Can Construction Crews Continually Park in Front of Your Home
Own a Driveway But Park on Road: What's the Law?
By: Sarah Clark (ILEX) - Updated: 30 Aug 2022 | 
*Discuss
Q.
Our neighbours have a perfect driveway but they don't use it, instead choosing to park on the road outside their house. They don't even park in front of their driveway. This causes many problems for the rest of the people in our road as it's a small road with not many parking spaces. We have problems parking and find it very hard to park at night! Is there a law which says that if you have a driveway that you can use that you should use it?
(K.G, 20 July 2009)
A.
Parking is a common source of tension between neighbours, especially when these days many households have more than one car to park and limited parking spaces in which to do so. It can be irritating when a neighbour seemingly uses up more than their entitlement of parking spaces, and it's clearly inconsiderate of your neighbour to choose to park on the road when they have a perfectly adequate parking space on their driveway.
Unfortunately, there is no legal entitlement for a resident to be able to park outside their home – even though most of us expect to be able to do so. Difficulties with parking close to your own property sometimes lead to Disputes Between Neighbours.
What the Law Says about Parking on a Public Highway
The law doesn't set down any rules about where you can park if the road in question is a public highway. If your neighbour's vehicle is taxed and he is abiding by the Highway Code, then he can effectively park his car anywhere that he chooses on a public highway (although not on footpaths/pavements) as long as it is legal to park there.
Paragraph 207 of the Highway Code does say that people should not park anywhere that their vehicle might cause an obstruction to pedestrians or road users, and does also give an example of not parking in front of another person's driveway – but it doesn't actually say that you can't park in front of another person's driveway or property.
The Law Versus Etiquette
So, your neighbour probably isn't actually breaking any laws by choosing to park in front of your property, however inconvenient it may be to you. Etiquette suggests that most people will choose to use their own driveway or park in front of their own property, but nobody has the automatic right to park right in front of their own house. All your neighbour appears to be breaching, in this case, is neighbourly etiquette.
If the problem persists, a friendly request to your neighbour to consider parking on their driveway could be the way forward, but there is nothing that can legally be done to force them to do so.
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My neighbour opposite rents their house from the local council, they have a large van and a car, they have a very long driveway and garage at the property however they choose to park half on the kerb and half on the road never on the drive is this allowed.
Serg - 30-Aug-22 @ 3:35 PM
My neighbour has a double driveway but chooses to park on road and across his access but on the road there is resident parking in the road does he need to be part of the scheme to park on the road but across his driveway
Pete - 28-Jun-21 @ 11:43 AM
Iv just moved house and the only parking available in in the back alley the people opposite use their garden as a driveway but the last 2 weeks there are no parking signs going up both sides of the road. I usually end up walking at least half a mile to get home
Annoyed - 26-Jun-21 @ 6:36 PM
We live on a private lane Arcadia Avenue, which lends onto park road, the property on park road want to make a entrance onto Arcadia Avenue for a drive, are they allowed to do this? There are eight properties on Arcadia Avenue and we are all responsible for maintaining the lane.
Terry - 18-Mar-21 @ 2:01 PM
I am so annoyed with ppl parking on the narrow roads while having own driveways, its like going through the maze with obstructions, no space even to give a way for oncoming traffic. Or speed limits like 40 miles but there are cars parked all over place on a bended roads. Should put double yellow lines everywhere, as well when turning somewhere , parked cars are obstructing the view.
Kay - 12-Mar-21 @ 1:35 PM
My neighbor have 5 cars parked on the street i cant park my car in front of my house, he dont even drive them all, its so irritating for us, it should be against the law for 1 person to have that many vehicles on the street, i live in the 3300 block of N. 28th St. and its ridiculous that i have to park down the street to park my car
Moose - 22-Jan-21 @ 11:43 PM
I live on a turning point All my neighbours park there and yes lots off parking spaces in the road its a close I recently applying for a driveway which i need a crossover The crossover was refuse because will obstruct the roadand will benefit one owner But there is another neighbour with one ..... By the highway code you cant park on a turning point My question is is the law equal to everyone? Theres other roads like mine near by With same situation and some have drives with a crossover Am i different,?
Cris - 26-Nov-20 @ 11:45 AM
Hello My next door neighbour drives a big van (he's a builder). We live on a cup de sac and he refuses to park it on his driveway. Always parks in the street which causes an obstruction. You either can't get past his car to exit the street. Or he parks it on the pavement and blocks the walk way. Is there anything that can be done?
