Neighbours parking in our spaces problem

Sorry, this is a bit of a long “what would you do?” post.

We’ve recently moved into a new house at the entrance to a small close. We own the shared drive, but our neighbours have right of way across it. We also own all the parking adjacent to the drive (two spaces by our garage, and some more on the other side). The neighbours parking is limited to their garage and the space in front of it in a courtyard.

The previous owners of our house had an informal agreement with the neighbours that they could park infrequently and for short periods in the spaces furthest from our house. It was made clear during the purchase that it would be up to us as to whether we continued the arrangement which I believe goes back about eight to 10 years.

In the few weeks since we arrived, there have regularly been cars parked in the spaces, one of which has been there on and off every day. When we asked the owner (granddaughter of a neighbour) not to park there, she was quite affronted, but moved. Last night another neighbour was using two of the spaces, and my wife reminded them that it wasn’t communal parking, they were very assertive and said “it has always been communal”, and didn’t want to give any ground at all.

Unlike our predecessor, we have friends and family locally, who will regularly drop in, so we had intended to change the arrangement so that people only park there if none of their own parking is available and if they ask our permission. Following the altercation we are inclined to say that they can’t park there at all. It is clear from the land registry that the land belongs to us, so I don’t think that there is any ambiguity about usage.

I don’t want to fall out with the neighbours, but equally, I don’t want to have to go and ask them to move their cars whenever someone pops round. I’m also struggling to come to terms with their seeming sense of entitlement.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Don’t want to get the bombers out, and yes, I know I’m a lucky bastard to only have this sort of problem to deal with.

I’d be tempted to let them know that if you find you or your guests have problems parking on your property, you’ll be installing lockable drop down barriers.

If they use the spaces sensibly, you won’t have to.

Or, for the one who claims it’s common space, ask him to show you where that’s covered in the deeds.

I don’t want to fall out with the neighbours, but equally, I don’t want to have to go and ask them to move their cars whenever someone pops round. I’m also struggling to come to terms with their seeming sense of entitlement.

Probably a tough one then, parking is always one of those issues. In the end you might just have to tell them not to at all, explain that the spaces are on your land and that you will use them.

Parking people in sometimes helps…. Informal agreements will always be taking advantage of if people want to, saying “for short periods” & “if you need to” will lead to them assuming you don’t mind (if they take the mindset) so rather than asking if they can they will end up using it unless you ask them to move.

The grand daughter probably thinks the space belongs to them.

Put your car in the space and pop something solid in the other one.

Unless you can get them to see your point of view amicably and quickly, you’re probably going to end up being labelled as stroppy by your new neighbours, which probably won’t do you any favours.

I would just state nicely when you see people (as opposed to door knocking or notes that could be perceived as passive-aggressive) that because of your different circumstances to the previous owners, you need the spaces, that in any case really always belonged to the house you now own. If they’re not happy with a middle-ground of asking every time or limiting it to very short stops, then it might just end up being the technique that works best for you. If they won’t compromise, I doubt there’s much way you can keep things amicable and keep your spaces.

Could you park your own cars in the contentious spaces when you have guests, allowing them to use the other one?

Show ’em the deeds..

Tell them to keep off.

Go around there and talk about it like grown ups – not during the “heat of the moment” when you find someone parking in your space. Explain reasonably and rationally that the land is yours, you paid money for it and that you wish to use it for friends and family etc.

If no joy then install some of those pop up parking bollard thingies or go and get a couple of scrap cars, declare them as SORN and leave them there to rust away (assuming it is you land and not a public highway)…!

I don’t want to fall out with the neighbours, but equally, I don’t want to have to go and ask them to move their cars whenever someone pops round. I’m also struggling to come to terms with their seeming sense of entitlement.

Your neighbours obviously don’t feel the same ! If it were me, I’d assert my myself quietly but with a firm message. They need to stop using your property to park on unless it’s by mutual agreement. If it continues record the incidents as they happen with photographic evidence to keep as a back-up for later if required. Let every one of the culprits know in writing that parking on your property must stop. Treat them all the same with a clear & unambiguous message.

After that, I’ve got my own way of dealing with stuff like this. If the offending neighbours have ignored your pleas then they’re obviously not bothered about you, your feelings or falling out.

