Parking Disputes Between Neighbours
Many conflicts between neighbours arise as the result of disputes over parked cars. Of course, if you have a separate driveway then there isn’t a problem, but issues do arise when people park their cars on the road upon which they live.
The Highway Code tells you all the rules and regulations surrounding what you can and cannot do when it comes to parking. Drivers should all be aware that you cannot park on double yellow lines but there are other rules you might not be aware of so you should familiarise yourself with what is and isn’t permissible by law, before taking any further action.
However, many parking disputes arise over the failure to observe parking ‘etiquette’ on the street where you live. But etiquette and the law are two totally different issues, so let’s take a look at both.
What The Law Says
As long as your vehicle is taxed and you are not contravening laws laid down within the Highway Code, you are allowed to park anywhere on a public highway (but not on footpaths/pavements) where it is legal to do so.Parking Outside Your Own House
Etiquette, good manners and common sense are the main ingredients in avoiding parking disputes with your neighbours. Most people would choose to park outside their own home anyway because of the convenience, but what if you have more than one vehicle belonging to a single property and there are no driveways or you have a driveway but there is only enough room for one car?Basically, it’s an unwritten ‘rule’ that people will generally tend to park outside their own home but it’s important to note that no one has an automatic right to do so. It’s not always possible and, in addition to residents, other road users also have the right to park outside your home providing they are not contravening the Highway Code.
To resolve this issue, the only thing you can do is to try to have a friendly word with your neighbour and explain to them why you’d prefer to park in front of your own house. You may find that they didn’t realise it bothered you and often simple courtesy and communicating your issue with your neighbour will resolve the problem.
Shared Driveways
If you share a driveway with your next door neighbour and a parking dispute occurs because of lack of space or one person’s vehicle is taking up more space, you can resolve this by checking your house deeds to find out where the boundaries lie.It’s also courteous to share responsibilities for the accessibility and tidiness of a shared driveway. If you have children, make sure you keep any toys off the other person's part of the shared driveway. If your next door neighbour simply decides they’ve had enough and drives straight in and ‘accidentally’ runs over a children’s toy, you’ve no legal redress – it’s your neighbour’s part of the driveway and your responsibility to keep things that belong to you, on your side.
The Big Issue – Parking Directly In Front Of A Person’s Driveway
This is, by far, the single most frequent cause of annoyance and arguments between neighbours and, unfortunately, the law does not help in this regard. It's common courtesy not to park directly in front of the driveway of another person’s property. After all, they may need to get in or out of the driveway with their vehicle. If you’ve blocked the access by parking directly in front of it, this will cause the vast majority, if not everybody, to become annoyed and to try to locate the owner of the vehicle to get them to move it. Therefore, most neighbourly people will never park directly in front of someone’s driveway. However, it's not illegal to do so!The Highway Code, paragraph 207, asks that people DO NOT park their vehicle where it might cause an obstruction to other pedestrians or road users, and cites the example of not parking in front of another person’s driveway. However, this is where the law gets ‘cloudy’. It does not legally state that a person MUST NOT park in front of another driveway.
Therefore, while mutual respect between road users tends to dictate a policy of not doing this so as to avoid unnecessary conflict, it’s not backed up by law, so if you experience problems with this and your neighbour digs their heels in and refuses to co-operate, all you can do, if you need guaranteed access and exit, is to park your car elsewhere and not on your driveway.
In essence, while there are certain rules and regulations under the Highway Code relating to parking on public highways, mostly it’s a matter of common decency and courtesy. Speaking calmly to neighbours and explaining reasons why you might need to park here or there, if practical, will usually result in you getting what you want. Just remember, however, that unless they are breaking the law, people are entitled to park anywhere they want to on a public highway providing they aren’t in breach of the Highway Code. If they are, then you can report that matter to the police if further action needs to be taken.
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Comments...
The other week me and my mrs had new neighbors move in next to us. Now ever since we haven't been able to park outside our house and my mrs happens to be pregnant with twins and we need to be able to park outside for when she goes in to labour. Now the new neighbors have two cars which they both keep kept outside my house and then weekends they seem to have a fair few people coming up staying in there house over weekend so the street is taking up even more with there cars when these people don't even live on here is this allowed???
