Driveway used by neighbours as a drop of zone for friends/work

[Cherryblossom200]

Hi,

The title says it all really. My neighbours have two cars, both cars block off the area outside of their house. I have a double drive and it gets used as a drop area for children (they run a business from home). I have a child myself so before anyone suggests I hate kids it’s not that I just find it quite annoying and a bit disrespectful if I’m going to be honest. It’s happened roughly 3 times already today.

I’ve lived here for two years now and not made a big deal of it. I’ve said something in passing that the parents don’t use my drive and my neighbour was understanding but it continues. Sometimes the parents drop off the kids and leave, but the vast majority of the time they stop and chat 😝

Before anyone thinks I’m being petty, there is a pretty big parking space the parents can use directly outside my house and opposite my house which they can use. They just don’t want to walk an extra 10 steps so use my drive.

Not sure if I’m being petty, but I do find it quite annoying.

Any ideas what to do?

Hopefully that clears up the situation

I Huey this a lot with neighbours.
Drop offs, parcel deliveries, food shopping deliveries.
I have mentioned it to neighbours but it's hard for them to stop it.

I just quietly seeth behind closed doors

When it started to get to em the most was when I needed to get my son to hospital for croup attack and they needed to move off my exit so I could get my car off my drive.

I've never been happy with anyone blocking me in ever since just in case I ever have to get out in a rush again

I actually said to her don’t worry about couriers because I know it’s hard for her to control what they do. But the parents come every week, she just hasn’t bothered to tell them.

And it’s not just drop offs. As I’ve said earlier on in the thread, the parents most of the time stop and chat sometimes for quite long periods of time. Totally ignoring the fact that they are blocking in my car completely.

I don't understand how most people in this thread not advising to use kindness instead of being nasty.
I've put up with strangers with parking issues in London.
The last things you want is a quarrel with your neighbour.
My idea of neighbour is to help each other not spying on each other.
If the parents are dropping off the kids on the curved part and leave then ignore it..however, if they REALLY block you leaving or entering then speak to your neighbour to advice her customers not to leave their car unattended.

Mummsy, I already had a discussion with her a while ago telling her I was being blocked in. Once for about 20 minutes!! The mum disappeared inside her house meaning I could get out if I wanted to. She did absolutely nothing to sort the issue ou the first time I spoke with her.

I'd sit in the car and repeatedly blow the horn - gives me the rage then people block in/out

I've just had to call AO customer services as one of their contracted delivery teams have been blocking my drive all morning.
I had to leave and asked them to move which they did,explained I would be back within a certain time, which they must have not listened to as when I came back they were blocking my drive again and so I've ended up half way down the main road.
Not easy with a baby.
And il be going out again soon so have to do it all again.
When I told them they've stopped me from getting on my drive and I asked who they were delivering on behalf of they didn't want to tell me and got quite rude

Go out and tell them to shift -- every time. If they go in the house to chat, knock on the door and stand there til they come out and move the car. Be polite but totally consistent. If they move it back, go back and get them to shift again. The key is to be consistent in making it inconvenient for them.

If you prefer to avoid confrontation, physical barriers are the way to go. Bollards, chains, CCTV etc.

As for your neighbour, there's nothing to discuss IMO. If she wants to use your drive for drop-offs, ask her to make you an offer to buy the land.

It’s because it’s not just dropping off, they actually stop their cars - get out have a chat for a while and some go into my neighbours house. Leaving my car blocked in. And no it doesn’t always impact me but I need to point out it’s illegal to park in front of a dropped curb ESPECIALLY if you block in a car. The council could ticket the car if I kicked up enough fuss. But I’m not going down that route, I just don’t want it to happen on a daily basis.

I've just come back home for the second time today to now a builder blocking my drive, so I've parked elsewhere.
I get screaming non walking child to the front door along with shopping and all my own bags and the bloke says 'just leaving'
Bit late now I've struggled getting everything back home again.

And now my car is down the road as to get it back to my driveway would mean taking my over tired child back to the car and strapping him in again