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?

Good idea...and as said makes more sense as you, your DH and DS will all be able to go out as and when without disturbing each other.

How do you know?

She has confirmed.

Can you not read?

No - it is THEIR land which they have to allow the neighbours to drive over to get to theirs.

I live in a similar set up - but it is my neighbours who OWN the land I am allowed to drive over. I only moved in a few years ago and my solicitor was careful to explain the legalities. They are not allowed to prevent me accessing my own drive but I am NOT allowed to park, or let visitors park, on THEIR land.

Adverse possession is a thing. They need to knock it on the head.

This is such a good idea.

And when the neighbour’s son is parked, go and ask him to move his car as he is blocking you in. ( and remind him of where he can and can't park).

Do this every single time he parks where he shouldn't.

We have a somewhat similar situation, but being a modern property (1990s) the property deeds are quite clear on who owns what and what access is required.

We have a shortish drive (private road) leading to a shared parking area. We are the end house of 3 in this situation. The deeds state clearly that the first house owns the drive and the area directly in front of their house and they have to allow access to the second house and us. The second house owns the land immediately in front of their house and have to allow access to us. We own the area in front of our house and don't have to allow access to anyone. (Yaaaay!) We are very careful not to park, or to allow any of our visitors or tradespeople to park, in front of next door and they don't park in our spaces either.

However the visitors for all 3 houses and we, and our neighbour in the first house, do use the area in front of house 2 to turn around in as there really isn't enough room to do it within our own spaces and they are nice enough not to make a fuss about it.

It isn't great to look out onto cars from our sitting room window, however we, and you, are looking out onto our own car(s) as well as that of our neighbour. If you parked your cars in your own garage you wouldn't have to look out onto your own cars and then not wanting to look out at a car would be a valid point.

Having said that, your neighbour does not have the right to park on your land. This is a much more valid reason for not wanting them to park there rather than spoiling the view. If you have not already done so I suggest you check your deeds and, supposing that they show clearly that the land is owned by you (which I fully expect them to do) you can have a polite conversation with your neighbours about it. You could, perhaps, say that you need the extra space for turning (if you do?).

A private road can actually be owned by one party and others may have a beneficial easement for access over that road.
Usually the deeds will say that it must be kept clear at all times.

In this case, the OP owns all of that land.

My dad lives in a similar set up and he owns the end house and has a right of way over the neighbours land to access his drive. On a few occasions people parked just outside of his drive, this did not impede access etc, but the neighbours complained. Dad now has a sign pinned to his garage telling people to only park on his drive.

If there's a gate to your garden, is there a wall or fence? How high is it? And who owns the part in front of your garage? Them with you having access? What a strange set up!

I'd go to a solicitor with the deeds and have them write a letter to your neighbours, with a copy for yourselves. If the son continues to leave his car, ask them to refer to the letter and whether they understand that access rights are not parking rights.

You should have your copy with you, as they could claim that they haven't received one.

A sign such as that wouldn’t prevent a prescriptive easement to park on that area, it needs to be much clearer. It does take 20 years of unchallenged use to become a prescriptive easement however.

You need to tell them, in writing preferably, that they cannot park there as it is your land and they only have a right to pass and repass, not park.

I’d start parking there myself, so they can see how annoying it is to ask people to move.

I kind of agree with your sentiment, but OP needs to keep the moral high ground here. The neighbours have a right to cross her drive and it would damage her case to block the sods.

There isn’t really any need for the angst re legalities- OP seems perfectly clear on this and access over land is a common situation.

the problem is what you actually do to enforce it. Legalities don’t mean much when your neighbours visitors are constantly parking over the land you allow them access over.

i think the complex parking to make it hard for them is a good idea. But ultimately I think you just have to go and talk to them and tell them, handle it through communication