Letter Template: Inconsiderate Parking in Your Road

Originally written by Abigail Taylor, updated by the editorial team on 16th June 2026

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Why parking causes friction between neighbours

Disagreements over parking are one of the most common sources of tension between neighbours across the UK. The problem tends to be worse on streets where parking is already tight, roads are narrow, or many homes lack off-street parking.

The same complaints come up again and again. Cars left too close to driveways make turning in and out difficult or dangerous. Vehicles parked partly on the pavement force pedestrians into the road, causing particular problems for wheelchair users, people with mobility scooters, and parents with pushchairs. Some drivers leave their cars in ways that waste space, creating gaps too small for anyone else to use.

These situations build up over time. What starts as a minor annoyance can turn into a source of daily stress, especially if the same vehicle appears in the same spot repeatedly.

Many parking disputes can be sorted out with a straightforward conversation. The person causing the problem often has no idea they are making life difficult for others. Mentioning it politely will often be enough. But some situations prove harder to resolve, particularly where there simply are not enough spaces for the number of vehicles on a street.

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What the law says about parking on public roads

On a public road, there is no automatic right to park outside your own home. The road belongs to everyone, and any driver with a properly taxed and insured vehicle can generally park in any unrestricted spot. This can feel unfair when someone else regularly takes the space you consider yours, but they are not doing anything illegal.

Certain parking behaviours are against the law. Parking across a dropped kerb that serves a driveway is an offence, and local councils have powers to issue fines. Parking within the zigzag lines near a pedestrian crossing is also illegal, as is stopping on double yellow lines except in specific circumstances.

Pavement parking rules vary depending on where you live. In London, it is generally illegal to park on the pavement unless signs specifically allow it. Outside London, the position remains inconsistent. The government launched a consultation in 2020 on introducing a nationwide ban on pavement parking, but progress has been slow. Some councils have introduced local restrictions, while in other areas pavement parking remains technically legal even when it causes obstruction. Check the GOV.UK website and your local council for the current rules in your area, as these may change.

If a vehicle is parked in a way that causes a genuine obstruction, you can report it to the appropriate authority. Councils generally handle parking offences and enforcement, while the police deal with obstructions that create immediate road safety concerns. Local arrangements vary, so check with your council if you are unsure who to contact. Vehicles that appear to be abandoned can be reported to the council for investigation and potential removal.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How to raise the issue with your neighbour

Before putting anything in writing, consider whether a face to face conversation might work better. Speaking directly is often quicker and avoids any suggestion that you are escalating the matter unnecessarily. Keep the tone friendly and focus on the practical problem rather than making accusations. How you approach the conversation matters as much as what you say. Parking disputes can damage relationships that were otherwise perfectly civil, so it is worth thinking about how to preserve goodwill even while raising a genuine concern.

If speaking in person feels awkward, or if you have already tried without success, a polite letter can be a reasonable next step. A written approach gives you time to choose your words carefully and provides a record of your attempt to resolve things amicably.

When writing, stick to the facts. Describe what is happening, explain how it affects you, and suggest a solution if you can think of one. Avoid emotional language or threats. The aim is to open a dialogue, not to start a fight.

Your letter might explain:

Where the vehicle is being parked and how often
The specific difficulty this causes, such as blocked access or restricted visibility
A request to consider alternative parking arrangements
An invitation to discuss the matter if they would find that helpful

Keep a copy of any letter you send. If the situation does not improve and you need to involve a third party later, having a record of your reasonable attempts to sort things out will strengthen your position.

What to do if the problem continues

If your neighbour does not respond, or if their parking continues to cause problems, you have several options depending on the circumstances.

Before jumping to formal processes, you might consider involving a community officer or neighbourhood liaison worker if one operates in your area. These roles exist specifically to help resolve low level disputes before they escalate, and an informal conversation with a neutral third party can sometimes shift the dynamic.

Mediation services offer another route. Many councils provide free or low cost mediation, and independent services are also available. Mediation requires both parties to be willing to take part, and outcomes vary. It works best when people genuinely want to find a solution but have struggled to communicate directly.

If the parking involves an actual legal breach, such as blocking a dropped kerb or causing an obstruction, you can report it to your local council. Councils have parking enforcement officers who can investigate and issue penalty notices where appropriate. For obstructions that pose immediate safety risks, or for vehicles that may be untaxed or uninsured, the police non emergency line on 101 is the right contact.

