing things more is worth it.

The OP’s set up is unusual and so there are reasons why they are parking there. Does it affect the OP? How?

Why does it affect your ability to relax in your garden having a parked car there doing nothing?!

Sometimes it's nothing to do with having the ability to relax and more to do with having asked the neighbours not to use land that doesn't belong to them, more than once, and still being ignored.

Basic fact is it isn't the neighbours land to use therefore they should has some respect for the land owners request.

She explained in her first post why it bothers her. She doesn't need any other reason. Or indeed any reason at all. If its her land they shouldn't be parking there. Their reasons for doing so are irrelevant.

I agree with a variation of this if possible. Reverse in so you are parked parallel to each other then you can leave without needing to play car jenga with each other and anyone parking in the access area will be more obviously blocking you in so hopefully won't. You may also need to go around to make it really clear that they can no longer park there.

Well, she’s made it pretty clear why, and also I think it’s just generally understandable? If somebody parked on your driveway just because you weren’t using it and you could see it the whole time from your windows, would you not feel slightly uncomfortable too? Also, though, would you actually do it to somebody else when they’d asked you nicely not, and you had no right to. It’s quite the statement.

Pop round and say please do not park on our land again - access only, say we’ve asked several times not to park there - please don’t.

The next time - say right cctv is up - if you keep doing it you will be blocked in.

You don’t have to continuously remind.

What do the deeds say. That’s key. If it’s access only write to them reminding them of this in writing.