Neighbours blocking my driveway with cars and bins!

[SeeitSayitSortitout]

After a bit of advice.

I moved to my new home (not new but just a few years old) in January. Everyone on the estate has to pay an annual maintenance charge to a levy trust for ground maintenance (I don’t know about this until after I’d put the offer in as the estate agent didn’t tell me). Obviously, I also pay full council tax so not sure what this annual fee is actually for.

Anyway, moving away from that, my house is a terraced house (bought following divorce) and there are garages almost in front (at an angle) to the two properties to the right. They don’t have a driveway and are meant to park their cars in front of their garage, around the other side (so, out of view). The house to my left had a driveway but it’s only big enough for one car. They have 2 cars - both big 4x4 cars. I have a driveway to my house which runs, at an angle, in front of my house, with the footpath to the houses on my right running alongside it. All three houses were up for sale at the same time, mine the most expensive as it came with a driveway and other features that the others didn’t have. One of the houses to my right was empty when I bought my house. And, yes, I drove around at weekends to check things like parking before the sale was made official.

Since I moved in, the house in the far right corner is now rented and a young couple, with a toddler, have moved in next door. All 3 houses have cars and are parking them on the footpath in such a way that is blocking access (or making it very difficult for me to get in and out) to my drive. So, I’m the one who has ended up parking outside my garage (car out of sight) even though I have a driveway outside of my front window! I find it rude and inconsiderate tbh. Also, every Wednesday night s bin day. Due to recycling etc. we now have 3 bins each to put out each week. Because they are parking their cars where the bins are meant to go, they’re using my drive every week and they all put the bins on MY drive every Tuesday evening (as the bin men come early). The last owner of the house told me where the bins are meant to go (where they park their cars). I can’t park my car there as I work away Monday/Tuesday (work from home the rest of the week) and don’t get back home until 8pm on the Tuesday evening, by which time the bins are on my drive and I can’t get on it. That’s 8 wheelie bins and 4 food caddy bins on my drive all day every Wednesday (from Tuesday evening).

I have also noticed the people in the rented property parking their cars on my drive when they think I’m not in (as my car is parked in front of the garage out of sight). I have also found a pile of gravel on my drive recently.

Is there anything I can do? Im
seri thinking of selling up next spring. I only have one car. They have 2-3 each! Why buy/rent a house with no space to park your car?!

I just find it rude and inconsiderate. I think I didn’t see the parking situation when viewing as the houses weren’t occupied (well, one wasn’t).

You can talk to them.

You can install a post or leave something blocking your drive when you are out to deter them.

You can approach the owner or agent of the rental property.

I live in a similar set up. Estate fees are for ground maintenance for the shared areas. TBH they are good but we rely heavily on the residents who work with the management company. Three people who run the WhatsApp group. Send messages about parking and bins and general security and neighbourliness.
Do you have such a group?
Apart from that. Have you spoken to the neighbours about this? Be very clear. Stop using my drive. I need to keep it free at all times.

I would drag all their bins back to their garden and if they fall over then ooops and if that means their bins don't get emptied then tough shit. I also would park on my drive even if it was really tight and ooops. But my car is old and cheap and has dents and scratches so it's make no difference to me.

I would also draw a diagram.

Or you can go round and talk to everyone first and say your driveway isn't the bin store and they need to park considerately as they're blocking access to your house

Plant pots on the boundary so they can’t work over your driveway.

Drag their bins onto their driveway.

I suspect because you’ve been massive and parked at your garage they don’t think you mind. Or they don’t realise it’s your driveway?

Can you do a diagram as I cannot picture the set up?

Move the bins back EVERY TIME
Put planters or a bollard or something on YOUR drive and do it soon

Move their bins off your drive- park your car on your drive, even if you have to ask them to move. If the park on your drive, tell them to move, if it’s a constant problem, you need a lockable bollard.

But we need a diagram, for a parking thread it’s the law!

If your neighbours can park on your drive, why can’t you?

start moving the bins every time.

Don't move their bins.
Ring their doorbells and tell them to move their bins, everytime.
If necessary and they don't move them then block their bins in with your car. They won't get emptied and your ndn's won't make that mistake twice.

You need to stop this now and set some boundaries. The longer it goes on the harder it will be to resolve. You will get more resentful.
The couple in the rented property may not be aware of who owns what. Go to both neighbours, armed with your paperwork and explain the set up. If they plead ignorance fair enough but make it clear it is your property and you intend to use it. You have already let them dictate by moving your car to accomodate them.
Remember if they have an accident while on your property they may have a claim against you, particularly if they can prove you allowed them to use your property. You may be invalidating your home insurance by allowing regular and continued access.

Park on your drive, if it’s blocked ask them to move car/bin? Everytime. It’s your drive!! You shouldn’t have started parking elsewhere.

if it’s tricky getting on drive keep at it, you will become a parking expert.

I have spoken to them.

Where the bins are meat to go are blocked by their cars. I also don’t want to end up bins every Tuesday evening after a long drive home.

The drive is often blocked as their cars (or bins) are already there. I work away 2 days a week so not home one night - I com me back to bins all over my driveway.

I can’t put planters there as there just isn’t enough room. There is only space for one car and the footpath runs along side it to the other 2 houses. It’s really put me off the estate tbh.

Behind their cars?

Even if it inconvenient after a long drive, you need to knock on your neighbour’s doors and tell them to move their bins as you cannot access your drive. Ditto if they park in a way that means you cannot park there (literally though, not that it is just hard - if it’s hard persevere and park anyway, you’ll get used to it). You must start to use your drive at all times. You can’t complain they are treating you badly when you are effectively letting them by slinking off to park elsewhere to avoid the confrontation.

You’re not able to use it anyway just now so id add the planters etc to block their use

Sorry but how do they manage to park on your drive when you say you can't? You sound passive and not motivated to sort this out. My prediction is that you will reject every suggestion made on this thread.

The way to solve this is to use your own driveway.

I get that it’ll be a faff the first few times you come home on bin-eve and after a long drive, but it’s better to tackle this now rather than in the dark wet winter?

The longer you put off addressing this, the more they’ll feel as though you’re being petty when you finally tackle them.

If the bins are there this Tuesday evening, drag them a little further on to your drive and park in front of them. As others have said, bins not being emptied will send a clear message. If you have already spoken to the neighbours, they have been warned.

Just hold your hand on the horn when you come back Tuesday are but them in there garden

If you’ve talked to them and asked them not to put their bins on your driveway and they’re not listening then I would move their bins myself back onto their own properties where they are normally stored. A week or two of overflowing bins and a trip to the tip and they certainly won’t be leaving them on your driveway again.

We've been looking at 'newer build' properties and so many of them have tandem parking or worse, parking drives on both sides of the property. After living in a town with terraced streets and never being able to park outside your own property I vowed not to buy in a similar situation again. It seems to be seen as a small thing, but it has the potential to 'drive you mad'!
I'd suggest you move, I can't see it getting better.

Move the bins.

Put them outside their front doors.

Or ring their doorbell and say hi you’ve accidentally put your bin on my drive? Can you move it please.
hi you’re blocking my drive? Can you move your car please.

every single time. You need to be like a dog with a bone.

Precisely. You need to be on about this now not in months to come.