Residents associations or neighbourhood groups can sometimes help by raising parking issues with the council or by encouraging more considerate behaviour across the street. If parking is a widespread problem in your area, the council may be willing to consider introducing permit schemes or other restrictions, though this usually requires support from a majority of residents.

Keeping a record of incidents, including dates, times, and photographs where relevant, can support any complaint you make. This evidence may also be useful if you eventually need to seek legal advice, though most parking disputes can be resolved long before reaching that stage. Throughout the process, try to keep interactions civil. You will likely remain neighbours for years to come, and finding a workable solution matters more than winning an argument.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Parking Dispute Resolver lets you find out your rights in a neighbour parking dispute. Takes 1 minute. Try it now →

54 questions

Ask Problem Neighbours a Question

ProblemNeighbours Editor 13/07/2026 at 4:04 pm

@Pidge Frustrating situation, especially after you'd already sorted it once. I'd have another quiet word first, as he may not even realise he's drifted back into old habits. If that doesn't stick, put it in writing using the template on this page so there's a record. Worth checking too whether the road is public highway or unadopted, as that affects what, if anything, the council can do about the parking itself.

Pidge 13/07/2026 at 3:04 pm

I live in the end terrace of three properties. I park my car in my garage which I access via the drive at the side of my property, Outside mine & the neighbours' properties there is room for 2 cars to be parked. However my neighbour insists on parking near to the middle of this 2 car space area so that if another vehicle parks they have to overhang my drive, This makes it hard for me to get my car out,

I had a friendly word with my neighbour about 18 months ago and he agreed that he would park nearer to the end. For some reason he had now decided to park near to the middle again.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/05/2026 at 1:26 pm

@Agma There's truth in that. Constant low-level stress from a bad neighbour really does wear you down, and most people underestimate how much headspace it eats up. That said, moving isn't always an option financially, so it's worth at least trying the polite letter route and logging incidents with the council first. If nothing shifts after a few months, then yes, cut your losses and go.

Agma 07/01/2024 at 4:19 am

I totally agree with Deb below, if diplomacy doesn't work then you are better off moving. Living with a nuisance will eventually take it's toll whichever way you choose to deal with it, pushback will result in the opposition doubling down, or you will burnout from the mental gymnastics of it all.

Just plan you're escape and leave it behind you.

Agma 07/01/2024 at 4:05 am

I live on a very small Place street of just 4 terraced cottages seperated from a busy road by 20 metres of alleyway. At the end of the alleyway is double yellow lines. Non residents keep parking there sideways across the front of the alleyway, due in part to local takeaways and pubs, making access to our homes more difficult as I come home from work or a day out to find I have to once again navigate around a car that should not be there.

I am the only homeowner here, the other 3 are all rentals with most occupants coming and going every other year or so, for most the area is only temporary accomodation. I am the only person who has gone to the council as far as I know. As usual, I was fobbed off with a legal framed response which neither addressed or offered a solution to the issue. It is a council responsibility as public highway, but I suspect my council simply does not want to pay out for bollard work or a boulder to prevent parking.

The problem is not going away, and in addition to other nuisances in the area have decided to move when I come to remortgage in a few years. The only reason I have not put my home on the market already is due to high interest rates. When you are considering buying a home it is amazing the number of potential nuisances you fail to spot on viewings. In all likelihood would not have bought my current home had I realised the implications.

safecruiseparking 05/01/2024 at 11:36 am

Car parking is an integral part of urban planning, and addressing the challenges associated with it requires innovative solutions. As cities continue to grow, the development of smart, sustainable, and efficient parking systems will play a vital role in creating more livable and accessible urban environments.

Mike 29/10/2023 at 5:08 pm

A neighbour of mine constantly parks his car with the 2 outside wheels inside the yellow grid marking the exit to the footpath, thus making it to narrow to enter or exit without banging without either my walking stick or shopping trolley. I have severe osteoarthritis in my hip and cannot stand or walk with a stick and he has now accused me of deliberatelt trying to vandalise his car.

JillBloggs 19/08/2023 at 4:11 pm

My neighbour has 3 commercial vans parked in front of my home day and night. Can obviously only drive one at a time so always at least 2 transits at my gate and a car. Leaving their property free of any obstruction. My family have twice been threatened for parking in-font of their home. They say it is blocking their drive. However there is no dropped kerb so I presume they are illegally parked. If their car is “in the drive” it blocks off half the pavement as the garden is not big enough to accommodate the car. I have been forced to purchase cctv as the neighbours are aggressive and threatening. The police have been notified but have done nothing. Obviously can’t see much from cctv as vans block my view.

