Inconsiderate neighbourly parking - New restrictions?

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

I'll try cut a fairly long story much shorter that affects my neighbours, and not so much me directly.

I live in a new development in Kent. It's a mixture of detached, semi-detached and somewhat more affordable terraced housing. Because it's just out of town naturally everyone has cars for convenience of commuting and getting about. Some of the properties are larger and have garages and others do not. The roads around the estate are quite narrow though.
Now, MOST people are considerate enough to park on their drive, in their garage, or in the overflow parking that is conveniently provided, clearly marked and only a 1minute walk away.

Problem comes in with a particularly nasty sort of 'dog-family' that, knowing fully well they have only one allocated space by the terraced housing, have nevertheless decided to purchase and own 4 cars. The older git and his remarkably self-entitled wife park across the entrance to my neighbours' shared drive (opposite side to the dropped kerb). Given the narrowness of the street this causes them significant difficulty in accessing or leaving their properties.

It all came to a head this weekend, and I sought more info.
Turns out my neighbours have been more than reasonable, in politely requesting numerous times over the last year that the guy and his wife not park their cars across the entrance due to the notorious difficulty it creates. They have written multiple letters to the estate body corporate, the developer, the police and more recently the council (they all say they will review the situation).
During the confrontation this weekend it became obvious the guy and his wife are complete self-entitled bellends with a penchant for thinking the world owes them, that everyone else is 2nd order, and they don't give a toss about being neighbourly, mannered or considerate in the least whatsoever. Which is unfortunate given how well-mannered and kind everyone else in this development has managed to get along hitherto.

Note, this is a private road on a private estate and not yet adopted by the council, and so is maintained by our estate body corporate. There is no public thoroughfare (given it's a closed estate anyway) and to my knowledge also no public right of use.

Given the above tttery, we will instead seek to have the specific problem area demarcated as a controlled no parking zone, after which some enforcement will be possible - my question is thus, does anyone know the process to have an area adopted as a controlled zone for parking on a private road (that may or may not later be adopted by the council in future)??

(Well aware of suggestions of ramming cars as put forward by my other neighbours).

Edited by Mr_Megalomaniac on Monday 17th February 14:37

[sibriers]

Get the estate management to call in the parking vultures?

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

The vultures could work - but my two concerns are that it would likely escalate the situation with Mr. Unreasonable, and I'm not sure what basis (yet) they would have to clamp or do something.
What he's doing is definitely obstructive, inconsiderate and all round awful behaviour, but I am not certain violates the law (I'm not too clear on parking opposite to a dropped kerb versus parking across one?)

[julian64]

Just for clarification is the road wide enough for two cars to pass? If so I can't see the chap parking on the opposite side of the road is doing anything wrong. If its a single lane, one way only I can se ethe problem.

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

julian64 said:

Just for clarification is the road wide enough for two cars to pass? If so I can't see the chap parking on the opposite side of the road is doing anything wrong. If its a single lane, one way only I can se ethe problem.

Hardly - like, barely. Might for a small car being within 1mm of the kerb, but no way that two large modern mommy SUVs are going past it.
Issue comes in less about getting past, as opposed to blocking access to the drive.
This is why I mention the estate will be looking to implement the No Parking demarcation as a modification because it causes so much strife for everyone.

[swagmeister]

[quote=Mr_Megalomaniac]I'll try cut a fairly long story much shorter that affects my neighbours, and not so much me directly.

and it was at that point I lost interest.]

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

swagmeister]r_Megalomaniac said:

I'll try cut a fairly long story much shorter that affects my neighbours, and not so much me directly.

and it was at that point I lost interest.]

Awwww c'mon, throw your hat in the ring for fun?

[sibriers]

Get some red lines painted and allow a parking company to put up signs and enforce where appropriate...

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

sibriers said:

Get some red lines painted and allow a parking company to put up signs and enforce where appropriate...

I heard recently about a company called Flashpark, if you know anyone who has had success with them? (I'm assuming the estate would need to approve their use and the red lines?)

[Drumroll]

Just going through the process of permitted parking in our village. The new estate although not actually adopted by the council is included in it.

But be careful what you ask for, the scheme our Council are proposing will give permits to all cars registered to a house, but will only allow one visitor permit. Suggestion is that if you have more than one visitor you put their cars on your drive and park your cars on the road.

So your "friends" may well end up with all their cars being permitted. Just think how entitled they would feel then?

[surveyor_101]

98/100 understand common decency says you don't park your car over someones drive.

Can you neighbour not park their car/s blocking their own drive?

Parking is a such a hot topic I have seen and had my fair share of parking disputes and rarely when it descends to a confrontation, unless the problem person/s backs down you in for a lifetime of issues and its just a massive stress causes if it bothers you.

Threaten legal action against the land agent, not alot else you can do.

I had a neighbour who parked on a private off road space and police suggested I put a lockable bollard in front, when I blocked him in. I had a word he threatened me and then called the police when I didn't run scared, police were more pee'ed I blocked him in than him having the front to park in a space 5 houses away from his that was nothing to do with him.

