Cars Parked In Front Of My House: What to do

The other day I arrived home to the sight of neighbor’s cars parked in front of my house.

What surprised me is that the owners have their parking areas in their compound.

Some days later, I saw them direct their visitor to park in front of my house.

This behavior almost drove me crazy, but I had to do something about it since I could not sue them.

Even though parking in front of other people’s houses is not illegal, it sometimes causes inconveniences to the house owner. (source)

Everyone would want the convenience of having to park in front of their own house.

Since you cannot sue your neighbor for this, some tips can help you with the situation and make your neighbor stop using your space.

In this article, I’ve discussed some tips that worked for me, and since then, there are no more cars parked in front of my house

Also check my post on types of rooms in a house

How To Stop People From Parking Cars In Front Of Your House

There are various ways of stopping neighbors from parking in front of your house.

If you’ve neighbors like mine, this article will help you with some of the tricks to stop them from parking their cars in front of your house.

Let’s get started;

· Talk to your neighbor

Before taking any further actions, it is good to solve the issues amicably.

Talk with them politely to see whether you can solve the issue peacefully and politely.

Ensure you talk to them when they are not busy or in a hurry so that you can come to an understanding. You can choose a weekend when most people are at home.

It is the quickest and the simplest way to stop people from parking in your driveway.

Use nice words to avoid destroying the good relationship you had with your neighbors.

· Put a Friendly Note

If the talking does not bear any fruits, you can try using a polite and friendly note.

Paste a friendly note showing a private driveway, and they should not park there.

The polite note serves as a reminder of what you talked about earlier.

Ensure the message is straightforward and easy to understand so that there will be a misunderstanding.

· Call the police

Calling the police is also another option when cars are parked in front of your house.

However, this will be effective if the vehicle has not been moved for an extended period.

The car might be stolen or has been abandoned.

First, find out if the car belongs to your neighbors before calling the police.

A car is declared abandoned if it remains parked in the same position for more than 72 hours.

The car’s owner is said to have violated the 72- hour parking ordinance.

Note that you will have to prove to the police that the car is abandoned by stating the date you first saw it in front of your house.

The police will help you look for the owner or sometimes tow it away from your compound.

If the car belongs to your neighbor, you can only call the police if it has blocked your property, causing inconveniences, or he behaved in some anti-social way.

However, sometimes the court may not rule in your favor.

· Use a Resident- only Sign

In some cases, you may find that the cars parked in front of your house don’t belong to your neighbors but their visitors.

If this happens more frequently, it can be annoying, especially when you want to use the space.

Install a residents-only to show that friends and other non-residents are not allowed to park there.

If one or more of your neighbors have experienced the same, you can work as a team.

The sign should be located at the entrance of the parking space.

Ensure that it is legible, comprehensive, and visible from all directions

Note that rules differ from one state to another, so it’s wise to consult with the local authorities before putting the sign.

· Install security cameras

Since some people don’t want to be caught in the act of parking the car in front of someone’s house, installing security cameras is a great idea.

Ensure you put a note showing 24/7 camera surveillance around that area.

This will scare away people since they know that they are being watched as they park.

Cases of stolen or abandoned cars parked in front of your house may reduce since the culprits will not want to be identified.

· Park in front of the house first

If you’ve tried all the above and nothing seems to work, parking before your neighbor arrives is also an option.

However, this May not applicable if you work all day while your neighbors only leave their house on rare occasions.

This tip may sometimes seem like a game you are playing with the neighbor by competing who reaches the house first.

It’ll mean that you may either win or lose.

What You Should Never Do When Cars Are Parked In Front Of Your House

No matter how angry you are at your neighbors for parking in front of your house, there are some things that you should never try.

As I mentioned earlier, I had the same problem as you of cars parked in front of my house but never tried anything stupid.

Below are some of the things you should never try.

• Do not harass your neighbor or rudely talk to them.
• Never use passive, aggressive, or threatening notes.
• Do not scratch the car parked in front of your house since you may end up having to pay for the damages.
• Never flatten the car tires.

Conclusion On Cars Parked In Front Of My House

After I tried some of the above tips, there are no more cars parked in front of my house anymore.

Try a combination of two or more tips for better results.

Remember to be polite and calm to your neighbor when addressing the matter since you may need their help another day.

If you are not sure what to do to the neighbors, consult with the local laws first.

The best option, is talking to your neighbor to find a solution since some of the tips will depend on their obedience.

Remember, it’s not illegal to park outside someone’s house, even on spaces reserved for residents only.