“I Can’t Sit Out And Enjoy The Sun”: Woman Is Fed Up With Neighbors Who Park In Her Driveway Without Permission
Blasting music and loud dogs; property boundaries; overgrown trees, hedges or other greens; and the star of this story, parking issues – all of these are common causes of neighbor disputes.
Disagreements between neighbors, be they minor or heated, are bound to happen no matter what you do. Of course, it’s in your best interest to establish (or at least try to) a somewhat amicable relationship since you’re living in such close proximity to one another – however, not everybody wants to be friends, and that’s where it can get tricky.
Approaching a neighbor who somehow wronged you is not fun for most, especially if they seem distant and reserved – yet leaving things to brew and do lasting damage is not a way out either.
Although this online tale is simple and pretty typical, it does teach you a thing or two about the importance of being vocal, even when it comes to such small matters.
More info: Mumsnet
You know what they say: you can change your friends but not your neighbors
Image credits: Konstantin Malanchev (not the actual photo)
“[Am I being unreasonable] to not want their car on my driveway?” – this online user took to a UK-based internet forum for parents wondering whether she was being unreasonable for not wanting her neighbors’ car on her driveway. The post has managed to engage nearly 6K voters and received 371 comments.
Woman frustrated with neighbors for using her driveway space without asking permission
Image credits: Parkingmoan1
The member of the platform began her post by revealing that she resides in a ground-floor flat; there’s no garden, but it does come with a driveway specifically for her apartment. She said that she doesn’t have a car, which is why she’s second guessing this whole situation.
Her doorway gets a lot of direct sun, and she likes to dry her washing out there on racks when the weather is decent. The OP also added that sometimes she likes to sit out there on a chair with a drink and a book just to unwind.
However, a few months ago a family moved into a flat above her and took over her parking space. They didn’t ask for her permission; they just assumed that they were entitled to it because the woman doesn’t have a vehicle.
Image credits: Parkingmoan1
The thing is, when the neighbors’ car is parked in her doorway, it blocks a lot of the sun out and she can’t put her washing out, nor enjoy the outside when the weather allows. Moreover, according to the OP, they park it diagonally, which causes a lot of trouble with her pram.
When the woman was writing the post, the infamous family was out at the front hoovering their car about 3-feet away from her doorstep, leaving her with a lot of noise and no possibility of enjoying the sun without having to leave the premises.
Lastly, she added that the voting results would determine if she would mention the inconvenience to her upstairs neighbors.
Image credits: Fairy Duff (not the actual photo)
Having said that, the woman turned to the comment section sometime after uploading the post, where she thanked the forum’s users for their replies. She said that she wasn’t sure how people would see it, thinking some would perhaps have thought that she was being “petty” and “entitled” since she doesn’t need the driveway for its intended purposes.
The OP also said that she tried to greet them once or twice but they looked past her, and she also thinks that the man is the only one who speaks English – however, he seems “the least approachable.”
She contacted her landlord, who was happy to reach out to the family’s property manager – however, the representative asked for their flat number, which the woman didn’t know. She ended up leaving a note on the vehicle’s windshield stating that the driveway is private property, and surprise, surprise, the car disappeared.
Fellow online users shared their thoughts on this rather common situation
503Kviews
Share on FacebookThe cost of the parking space is included in your rent, so you are not obliged to let others use it for free. On the other hand the owners of the car might think it is a communal parking space, so don't go all indignant and heavy on them.
I had something similar going on, I had a parking spot in a private garage that was included in my rent. I don't have a car so some of my neighbours thought they could use it for their own parking and guests of them. After telling them politely that it's not theirs to use I started parking my bike smack in the center of the spot. :D
STOP DOWNVOTING people who are not harassing other, who are no very noticeably trolling, and who aren't scamming. This isn't Redit and dien votes are not dislike buttons and are supposed to be a reporting system for violators and people who get diwnvoted get banned, sometime forever. BP does not check these comments to see it they qualify, it is automated and people will get a message saying they have been banned for suspicious behabior. It is one of BPs biggest flaws. Luna's comme may not be a popular opinion, but it definitely should not get her banned.
