A man has said he’s at war with his neighbour after the other man attempted to ban him from parking on his own driveway – and even made up lies to get his vehicle towed
Your home should be your safe haven away from the rest of the world. Within reason, you can do whatever you want within the boundary of your own home, and that extends to the garden and the driveway if you have either of these, as although they’re outside spaces, they are still part of your property.
But one man has discovered that some people don’t seem to understand that they have no ownership or control over other people’s belongings, as his neighbour has tried to ban him from parking on his own driveway. The man explained on Reddit that he’s been living in his house for five years without issue, but things have changed since his new neighbour moved in six months ago.
The man said the issues began when his neighbour started taking his tools without asking, and then escalated to the neighbour inviting guests over and allowing them to park in his driveway – again without permission.
Things have gotten even worse now, though, as his neighbour has begun going to extreme lengths to try and get him banned from parking on his own driveway, presumably so the neighbour can use it instead.
He wrote: “Yesterday, I came home to find a giant ‘NO PARKING – TOW AWAY ZONE’ sign planted right in the middle of my driveway. Brand new, shiny, professionally made. I thought it was some kind of prank. It was not.
“He came outside with a folder of papers and told me I was trespassing and if I parked there again, he would call a tow truck. He even tried to hand me a fake-looking notice with his signature on it, like he was a landlord evicting me.”
The man parked his car and told his neighbour to call whoever he wanted. A tow truck later arrived, but the man had been proactive and had called the police, who told his neighbour that he would be charged with harassment if he continued.
He added: “Now he is sulking and blasting music at all hours, like that is going to scare me. I am documenting everything because I have a feeling this is only the beginning.
In the comments, the man said he has bought cameras and will install them on his property to capture recorded evidence if his neighbour happens to try anything else.
Commenters on the post encouraged the man to “establish boundaries” on his property, such as putting up a fence or blocking access with shrubs and other plants.
One person said: “Lock up your tools and establish visible boundary lines if possible, ie fences and shrubbery.”
Another added: “He really made a fake eviction notice? That’s next-level unhinged.”
Is it illegal for someone else to park in your driveway?
There is no criminal law against the indecent act of someone parking on your driveway without your consent. However, your driveway is part of your property, so the person parking on it is committing the act of trespassing. Trespassing, however, is classed as a civil offence and not a criminal one, meaning the police don’t have the power to make an arrest.
Following the Road Traffic Act 1991, local authorities now have responsibility over parking enforcement, which means they are the ones who issue fines for parking incorrectly on public roads. But when a car is on a drive, it’s technically on private property – and the council has no authority to remove it.
If the car has been abandoned on your property, then the local council can remove it, but if the car has up-to-date tax, insurance, MOT and isn’t in a dangerous condition, the council is powerless to do anything.