New tenant neighbours' behaviour

Pendrive

The next door house is a rental, and new tenants moved in about 3 weeks ago, bringing 2 cars with them. They have a driveway which fits both cars, and are very close to a private car park for additional use of residents of the street only.

They began putting one of their cars on the pavement at the front of my own house, and I asked one of them politely not to do so for the various reasons no one has ever previously tried to park there permanently - one being the kerb between the two dropped kerbs at the driveways is too short for a car to park without overhanging a dropped kerb at one end; another that our houses are on a 90 degree corner and a parked car on the corner affects how easily vehicles such as bin lorries can get on and off the road (which is a cul-de-sac). They mentioned their landlord had told them about the car park, about 30 paces away.

The neighbour agreed they wouldn’t park on the front pavement, and for two or three days juggled the cars on their driveway, before putting it on the pavement again, where it remains all day while their driveway is empty. Spaces are available on the car park.

The problem of the pavement parking will hopefully be resolved in the not-too-distant future due to my applying previously to drop the short existing kerb there and create an additional parking space where my lawn currently sits. This is currently in process, and has been done previously by neighbours a few doors up from myself without issue.

In the meantime, however, I intended to carry out jet washing around the front of my house, but the car was on the pavement alongside my lawn boundary all day, and a few feet away from my driveway, I held off the jet washing and tried 7 times over a couple of days to knock on their door and let them know I needed to carry out this work over a couple of hours at some point. There was no response at all. The car was on the pavement for the entirety of both days, so there were no periods I might ‘nip in’ and do this while their car was absent.

After 2 days of attempted communication I finally went ahead and did the work, all within the confines of my own property. Their car was unaffected.

In the afternoon, I found a note in my letterbox:

“If you have damaged my car jet washing !!!!!! onto it, I will be sending you a bill. I am no were near your drive and hanging over my own, I work shifts so cant block the other car in and haven’t seen any car move in the car park                                                                     no. X 

My doorbell camera showed the gentleman had been outside my front window looking in, and marching across my property front.

Feeling that some attempt at conversation, rather than escalation, might be a better response, I wrote the following short note in reply:

Dear ‘No X’,

Not sure what the note is all about???

Would a coffee and chat help?

                                                          XXXX - #Y

PS – re comments on car park – presume [this road]? – can probably help you on that – your landlord needs to act.

No response so far.

I’d thus appreciate any advice on:

-          Basic cleaning / maintenance etc on my own property. Would it be worth writing a short catch-all letter to them stating that various work may be carried out on my property at various times, and that if they park a car close to my property boundary it will be at their own risk? Perhaps mentioning that it isn't proving possible to communicate with them in normal ways over this, so the letter is acting as an ongoing statement? 

I’m loathe to start writing notes and thus putting things in writing every time I want to do something - even mowing the grass can throw up the occasional stone which lands on the pavement, and could damage a car. I also don't want to access their property to deliver any notes, as I don't want any reciprocal accessing of mine at all, given the nature of the note they have sent. Might a single short letter establish that the risk is theirs in an ongoing way?

-          Is it worth getting a sign made and just placing it at the bottom of my lawn stating that work may be carried out on the property at any time, and any parking on the pavement next to its boundary will be entirely at any car owners’ risk? Does that remove any particular responsibility on my part to bother about any cars parked on the pavement?

I assume I must have some right to carry out work on my property, and can’t be permanently prevented from doing so because someone is (unnecessarily) parking their car on the pavement next to it, for all daylight hours? 

-          Re. their note and its nature – is it worth writing something now to them about the harassing nature of this? Or just keep it as part of a diary of events at this stage, and act later if other things happen?

-          Possible landlord involvement – I don’t have contact details for the landlord, but will look for them via land registry etc. Assuming I can acquire them, at what point would it be best I seek to involve him? Best to show the note and diary of what has already happened as soon as I can contact him, or keep these for possible use later? I assume there is some clause re. anti-social behaviour / neighbours right to enjoy own properties etc in the tenancy agreement.

Any thoughts would be much-appreciated. Thanks.

WIAWSNB

"Dear ‘No X’,

Not sure what the note is all about???

Would a coffee and chat help? XXXX - #Y"

Fab!