Elsa 22/03/2023 at 3:00 pm

Controlled parking outside Hayling Avenue, Feltham, Middx cul de sac end using other vehicle to hold the parking space for small lorry FX21 HDG.
Plus the fact the discarding cardboard box left in the road which I have photo off. We have had cloned small lorries parked down here as well Leroy Phillips is aware of this I have photo’s on my mobile phone to prove. My telephone number 0208 890 4698 plus annoyed my Council tax is going up when nothing is being done to about our plight, pollution, noise, nuisance to householder to accommodate the above FX21 HDG who doesn’t even live around here. He should park up outside his own home. Not at Hayling Avenue very night, Weekends, bank holiday’s.

Cindy 06/09/2021 at 8:22 pm

My neighbors across the street have many weekend visitors at their house who always park in front of my house. So I can’t mow or edge the lawn. Been throwing roofing nails in their driveway….less cars now in front of my house.

Toady 09/07/2021 at 5:18 pm

I am looking for a formal letter to send my neighbor in regards to him already commenting on my husbands utility truck in drive way. Renting a condo for the time being and the neighbors first comment was about our work truck. I just want to send him a formal letter for the eye sore of a utility truck from our company.

Noushie 21/06/2021 at 12:46 pm

I live in a small village, part of the village only has pavement on one side , the pavement is constantly blocked by cars parked on pavement and even on the dropped curbs which means I often have to go over 100 metres on a busy B road and includes negotiating a traffic calming hump on my scooter. Despite asking politely, I’ve been ignored, shouted at ( once told by a visiting daughter that they had lived there longer than I have and they have always parked there) this continues and is now worsened by carers who attend someone living there. I have spoken to the care provider who promised that new carers would be asked not to park on pavement ( the house is on a corner and the street has both side pavements and loads parking spaces) this continues . I dread going into the village now to take my dog out, I have had a few brushes with traffic ( most are patient) and am now frightened. I am now a pensioner and paying to take my dogs to a private field some days to cut down the days I can take them out. Spoken to parish council and they haven’t been able to help either. Now another lady has moved near me and she is also disabled and has a scooter and is facing the same problem. An accident is just waiting to happen

Aaron 06/06/2021 at 9:12 pm

I am looking for a template letter to build 3 parking spaces in our car park

Aaron 06/06/2021 at 9:11 pm

Ian looking for a template letter for building 3 car park spaces in our car park.

Deb 02/06/2021 at 5:25 pm

To Rosemarie regarding neighbors that are difficult to get along with and cause other issues repeatedly the only solution I have is either learn to live with the way the people are behaving or move to a better neighborhood because the chances of getting the difficult neighbors to cooperate and change their ways is next to none, and even if you get the authorities involved they cannot monitor the situation all the time to keep the neighbors in line. My suggestion to you is to move to a better neighborhood. Decide what is most important to you: fighting these battles with current neighbors or living in a more stress free environment where you and your husband can easily access your driveway, and get away from the noise and other issues your current neighbors are causing. What I've learned over the years from working in customer service is you can't reason with unreasonable people, and some people enjoy causing problems for others because they are miserable so they want others to be miserable too. I know moving may not be the popular answer but do you really want to continue to live with the ongoing stress caused by the difficult neighbors? It is isn't likely the neighbors will move any time soon so if it's financially possible for you to get another home away from this stress and hopefully around better neighbors if I were you I'd move. Sometimes it is better to be happy than right. Good luck to you.