William Walsh - 19-Nov-20 @ 3:54 PM
I seen this middle eastern family with their guest are purposely provoking this asian family when the asian family was just minding its own business and was helping its own family member to park and get into the home. The asian family were not even making any kind of attention with middle eastern family and their guests but keep causing unpleasant unreasonable conversation to stop this asian family so trying to cause argument. They are not treating them right especially when living on same street. I do not ever see this asian family cause any trouble for any of us.
Not right - 18-Sep-20 @ 4:12 AM
My neighbour keeps Working on there car over my driveway, i keep asking them to move, he is getting nasty now, there is only me, i am 38, disabled, I live on my own, and need my driveway kept clear incase i need to go to the hospital. There is oil across my drive now, i already have told them where it is, and the council is on about fining me a lot of money because of this, i have told them it's them over the road, and shown CCTV evidence, for which was assaulted. In the past they have parked cars that has no MOT, TAX, and Insurance, and because there asian i have suggested i am racist for reporting them. There are other incident's including having a firework thrown at my car for which i have CCTV evidence, but nothing was done by the police on this matter. I have just asked them today when they was working over my drive. And was told "they can do what they want" And 8 people have threatened me with violence, i have logged it with the police. But i don't think they will do anything about them as they seem to get away with murder. Can you give me advice on this matter.
Rysha - 13-Sep-20 @ 5:20 PM
My neighbour has turned his drive way into a commercial dump, by placing a large skip that occupied the whole drive way and dump all his commercial waste in it. He said he is working from home!!He collected all sorts of Rubbish from neighbouring households and dumps it in this skip. He emptied it every month. We have to suffer the smell and contamination's. Even in this virus pandemic!! He now uses my wall as his parking lot, as he converts his shed into a football ground for his son !! So all the rubbish meant for the shed is lying around my wall. They have 2 cars, one van, and a lorry!! These are parked along the drive way since they do not have where to pay the cars thus I am always blocked, and have to struggle in and out of my driveway every day. It is a night mare!!!!
Seston - 13-Sep-20 @ 4:41 PM
My neighbour deliberately parks right in front of my house in a large van so it blocks all the light that comes into my house making it dark I've reasoned with them many times however it always turns into and argument and them threatening me to stop parking there as it's also an eyesore as they also do this when their drive is free which is so annoying as they have a lot of space around their house to park and the person who keeps doing it to wind us up and make a joke about it doesn't even live in the house but stays over almost very night leaving it there for 2 days at least every week when there is clearly space around the house in addition we know they do it on purpose as where they park at the front of our house is at the end Of the street so they have to walk further to get to the house when there are spaces closer to it it's ruins my mental health as I have to look out at it all the time and it make my house dark which makes me depressed I strongly believe there should be a law put in place about anti social parking in front of houses as it's not fair and it's continuously effecting everyone living in my house
Rolo - 29-Aug-20 @ 9:45 PM
I have the same problem it's just insane that we have to put up with this. I am locked in my home and if I leave I can't get back in. It does affect your mental health and like has been said we have no rights against these rude selfish people it's about time new laws were brought in so that we could prosecute people who deliberately park antisocially. I am so depressed now with this situation.
Birdie - 22-Jul-20 @ 11:48 AM
I live in the end house of a cul-de-sac.The house two doors down from me have 4 cars and 2 vans (3of which belong to their children who don't live here) They use there vehicles to deliberately harass me and ensure I can not park in my street. This stems from me intervening when they were assaulting another neighbour who has learning diffiulties shortly after moving in for jet washing his garden and a little spray went on their car bumper because it was in front of his driveway and this has now been going on for 2 years. They have threatened to burn my house down, slash my tires and have my car towed and stripped by a "mate" who owns a tow truck if I park on the street. They have thrown eggs at my vehicle and park big vans inches from my car on either side. If I use my driveway (which is difficult because they park in the middle of the road) so I can't get out all weekend. They only work half days so by the time I get home every night they have arranged all there vehicles to block me from parking. The police and council have done nothing to help and they have been telling people I am a grass and it's having a serious affect on my mental health. They have posted videos on social media of me attempting to park with laughing emojis where they have blocked up all the spaces. There are 7 houses and bays for 12 cars and each house has a driveway. Some choose to use them others don't but this one family who are in a council property make everyone's lives miserable because that's what gives them satisfaction and makes them laugh and smile. Out the windows to see the difficulties their behaviour causes. It is impossible to reason with them. Even if I speak really politely they will phone the police and say I am threatening them they treat people horribly and hide behind security cameras which they have covering Avery angle of the street. Whenever the police have asked for the videos (for example during the assault) they have told them the cameras don't work and the police have not bothered to pursue it.
