New neighbour asked to "use" my drive.

Biglouis. Good for you, I probably would've have said 'yes' but you are exactly right in what you say.

Someone parked just beyond our drive once making it difficult to drive in or out. After two weeks we rang the police who traced the car owner. He'd visited a nearby venue, had several drinks, got a lift home andd couldn't remember where he'd left his car.

My drive has a dropped kerb so the neighbour cannot legally park across it.

As a non driver and non car owner I love some of the "parking" threads on mumsnet. Especially when someone finds a random car parked on their drive or designated space and blocks them in. Then cannot move it when asked because they have had a glass of wine!

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I greatly appreciate the advice that GermanShepherdsMum gives us, but rather like the health advice I occasionally post (less often now!) it is to be considered within one's own context, and acted on as it suits us.

When I made my first 'proper' will, the solicitor advised me not to leave my assets in the way I wished, and she explained why. I thanked her and went off to think carefully about the pitfalls she had pointed out. Then I went back and explained that for a lot of reasons I wanted to stick to my original plan and risk the pitfalls (will never know as I didn't die then!).

I choose to have informal arrangements about parking and a few other things, with folk I know and trust; and apply common sense to the give and take of life in my community. That I don't do as GSM advises in this instance doesn't mean that I don't value the advice she posts here.

Thank you very much for all the advice you have given on this topic GSM
I for one certainly wasn’t aware of all the potential pitfalls about this relatively straightforward sounding request about parking.
Much as we might want to be friendly, helpful neighbours, unfortunately people can take advantage so it’s important to be aware of the legal implications involved in something as potentially simple sounding like allowing a neighbour to park on our drive.

There is a saying ‘every day is a school day on Gransnet’ and I think that’s true!

I know someone on our street who’s given up driving and sold his car, agreed to let a neighbour park a car on his drive on a permanent basis.

All went well until the neighbours purchased an American RV and parked that instead of the car... when he complained that his seaview had disappeared, they had the nerve to say “that’s why we don’t park it on our drive”!

Anyone considering a regular arrangement, please insist on an agreement prepared by a solicitor at the car owner’s expense. There are so many pitfalls.

I would be ok with the idea if I had the space but at present my car lives there. However in future if I had no car I would let someone use the space. I would expect a small fee but any damage to their car would not be my responsibility. They would need to tell their insurance company also

Like the others, I’m thing Good for You. Reminds me of some years ago when someone knocked on a friends back door, where he lived near the Magic Roundabout, asking if he could use his rear parking place when Swindon Town were playing home matches. Said it would be worth £15 to him each home game. Friend accepted the offer but felt a bit put out when a mini bus turned up the first time. Then not so annoyed when the people inside it turned out to be 4 elderly wheelchair users and their careers.

AreWeThereYet

Callistemon21 I was advised by a solicitor not to give permission for people to use our drive as it could make you liable for any accidents eg if they hit our car or a tree or something hit their car. I wouldn't fancy having to chase neighbours for payments to get our drive cleaned either if they spilled oil. Our neighbours are lovely and I am fairly certain they wouldn't cause problems but I would rather not risk it. Our neighbours know that if there is a parking problem (which there sometimes is when there are lots of visitors) if we wake up one morning to find one of their cars on the drive we won't be bothered by it so long as we can get in and out.

I think we've set a precedent now, AreWeThereYet as we've allowed more than one set of neighbours to use the drive more than once.
This thread made me wonder if we'd done the right thing being neighbourly. I don't think they'd cause problems and they have given us small gifts in gratitude.

We let our neighbours use ours occasionally and vice versa, we get on well with each other, but it’s not all the time.

Callistemon21 I was advised by a solicitor not to give permission for people to use our drive as it could make you liable for any accidents eg if they hit our car or a tree or something hit their car. I wouldn't fancy having to chase neighbours for payments to get our drive cleaned either if they spilled oil. Our neighbours are lovely and I am fairly certain they wouldn't cause problems but I would rather not risk it. Our neighbours know that if there is a parking problem (which there sometimes is when there are lots of visitors) if we wake up one morning to find one of their cars on the drive we won't be bothered by it so long as we can get in and out.

Well done you!! What a cheek!!

It would be a NO from me too, but please be aware it’s my understanding that your neighbour wouldn’t be breaking any laws if they parked across your empty drive. At least that’s what I’ve been told when a cheeky b****r parked across mine.

When we were newly married as neighbour with four cars asked us not to park in our own driveway. The reason was that he was having to leave a space for us to get our car out of the drive! We refused and he said no more about it!

Would your car insurance or the landowner’s insurance have covered an accident to your car whilst parking on private land Madashell? Sometimes one only finds out after the event that something wasn’t quite the bargain it seemed at the time. Always best to check the cover if you intend going slightly off piste.

I can understand her asking if parking is short and it can lower her insurance if the car is off the road overnight. It could be a legal minefield plus wear and tear on the surface of the drive, who would pay for that?

A friend once did this and then the car owners really started taking the p, parking 2 cars on the drive. It caused her trouble she didn’t need - all because she was being kind and helpful.

I have used a commercial firm when visiting a city to park on private land - a good impersonal service, cheap for me and the landowners made a bit of cash.

Well my kind neighbour offered me a space on is drive as the parking difficulties we have here are legendary! It makes life so much easier now as my dh is still working and I am in and out with my different responsibilities.
I suppose we all have different views on things and how to go about living also I guess whether you live in a decent community or not.

Proud of you, you did the right thing.

Also the problem is - if you change your mind afterwards - how hard will it be to get them to move it. What happens if oil etc gets spilled on it?

You don’t need a reason why you refused. The answer is ‘no’ and that’s the end of it.

Sorry 'there can be repercussions'

It does sound as if your neighbour got off on the wrong foot and understandably you were short with her, especially after a lack of apology.
However, I do not think it unreasonable to ask someone if you can park in their drive. We always let our neighbours park in ours, especially when we are away. The response can always be a polite no and you rightly point out their can be repercussions if things go wrong.

With you on this. I'd agree to one offs - eg relative visiting and need extra space, but not to just ceding rights to your space. Someone's taking the Michael!