I'd leave it at that. They have responded tetchily and defensively, and you have replied with complete calm and reason. I suspect they feel a bit foolish. I also suspect they won't take you up on your kind offer, as the first thing they'd feel obliged to do is to apologise...

Moving forwards, you seemingly have a longer-term aim of dropping your kerb, and the situation will then resolve itself. Until then, the situation would appear to be that they are permitted to park there, so you are best to accept this. If you suggest to them that this is unreasonable, they will turn it around against you - with some justification. So, go about your normal life, clean your front drive as you would, but take care - as you have already done - to not cover their car in 'stuff'. I'm sure that this is very possible - I cannot think how a car parked on a road can prevent someone from jetwashing their driveway - you just aim away.

And, yes, keep all their notes. And, yes, keep a log. And, yes, keep a record of how you reply each time. Your next note to them could be even shorter - "The offer of coffee still stands! ."

No 'signs' - they wouldn't be valid. No advance warning of your cleaning; pointless - they don't have to move their car, and they'll likely take delight in knowing they are getting in your way. No mention of the 'harassing' nature of their letters; it isn't, really, at least not until it escalates.

In situations like this, take pleasure in knowing you are dealing with a twit, and you make a conscious effort to behave in the complete opposite way. Folk like that thrive on thinking they are 'getting one across', and it'll wind them up when they realise they are not succeeding. Note down and record everything, and let it play out.

If, in the unlikely event, things escalate, then you can demonstrate your unimpeachable reasonableness, and their beligerrent unpleasantness. Chances are, nothing untoward will happen.

Keep calm, and carry on. Remember, a nice big smile and wave whenever you see them - it'll annoy the pants of them.

FreeBear

There used to be a road that I'd use near where I worked that was plagued by cars parked on the pavement. It was so bad, one had little choice but to walk in the road. Even worse if you happened to use a wheelchair (Remploy used to have a workplace at the end of this road).

A few calls to the local police station soon had traffic wardens out issuing parking tickets. After a week or two of ticketing, the problem disappeared. Parking on a pavement is an offence which can attract a Penalty Charge Notice. At £70 a time, it can quickly act as a deterrent. Parking in a dangerous location such as on a junction will attract the attention of the police, and they would likely issue another PCN as well as having "words".

Rather than trading notes, I'd suggest contacting the police and let them deal with it.

twopenny

I'm all for smiling at them.
It will drive them crazy and wonder what you're up to 

Pendrive

WIAWSNB said:

"Dear ‘No X’,

Not sure what the note is all about???

Would a coffee and chat help? XXXX - #Y"

Fab!

I'd leave it at that. They have responded tetchily and defensively, and you have replied with complete calm and reason. I suspect they feel a bit foolish. I also suspect they won't take you up on your kind offer, as the first thing they'd feel obliged to do is to apologise...

Moving forwards, you seemingly have a longer-term aim of dropping your kerb, and the situation will then resolve itself. Until then, the situation would appear to be that they are permitted to park there, so you are best to accept this. If you suggest to them that this is unreasonable, they will turn it around against you - with some justification. So, go about your normal life, clean your front drive as you would, but take care - as you have already done - to not cover their car in 'stuff'. I'm sure that this is very possible - I cannot think how a car parked on a road can prevent someone from jetwashing their driveway - you just aim away.

And, yes, keep all their notes. And, yes, keep a log. And, yes, keep a record of how you reply each time. Your next note to them could be even shorter - "The offer of coffee still stands! ."

No 'signs' - they wouldn't be valid. No advance warning of your cleaning; pointless - they don't have to move their car, and they'll likely take delight in knowing they are getting in your way. No mention of the 'harassing' nature of their letters; it isn't, really, at least not until it escalates.

In situations like this, take pleasure in knowing you are dealing with a twit, and you make a conscious effort to behave in the complete opposite way. Folk like that thrive on thinking they are 'getting one across', and it'll wind them up when they realise they are not succeeding. Note down and record everything, and let it play out.

If, in the unlikely event, things escalate, then you can demonstrate your unimpeachable reasonableness, and their beligerrent unpleasantness. Chances are, nothing untoward will happen.

Keep calm, and carry on. Remember, a nice big smile and wave whenever you see them - it'll annoy the pants of them.