Deb 02/06/2021 at 5:05 pm

I have a non standard sized driveway, it is long and narrow, with a normal length curb on the right side of the driveway which is in front of my house and a very long curb on the left side of the driveway, in front of the next door neighbors house on the corner, that extends to the stop sign at the end of the street. For some unknown reason people who either live here or their visitors, or people hired to do work for one of the neighbors from time to time like to park right at the very edge of the end of my driveway on the side that has a long curb. My driveway is challenging to get in and out of without obstacles at the end of the driveway and I need all the space I can get to safely maneuver out onto the street so as not to hit anyone's vehicles in the process. I don't understand why people can't see how they park affects my ability to get in and out of my driveway. Here is the worse case scenario I've experienced: when there is a vehicle parked in front of my house up to the edge of my driveway, which if its a large enough vehicle also diminishes visibility to know if there is oncoming traffic, children riding bikes, pedestrians or animals running loose where I need to pull out, and another vehicle parked on the other side at the end of the driveway PLUS a van and a large pickup directly across the street from me I have to actually pull into the middle of the street before I can turn my steering wheel. I've been putting up with this type of situation off and on for years and I'm tired of it. I am a nice, easy going, go along to get along neighbor but now after many years of dealing with this and wondering why people don't check how they park their vehicles I've decided to take a proactive step and address the issue as it comes up but I want to do it in a nice way. I believe people just are not paying attention to how they park. Many times people have pulled up, parked, leaving part of the back end of their vehicle obstructing my driveway. If I have appointments I need to get to for instance or an emergency situation comes up and I get blocked in I really do not have time to go door to door to ask the neighbors hey do you know whose vehicle that is blocking my driveway? It needs to be moved. I find it odd that I feel I'm being placed in a position to have to go out and instruct people how to park their cars correctly. People should already know to not block someone's driveway when they park, do a walk around their vehicle after they park to make sure they are parked correctly. I also find it odd that the occasional person blocking my driveway asks me if I'm planning on leaving soon, as if that has any relevance to the fact that the driveway is blocked and never should be blocked. Apparently they assume it is ok to block my driveway as long as I'm not needing to get out of my driveway. I'm looking for the best positive way to approach people in person or best way to phrase notes to leave on their windshields because the few peopl

Butch 14/04/2021 at 8:27 pm

My neighbor backs his diesel truck in to park, the exhaust pipe is directly under my bedroom window, not ten feet away, his exhaust fills my house with nasty fumes in seconds of his starting it. I've asked him nicely several times even suggesting parking nose first or parking in several other areas of his property but he acts like I'm blowing a dog whistle.

K 13/04/2021 at 5:02 am

I own a drive way which I use but sometimes there’s are cars parked to close for entry to my drive so I park on the street. My neighbours has no drive way but they can have then done as there is space . Some of the neighbours own 3-4 cars but hav a problem with me parking on the public road!? What should I do ?

Jack 07/02/2021 at 6:08 am

Some of these comments are hilarious but I get where you’re all coming from. It can be frustrating when you can’t get a parking space. I own a few houses but the only area I have an issue parking is Bolton . Everyone on the street lives in a cruddy box house but they own 3 to 4 cars each, and most of them never move... I’m a key worker and only have one car but still can’t get a space when I’m over there. Anyway one day I got a sledgehammer and smashed my front wall down, that was funny too because the neighbours were quite shocked but subconsciously new what was going to happen next. Next I built a driveway and paid the council to drop my kerb, yay. Then even though I didn’t need one I got a second car and banged it on the drive. It was entirely strategic you see...there’s this freak that likes to sit in her window from across the street and watch one of her 4 cars parked in front of ours. So once everything was in place and she obstructed the bait I asked once for her to move it, mind you I was still polite, and 10 minutes after she declined to move it had her car towed away........

Dave 23/01/2021 at 4:37 pm

Hi, I have a neighbor with a truck and a car , he is a builder and we have had previous issues about late night noise doing DIY, we knocked his door on 3 separate occasions and asked him to stop, he continued so we was forced to contact the local council, in which they sent anonymous letter to him. Since that the noise has been less, however now he takes up 3 spaces outside the house restricting us on parking and other neighbors too, he also uses a leaf blower to clear his driveway blowing all tree particles on to our path. He sits outside his house at 07:30am most mornings revering his truck engine even if doesn’t use it that day! I’ve completely had enough please advise me what I can do without me blowing me lid. Thank you

Gun 18/08/2020 at 2:19 pm

Unfortunately no-one owns the road outside their house or has parking rights although I think we should have.
When these houses were built most of us were walking or using our horse and cart. Roads ate not built for multi-car households. Even new housing estates don't supply enough parking for residents and visitors unless your lucky enough to afford a big house with your own driveway or land. Not much help I know but I sympathise. I also have parking problems

LadyV 13/08/2020 at 6:55 pm

Hi I’ve been in an ongoing dispute with a neighbour (renting) about her using my parking space I own with my flat in a communal car park. I’ve given them a map of the parking, I’ve even shown them where to park, i.e not in and not over into my space. The management company won’t mark out the kerbside with paint. Every other neighbour parks correctly, but years of these renting neighbours parking in or over into my space, ive been told by the management co I can charge tickets. Can I do this? I don’t think it sounds legal but I’m sick of these neighbours parking. Has anyone else had this problem or know an answer??? Thankyou

Anonymous 15/07/2020 at 4:45 pm

I have an issue with a neighbour who’s property is opposite our land with a narrow public lane that separates both properties. They allowed an oil tank delivery to block the road despite it could’ve at least attempted to have parked on their driveway and they frequently have a chain across it meaning it causes an inconvenience for us whenever delivery vehicles come intended for them. I’m also pretty sure in this case the vehicle was there longer than 15 minutes blocking the road and my right of access which isn’t allowed l according to what I gathered from public highways. I felt this was inconsiderate by both the delivery company and my neighbours. My vehicle got damaged trying to get past it as I couldn’t see anyone around at the time for it to be moved onto their driveway. Do I have a legal position if it keeps happening in the future?

