Parking outside own home in a 6 house cul-de-sac......?

Bonniepurple

OP, what you’ve written is confusing but my understanding is:

If it’s a public road with no restrictions then anyone can park anywhere so long as it’s not blocking a driveway.

Nobody has any ownership over any part of the road. Even a disabled bay can be used by any Blue Badge holder.

It seems to be that this situation has been avoided up until now because there were several non car owners in the street so there was space for everyone who had a car to park. That’s no longer the case and people have been asked to park considerately to allow people off and on their driveway.

if you firmly believe that the new council tenants are the ones causing all the problems then report them to the council for antisocial behaviour-but I’d try tea and cake first.

Section62

Bonniepurple said:

Nobody has any ownership over any part of the road.

Two things to be aware of -

1. Roads can be private, in which case individuals can own rights over specific parts of the road, for example the exclusive right to park in a layby or space. Also council estate roads are effectively private (despite being council owned), and the council can grant individual rights over specific areas.

2. Probably not applicable to the OP, but people can own the freehold land a road runs over - even a road which is a highway maintainable at public expense. However, although they own the land, they have no additional rights to use the road/highway compared to any other member of the public.

In other words, without knowing the status of the road-like area the OP wants to park on, nobody can know for sure whether they can or can't.

brianposter

You have not shown what was appropriated by no. 5. It probably makes no difference but could possibly be relevant.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81890507#Comment_81890507

The OP had posted images showing this, but they were removed by the forum team.

If the lines shown were the correct legal boundaries then if the owners of 4 and 6 required the fences to be put back where they should be, number 5 wouldn't have enough frontage width to be able to park off street.

vic_sf49

As others have asked, if you claim the land back, can you put a driveway in, and park solely on your land?

Otherwise, if you take the land back, can't do as above, and your neighbour no longer has that drive, there are now two other cars that will fight you for "your spot".

If you can park on your front garden, how often do you think you'll be blocked in?

Looking at the latest photos, there will always be parking problems, unless everyone can park off road.

General_query

Thanks for the replies / comments.

Houses 3, Us, 5 & 6 never had a drive.Green lines are footpaths from single wooden gates to front doors. Well, were until No.5 did drive…..

Second image - my blue lines - show the land No. 5's took on each side to build a driveway.

We never had room for a drive as mentioned above, just to clarify.

.

Titus_Wadd

The sister who owns the house OP lives in would be very wise to look into retrieving the land encroached on by the next-door drive. That would be a matter between the sister and the other house owner, not for you and the other tenant to settle. The sister could rescind the informal drive permission maybe?

Better for the boundary to be re-established sooner than later, particularly as it would cause any future sale to falter and likely fall through.

Heaven protect us from informal agreements between neighbours that are never formerly transfer rights to use land!

OP the details about who did or didn't own a car in years gone by are irrelevant and the loud neighbour at #6 is a distraction, because she is loud, from the real problem here. I'd have a conversation with the sister to take advice how to unpick nextdoor's drive…but that course of action is not going to be well received by the landlord or their tenants losing the width of their drive.

A degree of separation could keep relations with your neighbour civil if you are able to say it is a matter for their landlord and your landlord to settle.

Herzlos

It really doesn't look like 3+ were intended with cars in mind, so it's definitely going to be awkward.

Could you park in your front garden if the fence to 5 was gone, or would you still be blocking them in?

brianposter

There does not seem to be any satisfactory solution to the basic problem, but in that case you should definitely insist on clearly marking your boundary on No. 5"s drive, ideally with the agreement of the owner.

That would also serve to suggest that it would be a bad idea to fall out with you.

WIAWSNB

How easy is it to define the correct, weird, boundary line on the ground, so it can be reinstated as easily as possible?

What would be GQ's (or sister's) recommended approach/procedure for this? I presume they deal with No5's owner, and 'ignore' the tenant - Ie tell them it just doesn't involve them, and call the local Bobby if they become threatening?

Are there any physical dividers between all these houses - low picket fences or anything?

I would also be inclined to inform the council of the landgrab from No6 - do you think they are unaware?

Always worth checking your house policy for Legal Protection, but bear in mind that many won't cover boundary disputes...