'Entitled neighbour lets guest block my driveway – I have no choice but to go to police'

A man has been left fuming as his neighbours keep parking their car across his driveway when they have guests over, meaning he can't get in or out of his own house

Parking disputes are one of the most common causes of neighbourly disagreements.

If you live in an area where roadside parking is your only option, you'll understand the frustration when other vehicles take up space on your street. Although there's no legal right to park directly outside your property if it's on a public road, it doesn't make it any less irritating.

You might fantasise about having a driveway to avoid the hassle of finding a spot, but it seems even that doesn't prevent squabbles with neighbours.

One man has revealed that despite having his own driveway, his neighbours continually disrespect his space and frequently block his entrance, preventing him from entering or exiting until they move their car. Adding insult to injury, the offending vehicle isn't even owned by his next-door neighbours but by a regular visitor to their home.

In a Reddit post, the man shared that he's even tried involving the police after the car owner repeatedly refused to move, but so far, he's had no success in getting them to respect his space.

He said: "My neighbours frequently have guests over, and one guest in particular driving a late model BMW feels he is entitled to park and block my driveway.

"The first time [it happened], I went over there and asked them to move; they said they would move it but didn't. The 2nd time, I again went over and asked them to move it, and they agreed, but nothing. So I think it's time to take matters into my own hands. I've called the police; they will do absolutely nothing."

In the UK, parking across a driveway is only an offence if there is a dropped kerb. Even if a vehicle only partially covers a dropped kerb, the owner will be committing a driving offence and could be liable to receive a penalty of up to three points and a fine of up to £100.

However, parking close to a dropped kerb is not illegal, even if this restricts access to a driveway. According to Confused.com, police are unlikely to get involved in cases where the parking over the dropped kerb stops you from moving your vehicle into your driveway, but if the parking issue stops you from leaving they may treat it as an anti-social behaviour offence.

Neighbors blocking driveway access.
byu/hezzdown inneighborsfromhell

Anti-social behaviour is defined by the Crime and Disorder Act (1998) as: "Acting in a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as the defendant."

In a flurry of responses to the driveway debacle, commenters unleashed a slew of cunning strategies for the man to extricate himself without inflicting harm on his neighbour's vehicle or property.

One witty soul advised: "Park the Jeep behind the BMW and then have a bunch of beers. When they tell you to move the Jeep, tell them you can't drive and are the only one insured. Come back in the morning."

Meanwhile, US commenters were staunchly in favour of taking a hardline approach, suggesting he call a private towing firm to whisk the obstructive car away. Across the pond in the US, blocking someone’s driveway is illegal, but it is often treated as a civil issue for parking enforcement.

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