Dazb - 27 January 2012 @ 10:12 PM
We have one designated parking space as do our neighbours and there is a designated visitor space in between that. My neighbours use the visitor space for their second car and as as we have only recently moved in, they have done so for a considerable amount of time. When approached, they told us that the slots had changed and they had in fact now been assigned both spaces within their deeds. Our deeds show that it is a visitor space. One car is permanently parked in the visitor space while the partner travels away and their 'designated slot (or so we believe) is empty through the week.Can we request to see their deeds or is it a case of contacting our council / housing association? I don't believe this is the case and believe we are being 'fobbed' off.Is there anything we can do to enforce this as what it was designed for, a visitor space? We are having to park our second car quite a way from our house and feel it is unfair as we have just as much right to use the space as they do. They also have a bricked area to the the side of their house that their visitors use!
SNW714 - 12 January 2012 @ 12:13 PM
I live near leeds and live in a council house under leeds city council,my next door neighbour does also.When she was married her husband paid to have the curb dropped and put a drive in,but she is divorced now and the double gates are never opened as her and her boyfriend cant drive so dont own a car.Last night i perked my car outside my gate and it went over her dropped curb by a foot (at the most).She came running out absolutely seathing like a mad woman and screamed at me "oi,move your f*****g car now,get it off my f******g front or im phoning the police" to which i replied "you dont even have a car!!!!!!" she went nuts.as its a council house and she dosent own a car,does it matter if my car is a tiny bit over the dropped kerb?
Nicky - 26 November 2011 @ 4:45 PM
So what if somebody parks in front of your house? You didn't buy the road when you bought it and it doesn't confer some special status or parking rights on you.
I park in a residential street every day when I go to work (I have no choice). Most people are fine about it as they're off at work too, but occasionally you'll get some idiot (nearly always elderly) moaning that you've parked your car in "their" space. They're not polite about it either, some of the language is shocking, yet they're the same people who'd have you believe that it's only their generation who have any manners.
As for the comment about "these "young ones" and their sense of entitlement!", are you aware that it is you who sounds like you have the sense of entitlement? You feel that you are entitled to a piece of road that doesn't belong to you. You don't. It isn't yours - not even a tiny bit. It's a public road. Get over it, you miserable Daily Mail-reading curtain-twitcher.
youngfogey - 14 November 2011 @ 6:49 PM
I have served for 30 years in HM forces and lived my life adiding by the rules, I live in a quiet road adjoining a Primary School. During school term I am fed up of lazy parents driving their children to school and 'abandoning' their cars in my street.Whilst I realise that not all parents live within walking distance, this does not permit them to cross the path and use my drive to turn around. The days of common courtesy and consideration are sadly long gone. For those people who drive their siblings to school - please have some thought !!!
stuey - 4 November 2011 @ 10:29 AM
Common sense & courtesy - 2 dying qualities in this world, sad to say.:S My "neighbour" (a tenant) has insisted on parking in front of my house since the day she moved in, leaving the spot where she DOES live vacant. Each..and...every...day. A fellow tenant at the same residence will take up the spot when vacated too. The two of them have been making a game of it. (I have started taking pictures for evidence).This has cost me missed drop-in visitors who rightfully presume I have company (especially when nobody's parked on either side of my property!), constant questions about who I'm shacked up with "because there's a car outside your house all the time" & general loss of enjoyment of property.My daughters and I are quiet, stick to ourselves and do no harm to anyone and have NOT invited this BS. I asked nicely (in the summer) why she did it and her comment was "why does it matter?" (oh yes, these "young ones" and their sense of entitlement!). After that she just stepped up her parking in front of my house. She has now added "double checking" her car door locks with her remote when she gets home late at night. She ONLY parks in front of my house - nobody else's!Everyone else can enjoy their properties but me. And that she's doing it, after being asked to at least switch it up now and then - I have no problems sharing the spot - it doesn't belong to me, but it doesn't belong to THEM either!) I see that as harassment (she doesn't see it as that although she did it right in front of me the other day with a big smirk on her fugly mug - it is/was deliberate on her part) as well as loss of enjoyment of property.Thanks for the vent space. While I'm "glad for the company" I'm saddened by the selfish/entitled people that seem to be taking over in this world. :(
Fed up - 2 November 2011 @ 3:22 PM
Mt nabour has a campervan and his driveway extends to the road side. However hen he parks it outside his garage/driveway it obscures our living room window from the side. Should he have planning to block my light/view from my property?
norm - 2 November 2011 @ 2:19 PM
I have neighbour on either side of my property, they are both tenants, between them they have 3 van's, they park one van on their drive, another van in front of my house (its single yellow line there) and the third van is parked on the other side in front of their property.The view I get from my front rooms is van, van, van on all 3 sides.
They are all eastern europeans, I have tried to discuss this with them and requested not to park in front of my property but no success.