Bboin 01/03/2020 at 3:26 pm

In Beresford Avenue , Wembley , HA01NU in blue badge holder parking bay , one guy always park and refuse to give space to disable and elderly people . He told us that he can park there because there isn’t time shown and refused to give space for disable old lady. I reported to council previously but nothing done and he is still parking on disable parking bay.

Shaza 30/01/2020 at 3:30 pm

We live near a school, parents and teachers park anywhere they can even outside my garage opposite my back gate, we have parking outside our back gates for residents, I drive my daughter to school in the morning On my return a teacher parks her car right outside of our gate! My next door neighbor has two very young children I see her struggle at times! How would they like it if I went and parked outside there house, most of the don’t live nowhere near the school, I got so fed up that when I got home from doing a night shift and couldn’t park outside MY back gate I parked my car in front of the parents car!! I saw her return and politely asked them if they would mind parking somewhere else after her child kicked my car!! She just looked at me and left!! I asked the teacher not to leave her car there all day while working just got a sorry but still continues to park it there, they double park so if emergency services had to attend down that road they wouldn’t be able to get access. Help

mickc 02/01/2020 at 7:25 am

I've lived in a road all my life (44 yrs) and still live with my parents which are now elderly and especially my mum that now has to have a special walker wheelie to get about.
my dad parks on the drive but I park in the road and try to park outside just in-case
my mother has to be driven anywhere if needed .
what has annoyed me is people that live in flats ( 6 houses down) from me constantly park up were I live or outside my home , so I have to park else were most of the times
it angers me that if my mum needs to get in my car - she will have to try to walk were im parked coz the so- and so neighbours keep parking outside our home.
as im a night worker , I drive home in the mornings and cant find a space hardly and have to wait til neighbours go to work til I can park near or outside my home.
there is a young couple how the father parks outside our home but has a drive way he parks on ( when he want too).
I walk up the road at times thinking ( WHY CANT THESE DRIVERS PARK DOWN WERE THEY LIVE OR AROUND THE CORNER IN THE OTHER ROAD) not outside were I have elderly parents with difficulty walking as out steps have metal bars were to walk up our front steps as well and I like to park outside as incase my mum needs to be driven to anywere.

what can I do ? as im this close to putting a notice on there cars telling them to move or park were they live down the road as they can walk properly without care.
thanksyou.

Colin 17/09/2019 at 3:23 pm

Hi, My neighbour has two cars and a large motor-home. They barely fit into their driveway and the last car sometimes overhangs the driveway over the pavement. When they go off in their motor-home they sometimes leave both their cars parked on the road outside my house.There is no room for myself my wife or people visiting to park cars outside our property. Our neighbours are inconsiderate and do not move their cars back into the driveway when they go away in the motor-home, which can be several days at a time. Many other neighbours in our street have 2,3 or even more cars/vans in their households, so parking elsewhere is really not an option. No-one parks outside my neighbours house when they go away in their motor-home, so am I within my rights to park outside their house, when they are preventing me from parking outside my own home ?

Lindy 06/08/2019 at 3:25 pm

Private property. A neighbour couple of doors down opposite deliberately tells her son to now park on our narrow road (room on drive, used to park on drive) to annoy neighbour opposite coming in and out of his property. He has a jag and wrks from home..
Other neighbours have visitors and now parking in front of my house very close to drive. As our drive slopes to one side we come out at an angle. Just barely passing parked cars. Have spoken to get and said nothing to do with her!!! Fails to see problem she is causing. Also 5 houses have home deliveries ... Blocking my drive completely... Hubby having cancer treatment, I have heart problems and Osteoarthritis both 65..this neighbour says no one should have deliveries

Mae 02/08/2019 at 12:19 am

I am having a remodel of my home and would like to know what kind of letter/verbage to use as notification of the neighbor not parking their vehicle in the shared driveway during this time period. ( want to relinquish any responsibility after notification.