Load More Replies...I had something similar happen, and I didn’t say anything, because it wasn’t in front of my house, but behind the back garden. Similarly to OP, I didn’t want to be unreasonable, and when they finally moved out, they left me with a massive oil stain on my drive that now looks a mess and will make the place look bad when I decide to sell. And yes, I’m sure there are ways to clean up an oil stain, but I’m also sure it would probably require some sort of chemicals I’d have to go and buy, plus a lot of work. So, long story short: stand up for yourself, don’t let them use your drive without permission and free of charge; their car could actually damage your driveway.
Pour plain clay kitty litter over the oil spots to soak up the extra oil, then grind it into the remaining spots and sweep up. You'll be amazed how much it will remove.
Load More Replies...We have some people in our town, who made their pavement "parking spots" into a patio. They put out flowers and veg in containers, cement bricks across where anyone would normally drive. They sat out there all the time, always had a cheery smile & wave. They eventually moved,but we would use it as a landmark spot " if you've passed the parking garden you've gone too far" type of thing. If it is included in your rental agreement, use as you wish. 🙂
In the U.S., you can do what's called a "private party impound." There may be laws about how it has to be labeled (signage and such). Once you've complied with those laws, you can have them ticketed and towed... at their expense. I only had to do that once before my asset-hole neighbor stopped parking there.
I lived in Los Angeles where parking is VERY BAD and I would do that in a heart beat! I usually would yell and pound on doors first but if no one showed I called the tow guys.
Load More Replies...Do you own the property? If you're renting, did the landlord tell you it's your driveway? I'm confused as to how it's soley your driveway. If they live in the flat above you, wouldn't that make the driveway available for ALL occupants of the property?
It looks like a communal driveway with fake grass laid across it. No one owner owns all of the communal land around a block of flats.
Load More Replies...When you say "flat" one assumes you are renting. Part of what you are renting is that patio or garden. If you post a Private Property or No Trespassing sign, and explain to them that you expect it to be respected, then simply have their vehicle towed Is it a carrier for big people? Or is it a big carrier for people? I am not clear on that.
Bolt something on the ground, chain a bicycle there on it. Once I was living on a apartment with a car park for me, I never had a car then I rented it to a neighbor with two cars.
I had the same thing happen to me when I lived in my apartment. Only in my case fellow tenants of the building were letting their friends use my parking spot when I was gone. Making me have to park on the street when I would get home. I actually would let the landlords know only to find out later on from my mom that they thought it was funny. I had to remind her that I was the one living there and and paying rent to live there. Not them. Now I live in a my own home that I own and had it happen from my neighbor across the street from me. He let his friend park his car in my driveway without my permission.
Say, "Hey! Move you car or I'll have to get it towed off of my property!" You may need to put up a sign that says something to that effect. You DO NOT have to just go on letting them trespass. Do NOT damage their car though. Let them be the offenders.
I've dealt with a similar situation. I live in a three story building and moved down to the ground floor, which is the worst kept unit, with the oldest stuff in the building, solely because the landlord said the small private driveway and front porch would be mine to use. I also get a tiny bit of grass at the end of the driveway, which I put a picnic table on. Unfortunately, my landlord always fails to tell his new tenants any of this, and they use all these things. To make it worse, the other two floors are now rented by the room, so there's a high turnover. Usually, they are fine with it, once I explain that they are supposed to use the large parking area on the other side of the house, and that my kids bedroom is right off the front porch and could they please use their own back porches for nighttime entertaining. Actually, they're usually surprised to learn there are kids down here at all. The landlord doesn't tell them that the bottom floor is a whole apartment.
Sorry. That whole long thing was just to say, talk to your neighbors, they might not know. 🙂
Load More Replies...When my family and I moved into a townhome in Atlanta we had a similar situation. We have vehicles but when parents wanted to drop their kids off at the bus stop or sit with them they would use our driveway like a commuter lot. We had signs up for no parking, private property and even orange cones it slowed down the traffic but didn’t stop it. I had to knock on a few car windows with my pistol and started having vehicles towed when all that s**t finally stopped. Also months after that someone also got killed 3 counties from away because the neighbor was diagnosed with PTSD, had his house robbed multiple times and thought the person parked in his driveway was a burglar coming back to rob him. The man was never arrested & charger so the moral of the story - park at your own risk lol
I will only tell you once to move your car out of my driveway if you refuse I will have your car towed at your expense! You will learn to do as you were nicy asked or suffer the consequences
This looks like 4 parking spaces that have been covered by fake grass. There is also a communal path leading from what was once a communal parking area to the flats. It looks like communal parking. It would be unusual for any one owner to own that whole area. If it is on your missives then a friendly word and a few planters should deter.
