Neighbor demands new homeowner not park in spot on his own land, says HOA told her it was her spot, homeowner thinks she's bluffing: 'Doesn’t introduce herself, goes straight into how I’m parked in her spot'

A new homeowner was confronted by a neighbor demanding that he move his car out of a spot on his own land. The neighbor insisted that it was her parking spot that had been given to her by the HOA. The HOA declined to support her story, leading the homeowner to suspect this was a story that had been concocted by the neighbor to push previous tenants out of those spots. 

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  • 01
    A car parked on private property in the city
    via Jason Leung
  • 02

    Neighbour tried to kick me out of visitor parking on my land

    I recently bought a house in the UK, it has garages to park in, and has parking spaces behind the house, some of which are assigned parking for neighbours and some of which are visitor parking, two of which are within my land boundaries. I've not moved in yet, but have been going frequently to drop things off etc. I noticed that often there are people in the visitor parking, which I wasn't too worried about as I was still able to find somewhere to park and wasn't staying long.
    via Narmatonia
  • 03
    On Sunday I was there with family and friends all day to get some painting done, so I parked in a free visitor space (it's a pain getting in the garage since it's quite small). Just after lunch the doorbell rings, this lady doesn't say hi, doesn't introduce herself, goes straight into how I'm parked in her spot, she always parks there, and the housing association she pays for told her it was her spot.
    via Narmatonia
  • 04
    We told her in no uncertain terms that the visitor spots are on my land, so it definitely doesn't belong to her, I have every right to park there. I was reasonable, said that I'll be using the garages mostly and don't intend on kicking people out of the visitor parking spots, as long as no one is trying to kick me out. They accepted and left, luckily they're moving away in a few weeks, so I won't have to deal with them for long (I'm not sure why she was making such a fuss about a parking spot sh
    via Narmatonia
  • 05
    A short while later, another neighbour who I was already friendly with flagged down my friend who was there with us, letting us know that the lady who rung the doorbell is hated by the other neighbours, and apologising since the lady rang their doorbell first to ask whose car it was. I phoned the housing association she mentioned and they basically confirmed she was lying, that they have nothing to do with parking. We think she must've done this to the tenants who used to live there, buying them
    via Narmatonia
  • 06
    Edit: Just to clarify what some people have asked about people parking on my land. There is a legal right of way that has existed since the development was built that says private freeholders are able to park in visitor parking anywhere on the estate. I likely wouldn't have a right to prevent other people using them, but this neighbour definitely can't prevent other people using them (Technically since she isn't a private freeholder she wouldn't be able to use them herself).
    via Narmatonia
  • 07
    Reserved parking on private property
    via Chelaxy Designs

  • This homeowner, who recently bought a house in the UK, found themself in the midst of an unusual parking dispute before even moving in. Their new property includes visitor parking spaces for residents actually within the confines of their property, in the form of an old legal right-of-way or easement. However, these spaces are for everyone, and the neighbor had the same rights to them as anyone else; all that her bluster had been was a bluff attempting to get the homeowner on the back foot. 

    Another neighbor came to confide in them, warning them that the neighbor they had encountered was very unpopular in the area, which did a little to set their mind at ease about moving into what would be their new home.

    Plenty of people get territorial over parking spaces, even if they're public spots that happen to be out on the street for anyone to use. There's this inherent sense of "mine" and "yours" that develops over time when it comes to where on public property you prefer to deposit your wheeled transportation. None of this is official, of course, it's not like there are any gold-plated nameplates out on the curb announcing whose spot is whose. And just when you've settled into a clear pattern of who parks their vehicles where, here comes some new upstart to upset the carefully crafted balance. 

  • Hey, I mean we are creatures of habit after all, and anyone over the age of 30 (or younger even perhaps) has been guilty of peering through the front windows any time they hear a car door slam outside our house. But, still, it's not as if we have any ownership over these spaces, and going over to knock on your new neighbor's door to start the relationship off on a bad foot before 

    And if you park a loud car out in front of my house in the middle of the night and start up again at the wee hours of the morning, I'm not going to be stoked about it. But, there's really not all that much to be done about it either, unless the noise becomes a constant problem. 

  • 08
    AlotaCrapola The neighborhood Karen, those are the worst!
    via Narmatonia
  • 09
    Reasonable-Sale8611 When you say there are two "visitor spots," is there some sort of easement or legal arrangement that residents of other houses can offer these spots to their visitors even though they are on your land? Or are these literally YOUR visitor spots that no one other than your visitors are supposed to park on?
    via Narmatonia
  • 10
    Petal-Cipher Honestly, it sounds like she's just a bu y who's been getting away with it for too long. You handled it perfectly, firm, clear, and reasonable. Since she's leaving soon anyway, I'd just keep documenting that those spots are on your property (keep your deed/land map handy) and ignore her if she tries it again. You're in the right here.
    via Narmatonia
  • 11
    PerfectPriority4065 this reads like a preview of how petty neighborhood disputes can get, staying calm and knowing your right is key and you nailed that
    via Narmatonia
  • 12
    bobhand17123 Interesting arrangement that public spaces are on your land. If the housing association has nothing to do with parking, take down any "Visitor" signs, and put up "Private Parking" signs.
    via Narmatonia
  • 13
    00Lisa00 You should probably find out what these "visitor" spots really are. Are they your property with an easement? Or have people just decided they're neighborhood parking? If it's. your land with no easement you should put up private property signs before you lose the property to adverse possession. Maybe it's different where you live but that would be an issue here
    via Narmatonia

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