Nuisance neighbour causing parking mayhem

SephirothX

I bought a property on a new build estate (5 year old) about 8 months ago and while I knew parking wasn't great I was aware there are plenty space for visitors to park. What I wasn't told about is that there is a problem neighbour across the street who have total disregard for all covenants the street has in regards to parking.

Below is a doodle:



I live in property #3, while the problem neighbour lives in #1. To explain some of the colours on the doodle:

The red are houses, the black is an extended garden from the street around the corner, the grey are parking bays and the yellow is a "shared access" road. This shared access area turns into a normal road on the south side and is a dead end with a fence on its north side.

I (3) have one parking space, #4 has one, #1 has two and #2 has one. The bay marked with a V is a visitor bay.

The problem I have with my neighbour is that #1 has three vehicles and park a van permanently on the visitor bay. They also had an untaxed uninsured vehicle parked on the grass next to it since before I moved in until it was taken away a few days ago - which has left the grass dead and chopped up.

The bigger problem is that neighbour #1 appears to be running his roofing business from the property. Almost every night clients are visiting him and they don't care where they park. Most of the time they park on the shared area in front of my drive - making access in and out of my drive impossible. This has gotten worse over the past few months and I have had several confrontations in the past couple of months due to either not being able to get out of my drive, or on to it. I don't like confrontations - I had one with his mother tonight who blocked my drive.

It doesn't help that neighbour #4 also have two cars and park their second one where shown on the doodle. I can live with that as it doesn't obstruct me getting in or out, but it certainly means I require a larger turning circle meaning even if that visitor car parked to the left of the shared area rather than the centre it is still problematic. Due to the dead end I have to reverse straight out and turn right rather than do a reverse turn, meaning I require more usage of the shared area than any other house of the four.

The thing with the yellow shared access area is that no one is allowed to park on it and this is mentioned in the restrictive covenants on the deeds I have from the Land Registry. As for the bays - they are all owned by a leasing firm and all properties pay a small amount (around £100 a year) towards maintenance of the street. We are told which bays are ours permanently (in the deeds) and where the visitor bays and parking areas are. Property #1 seem to think the visitor bay belongs to them, given the conversation I had with them recently during a parking problem.

So my question is, what should I do about this? I am reluctant to do anything until I determine the best course of action because I know neighbour disputes can affect property values, however I am at the point where I regret purchasing the property and it is spoiling my enjoyment of the property. I see it as harassment. It is making me unhappy and worried that should I need to get out quickly in an emergency I may not be able to. I waited 10 minutes the first time I knocked on their door asking to be allowed out my drive.

The other problem is that since it is visitors of the neighbour rather than the neighbour themselves they can easily shift blame and say it's not them. The neighbour could easily tell their visiting clients not to park where they do but they don't. I have thought about contacting the leasing firm and putting in a complaint - but again this could be seen as a neighbour dispute.

Doing nothing isn't an option either, I don't like confrontations and I shouldn't have to ask their permission to leave my own house when my drive is blocked in.

Ideally I would like the leasing firm to enforce the restriction on parking on the shared area by putting up a no parking sign or even yellow lines on it. They could also improve the situation by converting the two grass areas to extra parking bays.

googler

With tongue firmly in cheek ...

http://www.officerstore.com/store/product.aspx/productId/19240/Stinger-Spike-Systems-Rat-Trap-II-Pocket-Sized-Tire-Deflation-Device/

Can you get the local council to paint 'Keep Clear' where your right-hand 'V' is shown? I take it the cream area is public street?

Fosterdog

Can you not just reverse into your space (when your entry is not blocked) and then it will be much easier to just drive out.

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob

This is all too common with new developments. There aren't enough spaces for the amount of cars so it ends up with constant rows.