Many thanks, WIAWSNB - this sounds like great advice :-) And I love the suggestion for my next note :-) 

Pendrive

FreeBear said:

There used to be a road that I'd use near where I worked that was plagued by cars parked on the pavement. It was so bad, one had little choice but to walk in the road. Even worse if you happened to use a wheelchair (Remploy used to have a workplace at the end of this road).

A few calls to the local police station soon had traffic wardens out issuing parking tickets. After a week or two of ticketing, the problem disappeared. Parking on a pavement is an offence which can attract a Penalty Charge Notice. At £70 a time, it can quickly act as a deterrent. Parking in a dangerous location such as on a junction will attract the attention of the police, and they would likely issue another PCN as well as having "words".

Rather than trading notes, I'd suggest contacting the police and let them deal with it.

I think this would be worth considering if the current situation continued, but in this instance I've applied for planning permission to drop the kerb to create another parking space on my lawn. No one will then be able to park at this spot. So hopefully the pavement parking issue will necessarily resolve at that point.

Have to say there is extensive pavement parking in this area, though, and no interest anywhere in addressing it. Indeed we have local politicians joining local resident groups campaigning to bring access restrictions to the roads they live on, because they are 'too narrow' for general use and dangerous for pedestrians - who can't use the pavements due to all the resident double parking! 

I entirely agree about not getting into trading notes.

However, I worry a police approach might risk going down a road to creating a dispute, which could later affect any property sale if I decided I wanted out.

Pendrive

twopenny said:

I'm all for smiling at them.
It will drive them crazy and wonder what you're up to 

Thanks, twopenny :-) I think you may be right :-)

chrisw

FreeBear said:

A few calls to the local police station soon had traffic wardens out issuing parking tickets. After a week or two of ticketing, the problem disappeared. Parking on a pavement is an offence which can attract a Penalty Charge Notice. At £70 a time, it can quickly act as a deterrent. Parking in a dangerous location such as on a junction will attract the attention of the police, and they would likely issue another PCN as well as having "words".

Rather than trading notes, I'd suggest contacting the police and let them deal with it.

It's not illegal to park on pavements outside London. It may be an offence to cause an obstruction to the footpath but it doesn't sound as though this is the case here.

WIAWSNB

Pendrive said:

FreeBear said:

There used to be a road that I'd use near where I worked that was plagued by cars parked on the pavement. It was so bad, one had little choice but to walk in the road. Even worse if you happened to use a wheelchair (Remploy used to have a workplace at the end of this road).

A few calls to the local police station soon had traffic wardens out issuing parking tickets. After a week or two of ticketing, the problem disappeared. Parking on a pavement is an offence which can attract a Penalty Charge Notice. At £70 a time, it can quickly act as a deterrent. Parking in a dangerous location such as on a junction will attract the attention of the police, and they would likely issue another PCN as well as having "words".

Rather than trading notes, I'd suggest contacting the police and let them deal with it.

I think this would be worth considering if the current situation continued, but in this instance I've applied for planning permission to drop the kerb to create another parking space on my lawn. No one will then be able to park at this spot. So hopefully the pavement parking issue will necessarily resolve at that point.

Have to say there is extensive pavement parking in this area, though, and no interest anywhere in addressing it. Indeed we have local politicians joining local resident groups campaigning to bring access restrictions to the roads they live on, because they are 'too narrow' for general use and dangerous for pedestrians - who can't use the pavements due to all the resident double parking! 

I entirely agree about not getting into trading notes.

However, I worry a police approach might risk going down a road to creating a dispute, which could later affect any property sale if I decided I wanted out.

I have to say I missed the 'parking on the pavement' bit - I'd just assumed it was on the road.

Yes, that will make it more awkward for you to clean your driveway, and I'm sure you also feel it's more of a personal imposition on you, but I'd still be inclined to hold off any action in the hope you can have your pavement dropped.

However, if the general parking on pavements is a genuine issue - can wheelchair users, pushchairs and such like get down the pavement? - then feel free to add your tuppence worth to the campaign and authorities; this will not be a 'dispute', as you are not targetting the parking of one individual, but the overall parking problem.

