Nuisance neighbour causing parking mayhem

iammumtoone

If you stopped packing in your space and parked as number 4 do with their second car, would number 4 still be able to get out of their space? If yes thats what I would do after speaking to number 4 and explaining why.

SephirothX

Thanks G_M, some good suggestions there. And I guess this covers your points too NeilCr.

Perhaps "leasing company" is the wrong word. They're estate management and they own the street and the parking spaces. The houses are freehold but we pay for the upkeep of the street and use of the bays. Repairs on the street are reported to them rather than the council for example.

I have been taking photos when my drive is blocked to be used as evidence should I need to. I can't really prove that the guy is running a business from the property but I've been told at least twice that it was a client blocking my drive rather than them. It's always different cars which is why I believe this to be the case.

I'll have to check Companies House tomorrow - his van has advertising all over it but I don't fancy going out in the dark to get details.I actually think it is against the covenants to run a business from these houses from what I remember but most likely he's just a self employed tradesman so I would think that's different than me opening a shop or office in my house for example.

I don't mind so much about them using the visitor bay, it's more the fact they claim it's theirs and would most likely complain if I had a visitor park in it. They parked a skip there for a month in November without caring and also left their garden waste wheeliebin on the street for a month.

The untaxed/uninsured vehicle disappeared a few days ago. I don't know if that was their doing or not but I looked it up afterwards and noticed it had recently been given a SORN at that point. Not sure a SORN is even valid if parking on public land anyway!

As for other neighbours, I know #2 aren't happy about the situation as they have had to do some difficult maneuvers to get out of their drive too.

You suggest a lot of good solutions but realistically what effect does this have on property values if this has to be disclosed when selling? I don't intend to stay here forever - most likely no more than 5-10 years.

SephirothX

iammumtoone wrote: »

If you stopped packing in your space and parked as number 4 do with their second car, would number 4 still be able to get out of their space? If yes thats what I would do after speaking to number 4 and explaining why.

I don't think there would be enough space for #4 to get out their drive - unless they parked their second car further up but that would risk getting in #5's way.

I could however park my car on the shared area where the visitor car is in my doodle, but horizontally. I think that's what the previous owner of my house used to do when they had two cars there. People would be less likely to block it from getting out that way and it's only my drive that relies on that bit of it. I shouldn't have to though.

NeilCr

The estate management company are unlikely to own the road. Either you guys own the freehold of the communal areas (including the road) or there is a separate freeholder who employs the company.

In our case we own the communal areas (including a private road), employ the management company and instruct them what to do. That includes enforcing covenants

Personally, in your situation, I’d be approaching the management company with regards to your parking problems. That wouldn’t be a neighbour dispute and wouldn’t have to be declared - you are merely asking them to enforce a covenant that is affecting you i.e parking on the shared area.

I know from my own experience that parking is a tricky issue. Presumably, if the shared area parking was sorted you wouldn’t be so worried about the business from home? The other thing I’d say is try not to let it get to you too much. I’ve gone down that path with communal bins - I suddenly realised that the only person getting worked up about it was me! The offenders don’t care.

G_M

SephirothX wrote: »

Thanks G_M,

Perhaps "leasing company" is the wrong word. They're estate management and they own the street and the parking spaces. The houses are freehold but we pay for the upkeep of the street and use of the bays. Repairs on the street are reported to them rather than the council for example.






The untaxed/uninsured vehicle disappeared a few days ago. I don't know if that was their doing or not but I looked it up afterwards and noticed it had recently been given a SORN at that point. Not sure a SORN is even valid if parking on public land anyway!

Let's think that through.....

pearl123

Too many cars on the road. It's not going to get better.

SephirothX

NeilCr wrote: »

The estate management company are unlikely to own the road. Either you guys own the freehold of the communal areas (including the road) or there is a separate freeholder who employs the company.

In our case we own the communal areas (including a private road), employ the management company and instruct them what to do. That includes enforcing covenants

Personally, in your situation, I’d be approaching the management company with regards to your parking problems. That wouldn’t be a neighbour dispute and wouldn’t have to be declared - you are merely asking them to enforce a covenant that is affecting you i.e parking on the shared area.

I know from my own experience that parking is a tricky issue. Presumably, if the shared area parking was sorted you wouldn’t be so worried about the business from home? The other thing I’d say is try not to let it get to you too much. I’ve gone down that path with communal bins - I suddenly realised that the only person getting worked up about it was me! The offenders don’t care.

I'm not completely sure how it works. I assumed the street was theirs - I know it definitely hasn't been adopted by the council and when I reported a cracked manhole cover on the shared access section it was through the estate management company.

I don't really care about the guy running a business like that from home, the parking of his clients is the only issue I have and if I make a complaint it will be about the parking not the business - thought I'd have to give the context.

You're right I shouldn't let it get to me, but I hate confrontations and this parking puts me in a situation where I have to do just that in order to get out of my drive. It's happening every few weeks now, yet it didn't have at all for the first 4-5 months of living here. Maybe he gets more work this time of year, I don't know.

My partner is suggesting I stick a "no parking" sign on the fence. I know it's not enforceable but it's a deterrent. I'm tempted to try that before going down the complaint route.

hazyjo

Maybe you should park in one of the visitor bays for a while. Show them how annoying it is. Can't see why not... If they parked across my drive, I'd be ringing the council number to get them removed and/or fined. Although not sure the council would deal with your road.

Can you install a lockable bollard type thing at the bottom of your drive?

SephirothX

hazyjo wrote: »

Maybe you should park in one of the visitor bays for a while. Show them how annoying it is. Can't see why not... If they parked across my drive, I'd be ringing the council number to get them removed and/or fined. Although not sure the council would deal with your road.

Can you install a lockable bollard type thing at the bottom of your drive?

A bollard wouldn't really work as people don't park on the drive but rather block it. It is tempting to park on the visitor bay outside their house but that's just asking to get my car keyed. I should get some CCTV installed.

I think by law I have the right to ring the police if they block my drive and I can't get out. Problem is since I know where the owner of the car is (in my neighbour's house) then it feels like a waste of police time. These clients tend to only be there for an hour so they'd be gone by the time someone came around to sort it anyway.

There's cars blocking my drive around 3 times a week and that's only the nights I notice, it just so happens that I don't often go back out on an evening after getting home from work so I don't bother getting them moved.

Aylesbury_Duck

You’ve got three choices. Speak to the people concerned and appeal to their better nature. If that doesn’t work, you can either play them at their own game or pursue it officially. I don’t see any other ways of addressing this. I’d begin by popping round with a Christmas card and asking to have a quick chat about your concerns. If they’re rude/disinterested/dismissive, simply say that you’re sorry they don’t want to find a mutually agreeable solution and that you’ve got not alternative other than to take it up with the landowners.