'My entitled neighbour keeps parking on my driveway - I've hit breaking point'

Daily Mirror

a day ago

He is seeking advice on how to handle his neighbour (stock) (Image: Getty)
A man has been left furious after his 'entitled' neighbour began using his driveway because their own is packed with rubbish. He explained how he attempted to discuss the matter with them, but their 'appalling behaviour' persisted, forcing him to take decisive action.
He said on Reddit: "We have driveways divided by a small, maybe 1.5ft strip of grass that runs down the sides. The neighbours have so much useless c**p all in their driveway - old car parts, tires, vehicles I haven't seen moved in years, a boat I've literally never seen move, and so on and so forth. They have so much c*** that the two vehicles they do use have to park one behind another.
"So when the one needs out that is blocked from behind, they'll drive over the grass strip and cut over into our driveway."
Initially, he brushed it off, but when his neighbour irritated him over an unrelated matter, he decided he'd had enough.
He said: "I reported their ass to the city for all the junk in their yard and how they kept their yard completely unkempt - I'm talking maybe do some kind of cosmetic work like once every three months.
"The city has taken whatever steps they take, started doing drivebys of the property and assessing fines and making them come to court over items considered a public nuisance.
"I thought this might get them to clean their c**p up so they can actually use their own damn driveway.
"I also started parking one of our vehicles in such a way that it completely blocks use of my driveway from their side."
Hoping this would be sufficient to halt their antics, he was left deflated to discover their behaviour carried on as usual after he returned from a break. READ MORE: Adorable Corgi on euthanasia list desperate for second chance after owner dies
"While I was out of town over the weekend, my other neighbours let me know when I got back that they just resumed doing the same old thing while I was away and my vehicle was no longer causing a barrier," he added.
"My wife and parents have made the claim that they've been cracking up the driveway by the way they've been using it, but I can't attest to that because I can't recall what shape that area of the driveway was in prior to all this c**p starting - our driveway is old and has cracks all over the place, so something new wouldn't have caught my attention, personally."
Seeking advice, he asked Reddit users: "I am legitimately one of the most laid back people, but I've finally hit my breaking point.
"I'm very confident that the strip of grass that divides the driveways is their property, so I can't put up a hedgerow or something.
"Do I go ahead and threaten them with a lawsuit for the driveway, even though I'm not 100% certain their use of the driveway has caused the damage?".
"Can I put a no-trespass on them and just sit outside reading a book and nail them when they encroach on our property?" Commenting on your post, one user said: "Get a survey to verify the property line. Then put boulders right on your side of it. Bonus points for adding flowers between the boulders. Or, get a welder to make a low spiky barrier to go along the property line."
Another user added: "Buy a 40 foot container. Drop it at that point in the driveway. Open doors at each end, drive through. Or just use it as garage."
A third user said: "Get a survey and define your property with a fence or stones or spikes."
If you're locked in a row with your neighbour, the government website advises attempting to resolve matters by speaking with them directly.
Depending on the nature of the disagreement, you might lodge a complaint with your local council, alert police, or pursue court action as a final option.