What do I do?
ash - 1 November 2011 @ 12:01 PM
my neighbour saying that a common street have to leave.because this is procedure to leave common street between two number land i.e. minimum three feet. pls provide rules for common street leaving between lands.But he don't leave any land & he constructed all area purchased by him.so pls help because i have no powerful contact.
inder - 29 October 2011 @ 4:51 AM
Can a neighbour block your drivers door with their car because he wants two spaces for multiple vehicles, on council communal parking spaces outside home and verbally threaten you to move your car elsewhere, where do I stand ! I've lived here 20 years with no problem, !!!!
Scared Neighbour - 14 October 2011 @ 2:59 PM
We live on quite a narrow street and have a driveway with a dropped kerb. Both me and my husband work shifts and I am often on call so need access 24hours. We have a new elderly neighbour across from us and her relatives are constantly parking across from our driveway sometimes 2 to 3 cars/ vans at a time I've asked them nicely and explained why we need access and one relative became quite irrate. My husband today has had to go ask them to move one of 2 cars blocking the drive has he could not get to work and understandably was quite short with them. Can anyone give us advice as we've now tried the asking nicely thing which hasn't work
Marleene - 14 October 2011 @ 2:33 PM
I have a garage space away from my house in a block - I only occasionally used the space because of the distance from my property.
A man who lived near to it asked me if he could rent it but I declined because I said I may need it in the future and we were thinking of building a garage on it.
This was autumn last year, Since Xmas he has parked his van either on the space or in front of it.Had sand delivered onto it, put a van up for sale on it, parked his van on the space next to it so that if I put my car on it I couldn't get out and now parked a skip on the centre of the two spaces.I left a note on the skip saying that I was a little put out because I couldn't park and could he arrange to get the skip moved over onto his own property so I could park my car because the water company was going to be digging up the estate.His answer to this was to park his van across the two spaces even though the skip was still there anyway.I must admit I got annoyed about that so I parked on another space where I had seen the van before - then when I returned to my car someone had taken all the valve caps off my tyres and let a bit of air out of one tyre.Is there anything I can do to stop him denying access to our space that will not make him escalate what he is already doing or that can put law on our side so if he does anything else he is in breach of the law?
Irritated - 10 October 2011 @ 3:01 PM
I have a problem with vehicles parking accross my front of my drive when my vehicle is in it ,preventing me from getting my vehicle on to the road, the police told me that I am the one commiting an offence by crossing the foot path as I do not have a dropped curb, but the local council put in half crossovers leaving the existing paving slabs in place.
coldfeet - 7 October 2011 @ 3:32 PM
I am having terrible trouble with my neigbours obstucting my path by parking on the pavevement. My trouble is that they are both police officers. I have asked them not too and they tell me to phone the police. What am I supposed to do?
ineedhelp1403 - 14 September 2011 @ 6:08 PM
I have had problems with my neighbour for 3-4 yrs with loud music, falsifying claims of child abuse/neglect & growing cannabis, she assulted me, she has thrown dead poisioned rats in my garden glued my front door lock, thrown eggs at my house, you name it shes done it, its a new one now, i have just passed my driving test and have got a car to ferry my 3 little kids around, today we receieved a letter from the police about us parking on a 20ft grass verge outside our house cos she has made a complaint... I must metion that there is no damage to the area i park my car, but all other neighbours (of which she is friends with) have damaged their area... what can i do... i can't afford to move, and she is a jobless single parent with no ambition, apart from harrasing and victimising my family and i, what can do ???????????
nikki302 - 7 September 2011 @ 4:17 PM
I do not wish to cast doubt on the contents of this advice, but to say that anyone can block your drive and in deed has the right to do so surely is not correct.
In common law, you have some rights one of which is free access on and off your own property at any and all times, along with the torts of trespass and negligence and the right to enjoy one's own piece of land.
Parking in front of and blocking access must be covered by at least two the above mentioned circumstances and also count as harrassment not to mention human rights.
Just a lay thought?
malman - 6 September 2011 @ 6:59 PM
Local bye-laws in some council areas do forbid parking alongside dropped kerbs.My local council have information on their web-site that they will follow up complaints and a £70 fine is possible.Alongside this, the council obviously has to give permission to install anew length of dropped kerb.
rosie - 25 August 2011 @ 3:40 PM
I believe the article is incorrect. The problem is that the article only references the Highway Code.It is a Section 42 offence to obstruct access to or from a property. This includes parking in front of a driveway. Several councils also now have even tighter local bye-laws. Reproducing incorrect information may give certain people the wrong idea that they are free to park where they want. This will lead to more frustration and conflict than is necessary. If someone blocks access to your driveway then contact the police on a non-emergency number.
digitalmariner - 22 August 2011 @ 6:15 PM
My neighbour and I have individual drives next to one another, and he is continually driving his van taking a short cut across my drive to get onto his own.The result being he is breaking down dividing markers on my drive. Is there any redress for me to take?
dcvf - 14 August 2011 @ 8:21 AM
Although we all prefer the convenience of it, we are not legally entitled to park outside of our homes if it is a public street. The best advice is to talk to your neighbour and ask him if he can leave space for your car in the layby too.