It's ridiculous to be aggressive without first trying to be civil and explain that the driveway is your private property and nicely asking your neighbors to park elsewhere. It is possible that they think the driveway is for them too. Not everyone in the world is a jerk. If they continue parking there after you explain the situation, then you have every right to take other steps. In the meantime, though, I agree with other commenters who suggest you make the driveway look more like an extension of your garden. Put out some patio furniture, planters etc.
Ask them if they are aware that the driveway is yours and they need to find somewhere else to park.
I'd put some furniture and plants out there to make it a little patio of sorts.
Ask them to stop. If they don't, hang your clothes on their car. When they're hoovering around their car, get butt naked, open the front door and go sit out there with them in YOUR space. They'll get the point. If they don't, buy HUGE cement or ceramic flower pots and put them in YOUR space with plant flowers in them.
Put very very big planter vases in front, all along the front of carpet or call police.
The question really is this: is the driveway truly only yours? My guess is no. There is no way that SUV is "blocking" your sun. That being said if the driveway really truly is only yours then ask them to stop parking there, if they don't comply then go to the landlord.
The picture of the SUV is not the actual picture. Depending on the direction the driveway is, it may very well be blocking her sun. If nothing else, it's blocking the ground exposed to the sun and therefore limiting the laundry she can put out to dry.
Load More Replies...Maybe your the ah for posting this comment? Grow up.
Load More Replies...The cost of the parking space is included in your rent, so you are not obliged to let others use it for free. On the other hand the owners of the car might think it is a communal parking space, so don't go all indignant and heavy on them.
I had something similar going on, I had a parking spot in a private garage that was included in my rent. I don't have a car so some of my neighbours thought they could use it for their own parking and guests of them. After telling them politely that it's not theirs to use I started parking my bike smack in the center of the spot. :D
STOP DOWNVOTING people who are not harassing other, who are no very noticeably trolling, and who aren't scamming. This isn't Redit and dien votes are not dislike buttons and are supposed to be a reporting system for violators and people who get diwnvoted get banned, sometime forever. BP does not check these comments to see it they qualify, it is automated and people will get a message saying they have been banned for suspicious behabior. It is one of BPs biggest flaws. Luna's comme may not be a popular opinion, but it definitely should not get her banned.
Load More Replies...I had something similar happen, and I didn’t say anything, because it wasn’t in front of my house, but behind the back garden. Similarly to OP, I didn’t want to be unreasonable, and when they finally moved out, they left me with a massive oil stain on my drive that now looks a mess and will make the place look bad when I decide to sell. And yes, I’m sure there are ways to clean up an oil stain, but I’m also sure it would probably require some sort of chemicals I’d have to go and buy, plus a lot of work. So, long story short: stand up for yourself, don’t let them use your drive without permission and free of charge; their car could actually damage your driveway.
Pour plain clay kitty litter over the oil spots to soak up the extra oil, then grind it into the remaining spots and sweep up. You'll be amazed how much it will remove.
Load More Replies...We have some people in our town, who made their pavement "parking spots" into a patio. They put out flowers and veg in containers, cement bricks across where anyone would normally drive. They sat out there all the time, always had a cheery smile & wave. They eventually moved,but we would use it as a landmark spot " if you've passed the parking garden you've gone too far" type of thing. If it is included in your rental agreement, use as you wish. 🙂
In the U.S., you can do what's called a "private party impound." There may be laws about how it has to be labeled (signage and such). Once you've complied with those laws, you can have them ticketed and towed... at their expense. I only had to do that once before my asset-hole neighbor stopped parking there.
I lived in Los Angeles where parking is VERY BAD and I would do that in a heart beat! I usually would yell and pound on doors first but if no one showed I called the tow guys.
Load More Replies...Do you own the property? If you're renting, did the landlord tell you it's your driveway? I'm confused as to how it's soley your driveway. If they live in the flat above you, wouldn't that make the driveway available for ALL occupants of the property?
It looks like a communal driveway with fake grass laid across it. No one owner owns all of the communal land around a block of flats.
