If you have the type of neighbors that constantly park in front of your house, then you might be wondering if there is anything that you can actually do about it. This is something that is influenced by the rules of the road, but there are limited solutions to your problem.
It can be really frustrating when certain people are constantly parking their cars in front of your house, especially when there are limited parking spaces in your neighborhood. However, there isn’t much that can be done about the situation.
In this article, we are going to offer you some of the best solutions for when your neighbors keep parking in front of your house. Hopefully, this will help you to find a way to solve the problem.
How To Keep Neighbors From Parking In Front Of My House
If you neighbors are the type of people that constantly park in front of your house, then we can understand why you might be getting frustrated. Sometimes, these people will have their own driveways, yet they still insist on parking in front of your house. So, the thing that you are probably wondering is ‘how can I stop this from happening?’
Unfortunately, there are no laws on your side when it comes to your neighbors parking in front of your house. You cannot legally stop them from doing so. This means that the options that you are left with include communicating with them, or filing a complaint against them.
Unfortunately, having inconsiderate neighbors that park in front of your house all the time is quite common. However, even though you can’t take any legal action, we are going to provide you with some tips to help deter people from parking outside your home.
Using Traffic Cones
This is a sneaky option, but desperate times often call for desperate measures. Something that you could do to deter your neighbors from parking in front of your house is to get yourself some traffic cones on Amazon.
This will make your neighbors think that their vehicle may get damaged in the spot, or that the spot is already occupied. They will usually leave the space alone after this and find somewhere else to park. However, you will need to check with your city to ensure that this is allowed.
Can I Put A No Parking Sign Outside My House?
Your mind may have automatically gone to the thought of putting a no parking sign outside of your house. Some people will opt for making their own sign, but others will choose more professional-looking signs that are often available online. While this might sound like a great solution to your problem, we cannot recommend that you do this.
A no-parking sign would deter your neighbors from parking in your spot, but it is also illegal, so you should not try this yourself It may be a legal course of action in some countries, but it is not legal in the United States, where it is mostly illegal to put up a no parking sign.
You will need to keep in mind that you do not have any authority over the street that is in front of your property, which means that you cannot decide who can and can’t park in front of your house.
This means that nobody is actually allowed to claim the parking spot as theirs, and anyone can legally put their car there. Only the county sheriff or the township highway commissioner has the ability to put up these signs.
Any signs that have been placed on your street need to have been placed there legally. If you were to put a no parking sign outside of your house, then the sheriff can have them removed without even telling you.
You have no exclusive rights to the street that you live on so you cannot simply put up a no parking sign. If you are uncertain if this applies to you, you should check with your local government to determine if this is the case.
What Can I Do If My Neighbor Keeps Parking In Front Of My House?
Now that you know that the law is not on your side, and you can’t put up any signs as a deterrent, you might be left wondering if you have any options left. There are several ways to approach the situation, but you should always keep in mind the fact that you shouldn’t try to take matters into your own hands.
It is understandable why you might be frustrated to come home to someone else parked outside your house, and while some people might resort to drastic measures, you should avoid this at all costs.
You can fantasise about damaging their vehicle as much as you want, but you should absolutely never do this. It probably won’t stop them from parking outside your house, and you can get into serious trouble for property damage.
Talk To Your Neighbors
The first thing that you should try if people are parking outside your house is talking to your neighbors. It is important to be the bigger person in this situation, and you never know, your neighbors may not even realize how much of an inconvenience they are causing unless you tell them.
You might even find that your neighbor has a valid reason why they park outside your house. This is why it is important to hear them out and try to find a solution together. Hopefully, you will be able to find a compromise that suits all of you.
If communicating with your neighbors doesn’t work, then you should consider some of our other solutions below. However, you should keep in mind that these are not guaranteed to produce the results that you are hoping for.
Reporting Your Neighbors To The Police
You do also have the option to call the police to report your neighbors actions as anti-social. Although, this is an option that is only available to owners of vehicles that are in poor condition, which indicates a stolen or abandoned vehicle. This is also a process that can take a lot of time, as it is considered to be trivial.
You might also be able to complain about a car that has been parked in front of your property for a long time. In this situation, you do have the right to report it to the police, especially if you can prove that the vehicle has been abandoned.
File A Legal Claim
Something else that you can do is to file a legal claim for nuisance, as your neighbor is preventing you from using your property when they park outside your house. However, you should know that it can be a challenge to get the court on your side.
Other Ways To Stop Neighbor From Parking Outside Your House
Aside from all of the tips that we have already mentioned, there are some other ways that you might be able to stop your neighbors from parking in front of your house.
Calling The Police
If the car that is parked outside of your house is blocking your driveway, or if the car is blocking other drivers or pedestrians, you can ask for help from the police. They will be able to contact the owner to resolve this issue.
Apply Residents-Only Parking
If the space in front of your house is occupied by the friends of a neighbor, and this is a common occurrence, then you can apply for residents-only parking. You should make sure to check the rules surrounding this with your local council.
Understanding The Truth
Even though parking in front of someone else’s house may seem rude, which is how many people will view it, it is perfectly legal. If you neighbor is parking in front of your house, they are not actually doing anything wrong, and while it may be frustrating, they are simply exercising their rights to the public parking space.
One of the best ways to deal with this situation is to come to terms with the fact that parking in your street is basically on a first-come-first-served basis. If someone is parked in front of your house, you will usually just have to find somewhere else to park, no matter how annoying this may be.
Talking to your neighbor is usually the best way to resolve the situation, as you may be able to come to an agreement that suits the both of you.
You should always approach them in a polite manner and treat them with respect, rather than taking your frustration out on them. If you approach them aggressively, you are more unlikely to be able to reason with them.
Summary
When it comes to the parking situation in your street, you need to bear in mind that it is usually a free-for-all, unless there is a specific system in place that needs to be followed.
If you are ever unsure of how to handle the situation, you should always be sure to check your local laws to be sure about what the rules are when it comes to parking in your area.
Generally, the rules are that public streets are free for anyone in the public to park, no matter if the place they decide to park is directly outside of your house. You cannot claim the spot outside of your house as your property, and you usually cannot put up signs to discourage your neighbor from parking there either.
Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do is try to talk with your neighbor and hope that they hear you out.
