Parking issues

kells_bells

I'm not sure if I have this in the right section but really need some advice. I rent a house in an estate where some houses are semi d or d with their own driveways and others are terraced with some parking spaces outside the door but are not allocated (at least I don't think so as there are no markings). When I first moved in the guy next door to me told me which space I could have, there seemed to be a mutual understanding. He had two spaces and us in the other 3 houses had a space each (four houses and five spaces). Now, this guy moved out last summer and a new couple moved in. They have no car and my other two neighbours were beside themselves trying to claim the extra spaces, they have three cars each where I only have one so I didn't really care. After a few weeks the new neighbours came out and told them to move as it was their 'private parking spot'. They did so and this spot has been left empty as said neighbours have no car.
Anyway, fast forward to yesterday and my friend was visiting with her newborn baby and parked in said spot to save her walking too far with carrytot. After a couple of hours the neighbour shouted at my friend through my window to move her car. She went outside and asked them if someone else needed the spot and they replied no. So she told them she'd move it when she was leaving and came back inside. When she was leaving all hell broke loose with said neighbours taking down her reg and shouting abuse. Friend asked them to show the documents where they own the space and they refused, said they would show the guards but also refused to call the guards when my friend said she was happy to wait. It really turned quite nasty,
So, I'm wondering, how the hell do I find out the rights here. The houses are such that when you open the front door there's a small patch of grass (no fences or walls) then the public footpath and then the small unmarked parking bay. It's really getting to me as I live on my own with my children and they have really intimidated me. I would love to get proof but don't know how to go about it. I don't want to ask my landlady either as she's not very approachable. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

djimi

To be honest, if the spaces arent specifically marked then chances are its communal parking, and as such its first come first served. There may be an arrangement in place with residents as to which spaces people will use, but I doubt there is anything to back that up.

Unless your neighbour can prove that the space is hers Id say tell her to get stuffed. Be awre that this also means you have no automatic right to any space either.

Ray Palmer

Seriously what is the new neighbors issue? They have no right to the parking space and have some cheek telling people to move when they don't have a car either way.

A neighbor parks in front of my house every day leaving their 3 car driveway empty. I can't really say anything about it as I know I have no rights to park there nor say who can park there. It makes it difficult to get out of my drive due to visibility so at least we have some complaint but to complain about use.

I have heard a few stories of people going crazy over parking when there is no issue. I just don't get it, the strangest claim to land in my books. It would specifically be mentioned in the deeds and communal parking spaces are quite common these days.

kells_bells

Thanks djimi, I had figured it's communal parking alright. I have come home a few times to find my space taken up with a visitors car and have just parked elsewhere until they moved. Yes, it's annoying but that's life!

Ray, it's crazy the way they reacted. I could understand if they wanted to park there but they don't have a car. After my friend left they went at put the wheelie bin in the space as if to claim it. Weirdos.

I'm just wondering how to go about finding if the spaces are owned or not. I'm almost 100% sure that they're not but would love proof to stick in their face.

Other neighbours are just as bad. Both blokes have been silently fighting over the spare space. One has resorted to bringing an old banger home from work and leaving it in the space permanantly so other guy can't use it. It's pathetic really

D3PO

just laugh at the neighbors. The have no "right" to a spot outside their door unless its a designated spot. This clearly isn't.

Id actively encourage you to tell your friends to park there when visiting.

runawaybishop

Ask the council, they should know. Feel free to move those wheelie bins or report them to the council. if that banger has no tax feel free to report it also.

djimi

Check with your landlord and get them to confirm what the situation is with the parking. They should be able to tell you one way or another, or at least find out for you.

Your neighbours sound like a pathetic bunch to be honest. Next time any of them kick off tell them to wind their necks in and if they have a problem suggest that they move to somewhere that has a driveway...

D3PO

Just to add fair play to your friend. She knew exactly how to deal with these idiots.

They have no proof of the spot being in their ownership. If they did they would have shown it. She called their bluff correctly they looked like mugs. Your friend must have had a great laugh at them. You should do the same.

northofwestend

I had a similar situation a few years ago in a housing estate. Everyone had their 'own space' outside their house and woe be tide if you broke this unwritten rule. Having lived here for ten years now I find this attitude in many parts of Dublin, it's just plain odd and adds very little to a sense of community in a housing estate.
I assume that you like everyone else want to get on with your neighbours but this crowd don't really seem to be worth the effort. If I were you I wouldn't waste anymore time with this. If your neighbour wants to save a space for a car that they don't own, well just let them wallow in their own weirdness.
If you have anymore visitors and they need a space well tell them park where they can, if your neighbour kicks up a fuss, well let them blow off some steam and raise their blood pressure. Don't even engage them on this issue.
Life is too short to be wasting your time with these kind of people, just ignore them.

Carter P Fly

often sales of properties online state communal parking or private parking eg: http://www.daft.ie/searchsale.daft?id=700764

May be worth looking at listings in your estate.

kells_bells

Well at least i'm not alone with the nutty neighbours

Carter, I had a look at the site where the actual house in question was listed. It was described as having 'off street parking'. Nothing about private parking.

Lantus

The lease document may prescribe any parking associated with the property. In this case it may be only one space per house and one visitor. I cant see the area or the lease so its hard to guage. The absence of a number doesn't mean that you are not entitled to one, it may of just not of been painted.

It reminds of the epiode of big bang theory when sheldon goes to war over his parking space being used by howard even though he has no car and no driving license.

dont get upset or angry with people, they are your neighbours, you may need them one day for a phone call or emergency, thers little point in getting so upset over a small patch or tarmac.

Neither the gards or the local authority have any juristiction outside of private property so let them take down any number they wish, in fact encourage it.

If you really want to know then another neighbour may know if you can approach them, either that or your landlady.

I would try to talk to the neighbours and explain that as far as you know there is no ownership of any space and everyone tries to use them as best they can by mutual cooperation. If they have no car then it makes sense to use it for someone else and in the event they have friends visiting I'm sure you'd be happy to move it, right? If they have the lease documents and can show that their property has ownership of a particualr space then fine. However, in the situation you have described where its efectively on street parking and outside the boundary of the proprty like a gate or garden and theres a path between you and the parking area then its generally only a right of access and no one actually owns it.

Lingua Franca

You're never alone with nutty neighbours. When I lived in Ireland all of the houses in my street had their own gated driveway but for the sake of convenience everyone would park on the road outside their own house during the day. I had a falling out with my next door neighbour's new boyfriend and he took to parking on the street across my driveway rather than moving up to hers. There was no reason for it except pure malice. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I had a car too and he was deliberately blocking me in, so that only lasted until the first call to the polis.

If they have a case let them prove it.