If your house faces onto the street then you have no legal right to the street outside your home. This means that your neighbor is entitled to park their car in front of your house, providing they are not blocking your driveway; if you have one.
It can be frustrating, especially if the neighbor has a big vehicle and blocks the light from your lawn or your living area. Unfortunately, you can’t simply fence the area off and tell them it’s out of bounds, the law states that the highway is public, providing there are no parking restrictions your neighbor can park anywhere they like on the road, even if they have their own driveway.
It’s time to take action!
Talk To Them
Before you get too stressed you should simply talk to your neighbor and tell them why it bothers you to have their vehicle outside your home. Your neighbor may not care what you say or think. But, they could also be unaware that it is causing you an issue and be happy to park it elsewhere.
A talk may not resolve the issue but it is the polite thing to do first and can potentially solve the issue.
File A Nuisance Complaint
If the vehicle is a nuisance to you, because it blocks light from your home or is excessively noisy and polluting, you can file a complaint with the local authority. They will investigate the issue and may decide to ban your neighbor from parking there. This will resolve the issue.
However, you should be aware that this can then increase tension between you and your neighbor, potentially causing issues in the future.
You should note that cars that are in poor condition can be reported as anti-social. If the vehicle in question is in a poor state you can register the issue with your local police authority. However, this is treated as a minor issue and may take a while to be looked into.
Park Your Car There
If you are generally home before your neighbor then start parking your vehicle on the road. You can help to prevent this from looking malicious by renting out your driveway through a car parking specialist firm, such as Parkhound. This means the space effectively belongs to your renter, and you need to park on the street to ensure the driveway space is free for your customer.
Of course, this approach does mean you can earn some extra money, you can share the news with your neighbor. Not only will they be able to do the same thing, the fact that you told them can help to persuade them not to park outside your home.
What You Should Never Do
It is never a good idea to damage your neighbor’s car. You’ll likely get found out and then be in trouble with the police for criminal damage. It can also start a tit-for-tat war that won’t benefit you or your neighbor.