Baldbarry - 19-Jun-20 @ 8:50 AM
People should use drive way if have one and not block road unnecessarily law of Scotland
Angel - 31-May-20 @ 10:03 PM
I have a neighbor who uses the back of our property (private access easement Ingress and egress ) When he has a driveway in front of his house can we cut of access easement This is in California mountains
Jay - 7-May-20 @ 9:10 AM
well my neighbour his stop me from parking out side my house and he uses his neighbours car to block me out what can I do as no one will help
nichols - 1-May-20 @ 5:29 PM
There's a neighbour that parks on the road near to a junction which obstructs vehicle's when turning into or going out of. There is only one car for that household but yet rather using his driveway he would rather park it on the road obstructing other vehicles as well as a bus routed drivers. Very agrovating
Rach24639 - 30-Apr-20 @ 3:48 PM
Have a neighbour who has two of the same company vehicles (god knows why) and because they can't get both in the driveway, they block my driveway with one instead. Ask them to move and it ends in arguments every time. Just waiting for someone to fly round the blind corner and smash into the rear end of the vehicle obstructing the road and my driveway
fionn256 - 23-Apr-20 @ 5:54 PM
Can I turn my car around on a highways dropped Kurb outside off a private drive - I'm not obstructing access nor exit
Maggz - 4-Mar-20 @ 4:43 PM
Hi.I live on a terraced street with a communal lane which then leads to the back of the terrace.The communal lane has a covenant on it that it's only to be used as a drop off point for example shopping, deliveries.But we have one neighbour who has family and friends who constantly park their cars there day and night.They do not own the property, just rent,we have asked them nicely not to keep parking there but all we get is abuse.Can anyone give me advice on what to do, it's been going on for a few years now.
Pepe - 7-Feb-20 @ 11:55 PM
Is it illegal for me to block my own driveway? My neighbor has had a go at me for parking across my own drive because it makes getting on and off of their drive difficult but we live on a wide road and I can't see how it's hard for her to get on or off her drive! Just want to know where I stand coz my drive is full so I cannot park on it and I have two small children and struggle to park halfway down the road and get them in the house safely
Lolo - 21-Jan-20 @ 11:33 AM
Can a care home workers park on the road and not on their drive when at work, We were told they would Park on the drivewhen it was opened, now no one park on their drive,
Whynot - 18-Nov-19 @ 6:35 PM
We have a double garage behind the apartment block. Access was no problem until the president of the block decided to put two parking spaces opposite the garage door. It is impossible to get both cars in the garage when both parking slots are being used. There is less than a cars length now in front of garage to manoeuvre. Is there a legal distance for entitlement to manoeuvre outside our garage?
Tosher - 11-Aug-19 @ 9:46 AM
I have the potential for 2 cars on a driveway at the front of my property, however access is always blocked by neighbouring residents.I am in the process of applying for 'H' markings but I cannot find anything online that states the criteria that the inspectors look for. Does your drive need to be a certain size? Do you have to be able to turn around in it?Can you reverse in or out or do you have to always be forward facing? It's not a particularly busy road with a 30mph speed limit and well lit. Any advice would be great!
Sam - 4-Aug-19 @ 2:06 PM
If you're insured as using your driveway but park on the street, and your car is vandalised, broken into or hit, your insurance is invalid. Read this on the RAC website LOG
Bicky - 3-Aug-19 @ 9:01 PM
My neighbours park there cars on the pavements causing an obstruction and use my drive I am personally fed up of this because they have there own drive
Christine - 3-Aug-19 @ 6:47 PM
In my street there are people with driveways big enough for three cars but choose to park in the street to be awkward and prevent those with no driveway from parking. Ignorant, vile folk.
Chrissie - 1-Jul-19 @ 3:01 PM
Is it illegal to let someone's tyres down? Like I wouldn't say it's the best idea to pour paintstripper on a car or actually slash their tyres or key the paintwork or take their wiper rubbers off so the metal arms scratch their windows or whatever but surely letting their air out of all 4 wheels isn't a crime is it?You haven't actually done any damage or taken anything
BenDover - 26-May-19 @ 7:01 PM
We are in a row of 4.2houses have a 2 car ALLOCATED parking space for each of the 4houses. Neighbour in tightest corner has 3 cars outside and only 1 of these is in it's ALLOCATEDspace so we have a blocked pathway and front garden. What can we do?
Suziq - 2-May-19 @ 10:53 AM
Validate:
Source: https://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/own-driveway-but-park-road-what-is-law.html