Load More Replies...When you say "flat" one assumes you are renting. Part of what you are renting is that patio or garden. If you post a Private Property or No Trespassing sign, and explain to them that you expect it to be respected, then simply have their vehicle towed Is it a carrier for big people? Or is it a big carrier for people? I am not clear on that.
Bolt something on the ground, chain a bicycle there on it. Once I was living on a apartment with a car park for me, I never had a car then I rented it to a neighbor with two cars.
I had the same thing happen to me when I lived in my apartment. Only in my case fellow tenants of the building were letting their friends use my parking spot when I was gone. Making me have to park on the street when I would get home. I actually would let the landlords know only to find out later on from my mom that they thought it was funny. I had to remind her that I was the one living there and and paying rent to live there. Not them. Now I live in a my own home that I own and had it happen from my neighbor across the street from me. He let his friend park his car in my driveway without my permission.
Say, "Hey! Move you car or I'll have to get it towed off of my property!" You may need to put up a sign that says something to that effect. You DO NOT have to just go on letting them trespass. Do NOT damage their car though. Let them be the offenders.
I've dealt with a similar situation. I live in a three story building and moved down to the ground floor, which is the worst kept unit, with the oldest stuff in the building, solely because the landlord said the small private driveway and front porch would be mine to use. I also get a tiny bit of grass at the end of the driveway, which I put a picnic table on. Unfortunately, my landlord always fails to tell his new tenants any of this, and they use all these things. To make it worse, the other two floors are now rented by the room, so there's a high turnover. Usually, they are fine with it, once I explain that they are supposed to use the large parking area on the other side of the house, and that my kids bedroom is right off the front porch and could they please use their own back porches for nighttime entertaining. Actually, they're usually surprised to learn there are kids down here at all. The landlord doesn't tell them that the bottom floor is a whole apartment.
Sorry. That whole long thing was just to say, talk to your neighbors, they might not know. 🙂
Load More Replies...When my family and I moved into a townhome in Atlanta we had a similar situation. We have vehicles but when parents wanted to drop their kids off at the bus stop or sit with them they would use our driveway like a commuter lot. We had signs up for no parking, private property and even orange cones it slowed down the traffic but didn’t stop it. I had to knock on a few car windows with my pistol and started having vehicles towed when all that s**t finally stopped. Also months after that someone also got killed 3 counties from away because the neighbor was diagnosed with PTSD, had his house robbed multiple times and thought the person parked in his driveway was a burglar coming back to rob him. The man was never arrested & charger so the moral of the story - park at your own risk lol
I will only tell you once to move your car out of my driveway if you refuse I will have your car towed at your expense! You will learn to do as you were nicy asked or suffer the consequences
This looks like 4 parking spaces that have been covered by fake grass. There is also a communal path leading from what was once a communal parking area to the flats. It looks like communal parking. It would be unusual for any one owner to own that whole area. If it is on your missives then a friendly word and a few planters should deter.
It's ridiculous to be aggressive without first trying to be civil and explain that the driveway is your private property and nicely asking your neighbors to park elsewhere. It is possible that they think the driveway is for them too. Not everyone in the world is a jerk. If they continue parking there after you explain the situation, then you have every right to take other steps. In the meantime, though, I agree with other commenters who suggest you make the driveway look more like an extension of your garden. Put out some patio furniture, planters etc.
Ask them if they are aware that the driveway is yours and they need to find somewhere else to park.
I'd put some furniture and plants out there to make it a little patio of sorts.
Ask them to stop. If they don't, hang your clothes on their car. When they're hoovering around their car, get butt naked, open the front door and go sit out there with them in YOUR space. They'll get the point. If they don't, buy HUGE cement or ceramic flower pots and put them in YOUR space with plant flowers in them.
Put very very big planter vases in front, all along the front of carpet or call police.
The question really is this: is the driveway truly only yours? My guess is no. There is no way that SUV is "blocking" your sun. That being said if the driveway really truly is only yours then ask them to stop parking there, if they don't comply then go to the landlord.
The picture of the SUV is not the actual picture. Depending on the direction the driveway is, it may very well be blocking her sun. If nothing else, it's blocking the ground exposed to the sun and therefore limiting the laundry she can put out to dry.
Load More Replies...Maybe your the ah for posting this comment? Grow up.
Load More Replies...
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