Blocked in a car who parked in my space

[2026baby]

To be clear I own my flat and the parking space is part of my lease and is legally mine. If anyone wishes to use it they would need to have my permission as they would be trespassing otherwise. The space is on private land in a secure garage that requires fob access.

I have come home today from being away to find a random car parked in my space, I do not know who it belongs to. I paid to park on the street outside for an hour hoping they would move soon but no one did. Not wanting to spend any more money unnecessarily I have now parked in front of my parking space which has blocked them in. It is not impacting anyone else's space and allows free movement around the car park.

I have left a note on the car and put a message in the block's group chat but no one has responded. AIBU to block them in until I get a response?

I have nowhere else to park and I don't want to pay to park outside as its £4 an hour and I have no idea when they will move (So far it has been 3 hours that I am aware of). The managing agent is closed for the weekend but have been useless anyway when my neighbours have the same problem and as its a civil matter I can't call the police but according to google the car owner can call the police on me for blocking them in. I am also concerned in case they damage my car, again where would I stand legally if they did given that I have blocked them in?

Glad you got it sorted in the end @2026baby and sorry you have had a rough time from some posters.
I would like to know what you do to prevent further incursions, but only if you feel like it. Don't know if it has been mentioned or is feasible, is there any way you can install a bollard to prevent others (or the original CF) doing similar?
I am looking forward to the AIBU from the CF saying their friend was blocked in an unoccupied parking space: watch the fur fly then!
Hope your Sunday is restful after all this.

If she was being abusive shut the door & dial 999

My husband is in a wheelchair and cannot drive, my car is his car. For him to be able to get into the car he would have needed to transfer from his chair into the car in the middle of the car park where cars are wanting to drive vs in our disabled parking space as he normally would.

Safety over pettiness people....

In all honesty I just wanted to prove a point which I did but blocking them in and forcing them to speak to me and then get my space back which I did. I was tempted to make them wait but it was more important for me to get my space back for my husband to be able to safely get into the car when we were going out today.

What if after spending the night the friend decided she wasn't going to leave until this evening? Then I would still be in the same position and not have my space back.

I don't know why people are giving you a tough time op. I think you did the right thing getting up and moving the car for the person who had been told they could park there.

The neighbour who told them to is the dick here, and I don't see why people are insisting you needed to know their flat number. What difference would that make?!

I'd get some signs and bollards for your space going forward.

Perhaps the company that manage the building and parking spaces could send out letters or put up signs (or more signs) in communal areas to remind people.

Thank you for your kind message, much appreciated.

I have already contacted the managing agent about communication to residents as well as posting on the group chat. I've also ordered some signs that clearly state "private parking, disabled resident" also considering installing a bollard as multiple people have suggested

Thank you, appreciate your message and will take your suggestions on board x

That's naive - keying and tyre damage are very common in these situations.

Glad it’s all sorted now

Astonishing that not only did they have the cheek to knock on your door at midnight but also give you abuse at the same time.

No I wouldn't park on a driveway but I would and do park in different spaces if mine is occupied. I live in a similar setup to OP except there are several blocks and several car parks, one parking space per apartment. There's no visitor spaces so obviously anyone with any kind of a normal social life usually ends up with their friends parked in what is technically someone else's bay. But there's plenty of bays to physically go around because we're very close to town so lots of people don't have cars. It's quite common to find your bay occupied temporarily and also quite common to therefore park in a different bay for a bit. It all works out in the end.

And if you get a bollard and forget to put it in place when you're gone and someone decides to use your space then put the bollard up at that point so they are definitely blocked in. Slap a "£200 for release" notice glued to their windscreen.

Which you won't do as you're not petty like I am and of course it would cause probs for your husband. Hopefully the signs will be sufficient.

Yeah we don’t have car parks, it’s clearly labelled one space per car with apartment numbers
we don’t use anyone else’s, except for my neighbours who live in a house with a driveway and let their visitors use mine. Which leaves me with no space

We generally don't operate like that. If someone needs additional spaces they will message on the group chat and people will offer their spaces. I do this all the time and it generally works well as people are always happy to offer their space when they don't need it. Even more reason why I was so annoyed that someone just took my space when we gave a pretty decent setup between us already!

Did you tell her it was a disabled space that was needed for a wheelchair user? If so, what did she say in response?

Oh wow. Your prior comments already had me questioning your character but joking about suicide is an interesting choice. All the best with whatever you are struggling with that has made you so bitter about a stranger's issue on an internet forum x

God, this reminds me of the time I moved into my new house as a young single woman, and someone dumped an old trailer in my driveway. Turned out he was a neighbour, and another neighbour had told him he could do it!

It actually wasn't me but obviously someone else thought the same. Your bitter comments continue to prove my point though 😂

Not to mention the criminal aspect of course!

what's criminal? the sticky glue or blocking them in? neither is criminal. the glue is annoying and blocking them isn't illegal or a concern for the police as it's on private property. it's illegal for someone to block your drive so you can't get out but that's because the car blocking is on a public highway.

So you do know who the neighbour was then, since they came to your door and you obviously spoke to them/saw them. Was it the same neighbour you spoke to the first time it happened?

No, I did say in my previous posts that I had never seen this neighbour before.

Blocking them in on private property is 100% a criminal offence in exactly the same way as clamping them.