If someone were to park on my property & refuse to move, I’d either dig a ditch round it or tow it away.

Simples 😀

You can’t keep everyone happy when it comes to parking.

If you don’t make it clear from the off, they’ll have your leg up. Especially the ones who see you as the “new people”. This sort often assume they have some extra authority above and beyond simply because they’ve been there longer.

It’s either or. If you want your spaces, someone will get the hump, if you want to keep everyone sweet, you’ll lose your parking. Doesn’t mean go at it like a bull a bull in a China shop but you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.

I’m not saying this is your problem but it does affect their likely reaction to a request that they sod off: if they weren’t parking on your land, where would they park? In other words, are they likely to give in and just walk x meters further or are they going to bicker to the death?

What cheez0 said. And as a general tip for everyone else, never buy a house with a shared drive.

Simple

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Yep, make a stand immediately or you’ll have long term problems.
I’d avoid any formal stuff but just ‘catch them at the right time’ talk about it as mentioned above, not in the heat of the moment. Explain that while you don’t mind them parking there if they come and ask, that arrangement will stop if they abuse it.

Whatever you do to change what has become ‘the norm’ will have you labelled as the new awkward git from no 43. It’s inevitable. Just how often are these spare spaces going to be used? I.e. after making a fuss, are they going to stand empty for long periods?

Yes I know it’s your right/your land but you’ll still look a pratt if you turf everyone off and leave the spaces empty.

Your neighbours are going to hate you and gossip about you,

I am always amazed at how territorial people get about parking, not in the OP’s case as he actually owns the land but say in a terrace street. People literally having fights over someones car parked in front of their house. Used to happen where I lived, if it means having to walk an extra couple of feet to your door meh whats the problem?

If you’ve got time & patience I reckon the best thing to do would be to let them all park there for the time being and become friends with 1 of the couples for a few weeks then broach the subject of the parking. Then they’ll see you’re a decent guy who won’t be nasty about it.
Be funny to see them knock on to ask as well.

I think you’re going to struggle here. Having people ask you whenever they want to park in your spaces isn’t going to work. If parking is available to you on your drive then can’t you leave that as “reserve” for visitors and actually park your own vehicle(s) in the other spaces you own ? Establish those other spaces as “your parking spaces” i.e you actually have a vehicle parked there and make a point of asking people parked there to move if you come back to find someone using it.

We walked away from a house purchase for this very reason, we were ‘told’ by a neighbour during one of our visits to view the house that ‘everyone shared the access and parking and had done for years so it’s an accepted rule. The deeds and documents showed otherwise. His demeanour put us off as years of neighbourhood disputes was not in our plans.
Good luck – as has been said above, firm, fair and timely stating of the facts may stop it becoming a TV documentary.

Although I don’t disagree with the above, perhaps also try to see it from their perspective. Rightly it wrongly they will have got used to the convienience, and no doubt a good part of thier routine lifestyle is based around the old arrangement and they have been comfortable with that for sometime. Now, here comes you, uprooting the convenience and routine forcing them into a sudden change.

No one likes that an albeit it is not your fault, perhaps express your position but work with them to help soften the change process so that things stay amicable until a new permanent solution is found.

Honestly, the easiest way will be to erect a bollard or chain to stop people parking there. Its decisive and final with no case for mis-interpretation.

Parking arguments are a nightmare, better to nip them in the bud quickly and provide no form of ambiguity when it comes to who’s land it is.

You’re definitely going to have a problem here. How often does this become an issue. Could you just suggest to your visitors that they park in the spaces your neighbours own if yours are not free?

Do you really need those space(s)?

If you want to ‘reset’ the situation. Buy a £300 car and leave it there for a month parked in a way that it takes two spaces with not enough overlap to get in, washed and cleaned regularly.

Charge them a peppercorn rent to have a space then it is clear what the relationship is. Otherwise if they are allowed to use the spaces for free they will assume rights over time.
Perhaps a quick solicitors opinion?

Charge them a peppercorn rent to have a space then it is clear what the relationship is. Otherwise if they are allowed to use the spaces for free they will assume rights over time.
Perhaps a quick solicitors opinion?