Sue Bennett 31/07/2019 at 10:33 pm

There is a 12" wide strip of gravel between mine and my neighbours drives. Even though they have a double width drive the son parks his car within inches of the gravel which means he has to step onto my drive and past my husbands car to get out if his. Tonite he pulled his bin past both our cars. Can I erect a wrought iron fence to prevent him walking on my property. When I confronted the son tonite I was told to eff off and tbeyre been verbally abusive in tbe past and even wanted to fight my son

Perturbed 18/07/2019 at 7:15 pm

I noticed the other day that my neighbour got really close to my car when parking. So the day after, I checked to see how much space she had to park before she got home. There was loads of space, more than the day previous. Imagine my shock then when she virtually took the paint off my car. It looked as though she may have actually just touched it. I went out to check and there's a tiny scratch and a couple of chips in the paintwork. I spoke to her and she said that she was aware how close she got and that if she'd hit my car she'd have known. I showed her a screenshot of the CCTV image.

Her first excuse was that her neighbour left her little room and I told her that after seeing her parking the day before, I'd checked and there was plenty of room.
Her second excuse was blame our side of the street instead, saying well if people moved down a bit. I said that we can only park according to the space available to us and that didn't give her the right to pump our car whenever she felt like it.

I've since looked at previous footage and up to now, this is the second time that she's done this. A neighbour opposite said that she hardly ever leaves us much room even though there's plenty of room for her to park in.

I'm going to continue looking at footage to see if there's an obvious bump at some stage rather than her just 'kissing' the paintwork!

Is it legal to get so close when parking?

Bluebells 28/04/2019 at 1:24 am

I own a leasehold massionate in a block of 4. I have a mental health neighbour who is next door with her mum who is a council tenant that wasn’t disclosed on purchase. I learning physical disabilties and require 24/7 care and as a result brought this property to renovate and part of it was put a driveway and drop kerb and white line. The mental health neighbour constally parks on it or partly blocking my access. We have written to her, reffered her to social services for support, we have reported it to her landlord (hers is council rented and it’s her mum, the daughter with mental health just lives there) etc. We now have called police and they say let council deal with it but call 101 when happens. The police know of her and the village also. The council say they are sending out council people to speak to her and the PSCO but she has ignored the PSCO so I don’t think it’s working. We have decided to put the place on the market but worried as have to disclose this? We just don’t know what to do anymore? Thanks

Banana75 17/03/2019 at 11:00 am

Our neighbour lives on a corner plot and has turned their tiny front garden into a driveway. Can a driveway be on a corner? There’s three quiet roads that meet at that corner, so technically traffic from three ways.

Rosemarie 09/08/2018 at 1:57 pm

My husband and I and our two children live at the end of a shared private drive. We are the end house and we have to pass two other homes to get to ours. There is a lady in her 60's living directly next door who always appears angry and has shouted in my face several times when I have kindly asked her to move her car or her friends cars because they were blocking my driveway and I couldn't get in or out.Next to her is a man who has never worked and sits around doing nothing or loitering and making a nuisance of himself in front of his house and has blocked my access to my driveway many many times. I hear him constantly aggressively shouting at his kids or his wife. (or shouting at me and my husband) Both neighbours seem very unhappy. They have started drinking together and slandering my family with lies and malicious gossip. My husband is a doctor and often needs to dash to the hospital when he is on call. We have spoken to the neighbours and requested they (and their relatives and friends) do not park on the one lane access road as we need to be able to get in and out. They get angry and hostile when ever we need to go out and we have to ask them to move. The woman directly next door also leaves her daughters dog in her house and goes out for 4 to 5 hours at a time, the dog howls and barks the whole time. She also slams doors late at night when our children are asleep and sometimes turns on her TV at 5am full blast.When she puts bottles in her recycling bin every morning, she holds her wheelie bin next to the shared back fence and bangs the bin against the fence many times. Just recently we overheard her in the garden telling lies and making up stories about us. We have tried the friendly kind approach and it hasn't worked so now we are considering prosecution for slandering and also harassment. We have dashcam evidence of my husband being verbally assaulted by the man two doors away when my husband knocked the door to ask him to move his vehicle because he had to tend to a patient with an emergency and the car had been blocking us in for almost 2 hours. We also have dashcam recording of my son and myself coming from school and the neighbour blocking my access with a wheelie bin and standing looking at my car while I was waiting to drive in to my own driveway, he was refusing to move his bin out of the access road. Then came and started shouting in my passenger window, where my 9 year old was sitting, just because I blew on my horn for him to move out of the way.Several times each week we are faced with ugly, threatening, intimidating behaviour because we have to ask them to move their cars so we can get in and out of our driveway. All of our houses have driveways big enough for two cars. There is no reason why cars should be parked/left on a single lane access road blocking someone getting in and out of their home. I guess it is awkward people trying to make life difficult for others!