If you do do this, then you mention the general issues; 'Reduced pavement width preventing access to wheel and push-chair users, some cars overhanging driveway entrances, and at corners reducing the road width enough to prevent larger vehicles, such as Emergency Services, from getting through (which is a criminal offence)...'

If/when you get your dropped kerb, then also have a white line added to demarcate the entrance. If anyone breaches this, then you can take civil action against them - make sure you have solid LP on your house insurance, and this should be easy. You may even find that your LA would be willing to intervene, especailly if you can present evidence of repeated transgressions.

Don't 'worry' about tackling this - you are in the right. Just swap the situation around in your head; would you do to your neighbour what they are doing to you? They have access to a car park - they have less than zero excuse.

RavingMad

My sister has to put up with their neighbours son's girlfriend parking in front of their house. Same setup apart from the cul de sac. The car sometimes overhangs on my sister's side

It's annoying but not much can be done, there's no law stopping them from parking there.

A pram or suchlike wouldn't get past as sister has a bush in the front garden. If anyone were so inclined, a PCSO could have words (as happened to me many years ago for parking at a friend's for a few hours merriment)

How often do you plan on jet washing your drive?
Be mindful not to spray anything hard that might mark their car. But a bit of muck would be fine 😁

Section62

Pendrive said:

...
Have to say there is extensive pavement parking in this area, though, and no interest anywhere in addressing it. Indeed we have local politicians joining local resident groups campaigning to bring access restrictions to the roads they live on, because they are 'too narrow' for general use and dangerous for pedestrians - who can't use the pavements due to all the resident double parking!

Whether you live in the old Greater London Council area or not makes a huge difference to how to tackle this, and knowing this would help us to give you better advice.

However I would tread really carefully here - although (nearly) everybody agrees that parking on footways is antisocial and causes a danger for disabled and partially sighted people, as well as for people using pushchairs/prams, the reality is in some places if people don't park partially on the footway then the road gets blocked for larger vehicles.

The police and local authorities generally take a pragmatic view in dealing with footway parking - i.e. they usually ignore it unless someone complains (except in much of London where it is a cash-cow for councils).

If the police and councils took a stricter line, and also dealt with obstruction where people park on the carriageway on narrower road, then lots of people would have nowhere to park their car near their home, which in turn would be politically unacceptable.

So there's lots of unwritten understandings between residents, the police, and councils about which roads it is Ok to park partially on the footway along.

If your area is one of those where partial-footway parking is necessary for people to be able to park then you won't be thanked (by everyone) if you ask the police/council to take enforcement action.  "How would anyone know it was me?" could be the question - the answer to which might be that your neighbour (you are now getting into a dispute with) could let it be known to others that you have been complaining about (footway) parking so it was probably you that got on to the police/council.  Doesn't matter whether it is true or not, a rumour like that is difficult to counter.

Your "no interest anywhere in addressing it" point is simply because it is generally a no-win for either the police or the council.  If they don't enforce they get moaned at for endangering pedestrians, if they do enforce they get moaned at for persecuting residents (and money grabbing).

My own personal experience on the subject is it is a hornet's nest best left unkicked.

I'd echo chrisw's point that it isn't illegal to park on footways outside London (with a few exceptions) so reporting this to the police is unlikely to result in any action. If you are in London then it is a council matter, not one for the police.

WIAWSNB said:

If/when you get your dropped kerb, then also have a white line added to demarcate the entrance. If anyone breaches this, then you can take civil action against them - make sure you have solid LP on your house insurance, and this should be easy. You may even find that your LA would be willing to intervene, especailly if you can present evidence of repeated transgressions.

On what grounds?  The white line has no specific legal significance, and therefore cannot be 'breache[d]'. Assuming this is a (public) highway rather than a private road then a possible 'legal' route might be a private prosecution for highway obstruction, but I can't see any circumstances where an insurer's legal protection would be willing to take that on.

There's virtually zero chance of sucessfully prosecuting a highway obstruction offence if the offending vehicle is only slightly over the crossover.  The obstruction would need to be total, and with some consequence - for example the OP's car was blocked from leaving the driveway and as a result they missed a flight.

Even so, the action is more likely to be for damages (e.g. the cost of the missed holiday) rather than for the offence of highway obstruction.