You either fight fire with fire or accept the fact your neighbour will remain this way.

best of luck

SephirothX

googler wrote: »

With tongue firmly in cheek ...

http://www.officerstore.com/store/product.aspx/productId/19240/Stinger-Spike-Systems-Rat-Trap-II-Pocket-Sized-Tire-Deflation-Device/

Can you get the local council to paint 'Keep Clear' where your right-hand 'V' is shown? I take it the cream area is public street?

I like that idea, not sure I'd get away with it though. :P

I don't think the council have any control over the street - it's a private road owned by the leasing company. I could ask them however but is doing that a good idea?


And yes I could reverse in Fosterdog but you'd struggle to get a bicycle through the gap they left this evening nevermind a car. It would lessen the amount of times I'm blocked however as I'm more likely to try squeezing through a tight gap going forwards than backwards. But I shouldn't have to be squeezing through any gaps because eventually cars are going to bump which means insurance claims.

Kim_kim

IF the V spot is a visitors space, then it’s first come first served isn’t it.
If your unpleasant neighbour had his or families cars there then it’s because they got their first. If you have visitors & it’s empty then they park there.

NeilCr

Who has responsibility for the shared road/access area?

I think the parking bays are a bit of a red herring. If you had parking control on the shared road then, it would appear, your problems might be lessened

Do you have a management company who look after communal areas?

ETA

Sorry. I was posting while others (and you) were replying.

You need to get the covenants enforced on the road. I am a bit bemused by the leasing company. Are you sure they aren’t a management company?

Agree with the previous comment about the visitors Bay. I’d forget about that right now

Mardle

Do you have CCTV? It might be useful to collect some video evidence before contacting the leasing company.

AlexTheLion

When there is no vehicle in the middle park your car in your space, but very far forward only just in said space. Anyone argues say you had to get something big out the boot. Which will at least give you some room to reverse back and get out.

G_M

Various possibilites - take your pick!:

* untaxed/uninsured vehicle(s).
Check here, and report to the council. Round here the council come out within 24 hours, slap a notice on the vehicle, and give owner 3 weeks to deal with it before removal and crushing

* Roofing business & endless visitors
Check your deeds. From what you say regarding your Titles, it seems likely that running a business from the property would also breach a covenant. Court action is possible but you'd need evidence. As a precaution and to keep future options open, start compiling evidence eg
- photos
- log of date/time/duration of visits
- seen any adverts for his business? Local paper? Flyers? Is his company registered at Companies House at that address?
- etc

It might well be in breach of Planning law - speak to the council.

* parking on road
Report to council and/or police for obstruction

* parking in Visitors spot
Not much you can do. 1st come 1st served.
- Borrow a friend's (cheap) car while they are on holiday and leave it there yourself for 2 weeks....
- buy a banger and leave it there. Is the road 'public highway? If not, you could 'SORN' the banger.

* parking restrictions in covenants
- I'm unclear who exactly the 'leasing company' is, and their role - do they own the road? are they employed by a freeholder? Who is the freeholder?
But assuming they are active (wwell, they collect money so must exist!), pursuade them enforce the covenants
- take legal action yourself to enforce the covenants. Again, start compiling evidence so this option becomes feasible later if required

* safety in numbers
how do houses 2 & 4 feel about things? Invite them to tea (chocolate cake) and see if you can reach agreement about concerted action
In this case I suspect tea and cake with house 1 is a non starter!

*

http://www.officerstore.com/store/product.aspx/productId/19240/Stinger-Spike-Systems-Rat-Trap-II-Pocket-Sized-Tire-Deflation-Device/

Too obvious. Try
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-box-of-Upholstery-tacks-13mm-1000-approx-blue-steel-improved-cut-nails-/300782202452?clk_rvr_id=1399846543663&rmvSB=true

EachPenny

SephirothX wrote: »

I don't think the council have any control over the street - it's a private road owned by the leasing company. I could ask them however but is doing that a good idea?

If it is private then the council have no involvement in managing parking or putting down road markings.

And even if it was public, it would be unlawful for the council to put a 'Keep Clear' marking down in this situation. Yellow lines would be the only way of effectively managing the problem.