Danzy 14/07/2018 at 6:27 pm

Opposite my home there is a public parking bay offering parking for 8 vehicles. Every vehicle (7) in the bay belongs to 1 neighbour further up the road who has enough space on his driveway to park at least 4 of the cars. One of the cars is registered as SORN, the second one in 3months, is also taking one of the spaces. Today I returned home to find he’d taken it upon himself to move one of his cars out and block 3 bays for his LWB van to be reserved a space.
My husband challenged him asking why he felt it acceptable to do when it isn’t his land and asked why he chooses not to park on his driveway. He assured us it wouldn’t happen again and they’d be moved 6hrs not one car has been moved to his driveway - the guy even kicked off with the ice cream man for pulling up nearby his unused drive.

I have raised my concerns with the local MP about the continuous SORN vehicles on public highway and asked if the bays could be remarked. Any other ideas? My mind is blown as to how inconsiderate one person can be when it has such a detrimental impact on other people’s ability to park causing obstruction of view especially when we have a primary school only 100m from our front doors

Nat 05/07/2018 at 9:44 pm

I live in a cul de sac the parking is a nightmare in the evening, my daughters boyfriend parks just out my cul de sac where I live, the women come banging on my door and told me to move my car it's not aloud to park there. I've had council come round and said don't park up the path. But you aloud to park there is no double yellow lines now she keeps complaining to my housing officer saying she can't get out her drive yes she can. She keeps writing notes on car sayin it's from the council she has wrote it. She comes out her house when my daughter and boyfriend go out and starts and tried to ram them of the road with her car tooting at them because they parked there. Now my housing officer has emailed me to tell me not to park there because she keeps complaining because she owns her house she think she owns the road. What can I do I've never had no problem where I live till she brought her house.
Thanks nat

ProblemNeighbours Editor 11/06/2018 at 3:32 pm

Check it's taxed etc. If they never move it there's a chance it's declared SORN etc. If not and you live on a public road with no parking permits or similar, there really isn't much you can do about this unfortunately. You could try the above template and and drop them a note to appeal to their better nature.

HH 08/06/2018 at 5:47 pm

where i live a couple opposite have had a car parked out side my neighbours house house for 4 months, (they don't use it) she has asked them to move it, as when ever she has visitors they have to park in front of there parked car, so it overlaps onto my drive os if i need to get off my drive, i have to ask her visitors to move there car, or leave mine on the road which makes it more conjested

It is getting my neighbour down, as 4 months is just ridiculous and cant see why they cant park it out side there own house so it doesn't inconvenience anyone else

can we do anything about it? who can we contact? my neighbour has asked them twice to move it and they just being stubborn
Thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 09/05/2018 at 1:59 pm

You need to tell the council about this. Contact environmental health, tell them you would rather they did not say that it had been reported by an immediate neighbour, they're usually quite discreet.

doris 08/05/2018 at 8:11 pm

My next door neighbour breads dogs she has a very small back yard where all the dogs do there mess and wee, she only cleans up about every 2-3 weeks you can imagine what it's like with 6 or 7 dogs. we like to entertain in our garden but the smell is terrible, i want to tell the council but i'm worried about the repercussions, she's not the type of person you can talk to.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 04/05/2018 at 3:31 pm

Talk to the council first of. If they have erected a sign, it may be enforceable. Other than that you could consider a letter as in the above template and/or talk to other neighbours to see if anyone else is willing to also have a quite word with the owners of the parked vehicle.

natalieclaire1 03/05/2018 at 4:07 pm

We live in a very small close and one of our neighbours parks in the turning area constantly and over the last month his parents have been parking behind him in the turning area/on the curb. There is a council sign which reads 'no parking in the turning area'. They frequently have visitors who also park there. They aren't really the sort of people that I would want to approach but others have also voiced their concerns so I'm wondering what can be done?

Brightonlisa47 25/04/2018 at 5:11 pm

Be careful . I ask a car to move down as taken up 2 spaces. Day later he hit my son around head ended up with 20 stitches and police cant do nothing as witnesses won't say nothing

ProblemNeighbours Editor 13/03/2018 at 12:45 pm

There are no regulations that relate to this, just a little inconsiderate. If it's a public street with no parking restrictions there's not much you can do. Hopefully the letter template will help you.