ProblemNeighbours - 5 August 2011 @ 2:11 PM
My neighbour has a double driveway and 3 cars but now he has recently started parking only 1 car in his driveway and 2 in the layby so stopping me parking outside my house. Can he do this?
Steven - 4 August 2011 @ 8:11 PM
I live at the end of an unpaved track along with 6 other houses. The ownership of the track is unclear and it is regarded as communal land. One of the other owners objects to people parking by her house and has filled the parking space with plant pots and a small dingey. Although she doesn't own the land she claims she has the right to commandeer this land. What are my legal rights and what do I do. I have been parking there for 10 years.
Janice Byford - 22 July 2011 @ 9:12 PM
I understand from friends and neighbours that whilst I am on holiday my neighbour uses my driveway which is then a security issue as peple passing will no I am away, can you please advise how I can stop my neighbour doing this as they are becoming very hard to speak to rationally and find they are becoming bullys.
Fab 1 - 21 June 2011 @ 12:40 PM
My neighbour and I each have our own driveways, the neighbours driveway is cluttered with old vehicles, a pool and an extension to his house so he uses the space between our houses as a driveway, he says its a shared driveway but blocks it all the time with his vehicles. We wish to put up a fence between the houses but he insists it is a driveway, what can I do and it is legal for him to park between the houses as he does.
Gord - 15 June 2011 @ 8:50 AM
I work for a gas company require to have exit/ingress all times of day. Van is long ford not normal size. People keep parking opposite drive and causing major prob getting in/out have often boxed there cars in and let them stew. Also at night time reported to police that they are facing against traffic in contravention to LAWS CUR REG 101 AND RVLR REG 24 police still take no action. They park within 5m( 16 feet) of the junction still no action.
smokyboy1 - 4 June 2011 @ 9:26 PM
Machine ~ According to the article they're "allowed to park anywhere on a public highway (but not on footpaths/pavements)" ... so if your inconsiderate multi-car-owning neighbours are parking on the pavenment you should report them as they're breaking the law.
zooid - 10 April 2011 @ 7:20 PM
We have a neighour who insists on parking at most 6cm in front of our car. This is our family car for our two kids under 3. He will not listed to reason. What should we do?
JoeB - 4 April 2011 @ 7:12 PM
I am having my driveway widened, because with a single width one and a kerb one side, hedge the other and a landrover constantly parked opposite our drive in a narrow cul de sac, I have less than a single car width to get the length of a car out.resulting in 2 damaged wishbones over the last few years as I kerb the same wheel twice a day, 5 days a week and moreso at weekends to get in or out. The owner has 5 cars, 4 on their drive and this one, it is parked outside their house. It's crazy - I have spoken to them, but they don't see the problem - of course they don't, it's not them doing damage to their car! But are they breaking a law as I can't exit or enter my driveway as I should be able to do so, ie. the turn is too small/tight and this is in a small hatchback.
MumofOne - 30 March 2011 @ 5:28 PM
We have a similar issue in our road. It's a newbuild road with terrace houses/flats either side. With designated parking spaces and garages in shared parking bays dotted down the street. People don't use their spaces or garages and park on the road. Some of the 3 storey houses even have 2 garages and parking spaces but park their 3 cars on the road! Never anywhere for our poor visitors to park! It really gets me down!
Honeymans Hell - 16 March 2011 @ 4:56 PM
We have a simliar problem with our neighbours reserving the spaces in the road (outside my house!) and leaving their double driveways empty. I have a newborn baby and with endless amounts of equipment to carry to and from the car, can never get near my own house. It's so frustrating!
Badgergirl - 16 March 2011 @ 11:24 AM
Is it me, or is it damn right inconsiderate to park in front of someone elses house? Don't get me wrong I'm not totally unreasonable to think that they wont have friends and relatives from time to time, fine, but living in a street with 4 bed detatched houses with garage and drive way! We have a situation with 4 houses having 12 cars they're parked all over the pavement, not in their garages or driveway I might add.
Machine - 15 March 2011 @ 7:23 PM
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