Edited by surveyor_101 on Monday 17th February 16:12

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

Drumroll said:

Just going through the process of permitted parking in our village. The new estate although not actually adopted by the council is included in it.

But be careful what you ask for, the scheme our Council are proposing will give permits to all cars registered to a house, but will only allow one visitor permit. Suggestion is that if you have more than one visitor you put their cars on your drive and park your cars on the road.

So your "friends" may well end up with all their cars being permitted. Just think how entitled they would feel then?

Thanks for the perspective and info.
There is additional visitors parking so we might just use that instead of doing a visitor permits, but it's a good point to keep in mind that it doesn't encourage them.

Instead of applying it to the whole estate, is it possible to just apply a specific zone to one part of a single road?

[julian64]

Mr_Megalomaniac said:

julian64 said:

Just for clarification is the road wide enough for two cars to pass? If so I can't see the chap parking on the opposite side of the road is doing anything wrong. If its a single lane, one way only I can se ethe problem.

Hardly - like, barely. Might for a small car being within 1mm of the kerb, but no way that two large modern mommy SUVs are going past it.
Issue comes in less about getting past, as opposed to blocking access to the drive.
This is why I mention the estate will be looking to implement the No Parking demarcation as a modification because it causes so much strife for everyone.

To be honest you can decide anything you want for a private road as long as you have the backing of everyone to agree to it. However it seems most of the problem is with whoever built a road which was designed for two cars to pass but then made it that small. its rather like new build houses with a garage, but one that is too small for a car to go in.

Did they put a white line going down the middle of the road and then make it only big enough for two cars to pass with a mm gap. Madness

[Drumroll]

Mr_Megalomaniac said:

I live in a new development in Kent. It's a mixture of detached, semi-detached and somewhat more affordable terraced housing. Because it's just out of town naturally everyone has cars for convenience of commuting and getting about. Some of the properties are larger and have garages and others do not. The roads around the estate are quite narrow though.

Narrow roads are the problem with most modern housing estates.

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

surveyor_101 said:

98/100 understand common decency says you don't park your car over someones drive.

Can you neighbour not park their car/s blocking their own drive?

Parking is a such a hot topic I have seen and had my fair share of parking disputes and rarely when it descends to a confrontation, unless the problem person/s backs down you in for a lifetime of issues and its just a massive stress causes if it bothers you.

Threaten legal action against the land agent, not alot else you can do.

I had a neighbour who parked on a private off road space and police suggested I put a lockable bollard in front, when I blocked him in. I had a word he threatened me and then called the police when I didn't run scared.

They probably could, although easier would be for them to park in the overflow parking about a 1minute walk away. They're being deliberately difficult at this point with a stroppy attitude.

Agreed with you that it is massive stress and quite frankly not necessary.

I am surprised your neighbour continued even after you tried to resolve it civilly.

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

julian64 said:

To be honest you can decide anything you want for a private road as long as you have the backing of everyone to agree to it. However it seems most of the problem is with whoever built a road which was designed for two cars to pass but then made it that small. its rather like new build houses with a garage, but one that is too small for a car to go in.

Did they put a white line going down the middle of the road and then make it only big enough for two cars to pass with a mm gap. Madness

Thanks! That's helpful. Agreed it is the development being too narrow (garages are fairly narrow to be honest) and the road too. There's no demarcating line down the middle of the road, it wouldn't be wide enough.
As Drumroll said too, the roads are too narrow.

[A500leroy]

I found parking an old landrover with a steel bumper and bullbars in the driveway with the threat to come out of the driveway whatever was in the way was enough of a deterrent.

[Pica-Pica]

Find out the restrictions and guidelines for your new estate. If they are being flouted, try and get the estate owners (or whoever) to re-issue a reminder to all residents of the estate.

[Drumroll]

Mr_Megalomaniac said:

Instead of applying it to the whole estate, is it possible to just apply a specific zone to one part of a single road?

Yes it is, but that just moves the problem. Hence why they want to do nearly all of village when inconsiderate parking only affects a few roads.

[davek_964]

Mr_Megalomaniac said:

Hardly - like, barely. Might for a small car being within 1mm of the kerb, but no way that two large modern mommy SUVs are going past it.
Issue comes in less about getting past, as opposed to blocking access to the drive.
This is why I mention the estate will be looking to implement the No Parking demarcation as a modification because it causes so much strife for everyone.

I'm not sure I fully understand this answer.

Are you saying that - with the car parked - the road is almost wide enough to get two small cars past it at the same time, and that you could comfortably get a single big car past it?

If so then to be honest I think your neighbour needs to improve their ability to get on and off the driveway. My road is not modem, but is narrow - barely wider than two big cars. We all have driveways, but most of us have multiple cars, and there are some parking spaces between driveways, although they will be opposite other people's driveways. Plus, some people park across their own driveways which inevitably is opposite somebody else's.

All of us manage to get in and out of our driveways regularly. It can be tight - particularly if it's a big car - but it's entirely possible and I'm not aware that anybody has felt the need for parking restrictions.

If there is an overflow car park, I understand that this might not be where they are 'supposed' to park. But from the description it sounds a little like a mountain out of a molehill