Maisie 10/03/2018 at 2:12 pm

Is it ok to take up two spaces on a road to save a space for when you get home later? A neighbour has two of his own cars and his family member parks there too, when one of them moves, they move one car up to save it for when they get home! Other residents can't get a parking space sometimes because of this

ProblemNeighbours Editor 21/02/2018 at 12:43 pm

If you can't access your garage, the police should be able to help you.

SIMBAD 20/02/2018 at 5:06 pm

a man has dumped his boat in front of my garage, he lives in a housing association accomodation and we have contacted the man and have warned him to move the boat and to date he has not done so, where do I stand in law with this problem

ProblemNeighbours Editor 29/01/2018 at 12:47 pm

Assuming it's a public road and you're not blocking a driveway, you can park where you like. Noone has a right to the space immediately outside their home. If this person is threatening you, contact your local police on non-emergency 101.

Kay 27/01/2018 at 8:48 am

We live on a road that has very few driveways and road parking. This has never really been an issue for the last 6 years - usually most of us are parked near our house, and occasionally not.
A man a few doors down has taken issue with me because I parked outside his neighbours house for a few days. He came out, yelled at me and I ended up getting my partner to move my car later on to try and calm everything down.
A month later; my car was parked there for a few hours until a space further up was free.
The next day, as I was walking past his house he opened his door and began to scream at me. Apparently because my household has 3 cars we shouldn’t be parking anywhere on the street, shouldn’t be allowed 3 cars and so on. I was very very shaken and upset. My partner tried to have a conversation about it later and the guy just screamed at him again.
I don’t know what to do - our vehicles are not large (2 smart cars and a small 2 sweater sports car), they take up very little space and 2 of them are away for most of the week whilst we work.
I’m not sure what to do, but I’m scared about being outside on my own in case he shouts again.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 13/11/2017 at 10:09 am

Because this isn't doing anything illegal and isn't actually obstructing your drive (preventing you from exiting), there really isn't much you can do. It's certainly worth trying a letter to appeal to his better nature (if he has one), because as, you say it's just a lack courtesy that is the problem here.

FranP 10/11/2017 at 9:29 am

A man who lives 3 houses down from me and across the road keeps parking across from my house. He has a large drive in front of his house where he could park up 3-4 cars or he could park in the road in front of his house as there are no cars there, but instead he chooses to park in the road a few houses down from his house. This makes it very difficult for myself, my neighbours next door as well as across from me to get in and out of our own drives (because of the turning angle to get around his large vehicle). Several people have spoken to him regarding the inconvenience he is causing us, but he ignores what we say and keeps doing it. We all own our houses and a majority of people (95% park in their drive the other 5% with smaller drives park in front of their own house).
Because of his inconsiderate parking, I always have to exit left (and turn around in the road further down to go the direction I need to go-right) and come home from the right because I can't reverse into my drive if I come from the left due to where his car is parked. My other neighbours do something similar. Sometimes he parks in the middle between two houses, and sometimes he parks right at the edge of a drive which makes it even harder to get in and out.
I know he's not doing anything illegal by parking in the road, but is there anything we can do about this? He watches us struggle every day to get in and out of our drives and he says nothing and makes no attempt to move. We've tried speaking to him, but he pays no attention to that. I don't know if a letter would have an affect? Is there anything else we can do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/03/2017 at 12:36 pm

You need to find some help locally to arrange mediation sessions here. We assume you reported the damage to the police. If these rumours are affecting you, you could try an injunction - you would need to seek advice from a solicitor.Our Response:Try your local council, sports development team etc. Your local leisure centre or leisure industry businesses might be able to help too.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/03/2017 at 12:34 pm

Evie 27/02/2017 at 7:17 pm

Two neighbours have been perpetrating harassment against my husband initially and now myself. It started in 2015 with screws driven into our car tyres, wheel nuts being undone, gouging to car paint work and compressed rubbish being pushed far into our exhaust... Escalated to reporting us for causing rats and saying we so intimidated them they were afraid to leave their house and we terrorised their children....and many other incidents in between including physical assault in front of our child. Now it's at it's worst....they are spreading rumours that we are verbally abusing our daughter and physically abusing our son.
We have tried to rise above everything, tried to be good neighbours. Tried to ignore everything but it has to stop.

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