Doesn’t it get on your nerve when your neighbors turn the front of your house into their parking space? If you consider that those who do this have their driveways but simply choose not to use them, it gets even more annoying. So it’s understandable if you’re looking for ways to put an end to this madness.
The least painful route to take is to ask your neighbor (in a friendly way, of course) to find another parking space. If your neighbors are anything near considerate, it shouldn’t be too hard for them to comply. But our world is far from ideal.
So don’t be surprised if they turn a deaf ear. And if this happens, you will have to go the extra mile. “Extra mile” is reporting them to the police and doing other things discussed in this post.
Bear in mind that there is no legal step you can take against your neighbors in this situation. Still, there are several actions you can take to rectify the situation. Check them out below.
Read: Can You Live in a House Without Electricity Legally?
How to Keep Neighbors From Parking in Front of the House?
1. Discuss It Out
As I mentioned earlier, by merely having a heart-to-heart talk with the offender, you can get a neighbor to stop parking in front of your home. This is especially effective when this person is understanding kind. It could be that he has no idea he’s causing you trouble.
Just know: politeness is the rule of this game— air your grievances in the most respectful way possible. Give precise reasons why you’d prefer he stopped at the entrance of your building, and he should be all too glad to comply.
2. Involve the Police
Sometimes, people won’t listen unless you get the police involved. So you can report your neighbor to the police. Once you make the report, they will have to either call the offender or come tow the car away.
However, note that the law enforcement officers will only intervene when any of these has happened:
- When you can’t access your driveway because your neighbor’s vehicle is blocking it,
- When someone has stolen the vehicle,
- When the offender has left his car in a spot where cars have been banned from parking
- When the offender has dumped the car in your driveway for over 48 hours,
- When the offender has parked in a way that impedes the movement of pedestrians and other vehicles.
3. Get a Residents-Only Parking
What if it’s not your neighbor who is parking in front of your house but your neighbor’s visitor? It’s simple. You acquire a residents-only parking permit. Of course, to be qualified for this, you have to reside in an area where collecting residential parking permits is necessary. If you don’t have this option, consider visiting your city hall with other neighbors and filing a complaint.
4. Check Where the Boundaries Lie
It is easy for parking disputes to arise when you and your neighbor share boundaries or driveways. Now, rather than causing a raucous, solve the issue by ascertaining each person’s property’s boundaries.
Can I Put a No Parking Sign Outside My House?
Let’s face it. Just because the street is right before your house does not mean you have full right to it. Putting a sign in front of your home can only be legally permissible if that space is part of your property.
Even so, it would be mighty hard to get people to comply. Besides, you should know that while this arrangement is legal in some countries, the United States is not one of these countries.
What Can I Do if My Neighbor Keeps Parking in Front of My House?
It depends. If your neighbor has legal rights to park in front of your house, you have two options: endure it or speak to him. If you’re drifting toward the latter, then you want to make it sound like you’re asking the person for a favor; after all, you are asking for a favor.
Meanwhile, some people simply decide to make the front of your house their garage. For this kind of people, you can involve the police. If the car has been lounging there for a while, you want to have the police check it out. There’s a chance the vehicle was stolen. If, however, it belongs to the person living just beside your house, then the person is not in the wrong.
Except on rare occasions, it is never illegal to park in front of someone else’s house. But as humans, we love our convenience and would prefer to have the front of our own home all to ourselves.
Ideally, large families with multiple vehicles should make arrangements for parking their cars without overstepping boundaries or causing another person to feel uncomfortable. But not everyone is that courteous, sadly.
Is It Rude to Park in Front of the Neighbors House?
Only inconsiderate people leave their vehicles in front of other people’s houses, especially if they do it over and over. And if you’re wondering whether it is legal for them to do so, the simple answer for you YES.
Any of your neighbors can certainly park in front of your house every single day, all year long. Worst of all, if the road is a public one, you may not be able to complain to anyone. The law allows it, and you can, therefore, take no legal step.
Everyone else within your vicinity has the same right that you have to park at the front of your building. And if unfortunately, your neighbor has minimal options in terms of where to park his car, and he can easily watch over the vehicle from his own house, then the available space at your home’s entrance may be just the perfect garage for his car.
Some situations also necessitate it, like when the person has so many visitors at once, and the available driveway space just won’t do. The first thing that’ll come to mind is to park some cars somewhere close enough, which can be the front of your house.
Can I Park Blocking My Own Driveway?
Fortunately for you, you can. But there’s a clause: you must be parked fully within your driveway. Plus, you mustn’t be obstructing any entrance, even if it’s yours. Otherwise, the authorities can ask you to pay a fine, or even worse, they can tow your vehicle away. But this is depending on what the laws in your town or city are like.
Usually, the major challenge lies in the fact that the officers in charge of parking issues may not determine when a person has permission to obstruct a driveway. And unless you have substantial proof that you’re, in fact, parking rightly, you might find yourself bearing the brunt of the law.
For example, if the enforcement officers can ascertain that the address registered with your vehicle matches that of your residence, then it’s OK to block your driveway.
The bad news is that most officers are not patient enough to confirm the car’s registration address. They simply issue a citation with only details about your license plate on it. No address, no name. Most people only realize they’ve been given a ticket when they get a delay notice.
Depending on what city you are in, the police can turn a blind eye to a vehicle obstructing the entrance to a driveway or a car parked on a dropped curb. I, however, believe it’s better safe than sorry. The fact that you’re not being punished for doing any of these does not mean you’re not violating the law. And who knows, nemesis can catch up with you when you least expect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you prevent someone from parking in front of your house?
The law does not permit blocking any driveway though it cannot punish people for parking at the front of anyone’s home.
However, for disabled people, the city can appropriate space for your parking for you in front of your house. As such, other people who are disabled may be able to park there, but those who aren’t will be penalized if they do.
2. What can you do if your neighbor parks in front of your mailbox?
First, find out whether it is an offense to block another person’s mailbox with your car in your city. If you find out that it is illegal, talk to your neighbor about it, and tell him to move. If he still refuses to agree, report to your nearest police department.
3. Can I park blocking my driveway?
It’s your driveway, so you should be able to block it if you wish, right? Wrong. You see, the house may be yours, but the area beyond your driveway is not.
So if you park and position your vehicle beyond your property, you would be trespassing. And if an emergency should arise when you’ve blocked your driveway, it would be hard for other cars to get into your property.
4. Can you park across the street from someone’s driveway?
No, you can’t. It is illegal to block someone else’s driveway or even park on a dropped curb. That said, it is not a crime when someone parks their car opposite a curb or even close to it.