feelbritish

We have only been back a few days after spending 3 months in Cape Town and returned to our nice little close. However back to reality! One of our houses has been sold to a "buy to let" and tenants have a huge truck for their business, plus two cars for a single short driveway and as usual they just simply parked us in! I completely lost it. We had this issue years ago when we lived here and I hoped it was not going to happen again. We approached the tenants who did apologise and asked fir patience while they sorted it out. I now regret moving back to this house in a small way but it just fitted all our requirements at the time. So have said to OH will give it a year more until my FLR is done before we seriously consider movingto a smaller town or village closer to coast. Now our friends and neighbours have told us they are moving out to quieter place in Somerset and we are going to miss them and fear that another buy to let happens and more parking problems. We shall see! I am very tempted to look for one of those over 50's developments in the country. Anyone else have this problem? How do you deal with it and remain sane?

robin1234

My parking nightmare is different in the particulars, though I think there's a common basis. That is, some people, unfortunately, are totally self centred and inconsiderate. What they perceive as their "needs" blinds them to their obligations to other people.

I own a leasehold flat in a new-build block of ten flats. Each property, on a 125 year lease, is the flat plus an associated, clearly defined parking space. There is very little street parking outside.

One of my neighbours, two parking spaces down from me, is an 85 year old former ASBO type. He's aggressive, mean, always about to head butt you etc. Best to avoid confronting him, as you'd hate for him to drop dead of a stroke or whatever on your watch. He and his wife are handicapped, limited mobility, have a handicapped thingy on their car. They've somehow got a solicitor to write them a letter that (they think) forces the freeholder to give them a wider parking space!

Of course, a wider parking space is not in the freeholders gift, since each space is 2.4 metres wide, and the next door space is owned by someone else. So the mean old chap has persuaded his left hand neighbour to take half of MY space, leaving me with nowhere to park. This has been going on for over a year.

Both the freeholder and the management agent write the occasional ineffectual letter, but so far no real action...

aries

I feel that my parking space is a waste, I don't have a car. It is only used if someone visits me, though often as this afternoon, a visitor will use visitor's parking. The road is narrow and one-way, and for a couple of hundred yards, vehicles are parked there. I've no idea who owns them, all properties along here have off street parking.

angie_329

Hopefully the neighbours will now be considerate as they have apologised ( good reaction). there are often teething problems when new people are settling in to a house. Most people in UK, when approached nicely do respond positively. reTtruck - what size? there are local council byelaws that may prohibit parking this in a Close/, or restricitive covenants in the Close, check your purchase contract.
However I would say be careful about this annoyance becoming an active dispute. If so you will have to declare it when you sell your property and this may affect the sale or the value. It is always stressful moving, even when we plan to, so maybe try and look at it in perspective and see how things go over the next couple of months.

feelbritish

Some good advice, we are going to give it a chance here and they did apologise and seem nice. Last thing we want is a fued over parking. We are going to widen our driveway so we can come in at an angle and our neighbours have said we are welcome to go over their drive if we are stuck. As it is a cul de sac with two houses at end with very short driveways we are always going to have this problem. Most houses here have 3 cars per house! I can see our future being in an over 50's development somewhere in the country lol

Robin, I feel for you having your parking space violated. I would wait until all cars are out for the day and park my car in the space allocated and then not moving it for a couple of weeks taking public transport to give them the message.