I was just about to write something similar. By offering a rental arrangement it would allow you the opportunity to explain that you had effectively paid additional money for this land (perhaps your house would have been cheaper without this attached land)

Are there particular times or days of the week when you are more likely to have visitors. Perhaps you could offer a “timeshare” ie: no weekend parking or no parking in the evenings before 9.00 pm?

If its abused, you will then be completely justified in withdrawing the arrangement,

glad i ain’t got a CAR !!

these;

Maybe only raise the bollards on days you know you’ll be needing the spaces?

As above, though, if you leave it they will *always* be parked in the spaces when you need them because that’s sods law.

So how many spaces actualy do you have? 3/4/5? I would tell them they can use 1 or 2 if they ask but keep another 1 or 2 that they cannot park in at all

(c) Jamie

Original thread http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ouch-damaged-car-on-company-property-help

Irrelevant of who owns what do you want to be friends with your neighbours or not?

If you don’t actually need the extra spaces then I’d be inclined to tell each neighbour separately who uses them that it’s not a problem generally, but if you have a need then you’ll ask them to move the offending car.

And do it with a smile plus with an understanding that this has changed since the previous owner – but you have a need that they didn’t.

could you paint on the ground ‘parking for your house only’ on the floor and pop a sign saying the same and drivers eye height at the head of the space?

Exactly as someone said enough reason for me not to buy a house! good luck this could get very messy!

Fence it off and garden the area for a while, then gate it and start occasional parking on a bit of hard standing to suit yourself. Unbounded areas are always a problem, if you fence it then any challenges are easily resolved by deed viewing, and believe me they will check your deeds if you fence it.

Ahhhhhh MiddleClassFirstWorldProblemWorld. Got to love it!

Bollards? Cones? Solicitors advice? Peppercorn rents? Rental arrangements? Fencing it off?

How do you think any of those things are all going to play to a wider audience? All of whom are your immediate neighbours, who you need to bump along with on a daily basis? And who’s goodwill you might be requiring at some indeterminate point in the future? Think its going to go well? Or do you think the new bloke is going to be referred to as ‘that awkward/arsey git from number 23’?

And for what? For a trivial inconvenience for some friends who occasionally pop round? I’d just accept it for the very minor inconvenience it is, and realise that you really can’t put a price on a decent relationship with your neighbours.

you really can’t put a price on a decent relationship with your neighbours.

It’d be charging them £30/month per space for me and then they can fight off anyone else who uses ‘their’ space 🙂

Plenty of sensible suggestions above, but would definitely go for the ‘sort it now’ option – else this could get horrible.

Having had a shared access issues once before (a footpath connected but slightly detached from the land that we owned but the neighbour had right of way over) it is certainly one of the things that we said ‘never, ever again’ to for all future house purchases.

Good luck, stay calm but assertive.

Or somebody pushing things with the new guys next door to ensure they have pissed in the parking space enough that the reckon it’s part of their house.

The previous owners of our house had an informal agreement with the neighbours that they could park infrequently and for short periods in the spaces furthest from our house.

In the few weeks since we arrived, there have regularly been cars parked in the spaces, one of which has been there on and off every day. When we asked the owner (granddaughter of a neighbour) not to park there, she was quite affronted, but moved. Last night another neighbour was using two of the spaces, and my wife reminded them that it wasn’t communal parking, they were very assertive and said “it has always been communal”, and didn’t want to give any ground at all.

If you want to give it up then fine, but if you actually want to use what you paid for then put a stop to it up front. No harm in someone parking there if they really need to once in a while but don’t let them roll you over.

Invite them over, make them a cup of tea and discuss?
Tell them the score in a reasonable manner, then it’s up to them to either take umbrage or accept your conditions.
Obviously, if they go off then they gets no parking at all.

You are kofi Annan and I claim my UN diplomatic Status 😆

Do you need to be friends with the ignorant freeloader who claims ‘it’s always been communal’ when it’s always belonged to what is now your house?

Point out politely, offer to show deeds, take it from there. Keep it filled with friends / rellies cars visiting.

(edit) and are you paying rates on the spaces?

Sounds to me like they’re of the mentality that “its not doing any harm”.
Also you’re changing the accepted norm round there, so its not going to be easy.
I think the best way forwards is to go round with say a bottle of wine or similar, introduce yourselves properly and have a chat. Just lob in the parking situation as an aside and see how it goes. Don’t make the parking the primary reason for the visit.