Short version: my new neighbours are CF and are trying to steal a visitor parking space because they have a blue badge, they are not the only blue badge holders in the block of flats, and are behaving unreasonably.
long story: no diagram as I am sat in the car waiting for DSs sporting activity to end.
I live in a small block of flats, ten in total built 20 ish years ago, all are either privately rented or owned. They are all 2 bedrooms and there is a private carpark accessible via a gated entry you need a fob to get into.
Every flat has 1 allocated parking space and there are 4 visitor spaces at the very furthest end of the car park. One of the spaces used to have a disabled symbol on it, but is the same size as all the other spaces and is the furthest parking spot from the entrance of the car park and not the most accessible. There is no other signage indicating it’s a disabled spot and you would only know it “used” to be the designated spot if you had lived here a long time, it’s not on the deeds etc.
I don’t have a blue badge, a couple of my relatives do and a couple of the existing residents do. Even though people who live in the flats have blue badges nobody uses the parking spot as it literally the worst spot in the whole car park, it also next to the hedges which need cutting back, it’s also at an odd angle and normally really tight to get in, with the hedges making it worse.
We have new neighbours, a family of 5 plus two dogs - yes in a two bedroom flat - they also have two cars and one of the residents, not sure who, also has a blue badge. I have noticed the “disabled” space has been occupied recently - it’s usually empty cos it’s a horrible space as mentioned above.
I had a relative with a blue badge visit this week and I moved my car into the “disabled” parking spot for a couple of days, as it was the only one free and I had a legitimate reason to be there, despite I don’t believe it being a legally enforced disabled parking space. This was so my relative who needs mobility aids could use my spot, which is easier to drive into and doesn’t have a whopping hedge growing into it, making it easier for her to get out of the car.
New neighbours are pissed! Apparently they have rung their landlord and the estate agent has been round knocking on everyone’s doors (me and relative have been out in her car so missed this) because new neighbours have a blue badge and must be able to use the car parking space at all times.
One of my elderly neighbours spoke to me about this and is very worried I am going to get in trouble. IMO though the new neighbours are just trying to get a second parking space for free, by claiming sole use of the “disabled” visitor space, like they are the only people in the world who own a blue badge. When in reality what they want to do is be able to park both of their cars in the secure parking area, rather like the rest of us who either have two cars of visitors park on the ample street parking (it’s a village not a city). My neighbour who is worried is also a blue badge holder, but parks in his allocated space.
AIBU to keep parking there or letting my visitors who have blue badges!?
It’s a visitor space, it’s on private land, no signage to say it’s disabled anyway so I could technically park there even if I wasnt doing so to for a blue badge holder, the new neighbours simply have to use there one allocated spot and not occupy a visitor space permanently.