Neighbour kept parking on my driveway and it backfired in my revenge plot

Having a driveway can be a major convenience, as you're never left struggling to find a parking space at home. However, some people might feel like they can take advantage, which can lead to some bitter wars between neighbours.

A Reddit user explained the parking situation that was making life in their 'quaint' cul-de-sac a nightmare. Importantly, the post claims that the driveway fits two cars "perfectly fine", leaving more than enough space for the homeowner and their partner to park outside their own property.

They said: "For the most part, everyone here minds their own business except my neighbour (let’s just call him Jack). For whatever reason, he thinks my driveway is like extra parking for his family/friends."

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When it first happened, the homeowner gave him the benefit of the doubt and believed 'Jack' just made a genuine mistake. They told Reddit: "His brother’s car was in there, he said it’d 'just be a sec'. A week later it was some friend of his 'dropping something off'."

They thought complaining was "not worth making it awkward", but it kept happening. Another time, the homeowner was forced to "park halfway down the street and carry five bags of groceries" because the neighbour had offered the driveway to his friend.

They added: "Every time I said something, he’d do that half-smile and go, 'Oh yeah, sorry, they’ll be gone soon' like I’m the one being difficult". The Reddit user, who told the community they work as a nurse, said the breaking point came one night when the driveway became completely taken over.

The post continued: "I get home late Friday night after a 12hr shift. [I'm] still in scrubs, starving, with takeout that’s already getting cold in the passenger seat and boom, a giant white SUV was parked dead centre in my driveway. Not even off to the side, like full on blocking me from even pulling in.

"I knock, no answer. I call 'Jack' and he finally picks up, and super casually goes 'Oh yeah, that’s my in-laws. They’ll only be there a couple hours. Just park on the street, it’s not a big deal'.

"That was it for me. I called a tow truck. Tow guy showed up in 20 mins and the SUV was gone before I even finished half my fries."

The situation exploded when 'Jack' came to the nurse's door with "furious pounding". The post continued: "Jack's beet red and his in-laws are yelling in the background, and he’s going off about how I 'didn’t have to take it that far'. I just said, “You told me it wasn’t a big deal, so I treated it like it wasn’t a big deal.”

The Reddit user ended their post by claiming it cost hundreds for 'Jack' to get the car back. They added: "Funny enough, ever since then, my driveway has stayed crystal clear. Not even for 'just a sec'."

What does the law say about someone parking in your private driveway?

Coming home to find someone else's car parked in your driveway can be nothing short of frustrating. But, before you resort to calling for help, there's a legal loophole that means, technically speaking, this type of behaviour could go unpunished.

According to the RAC, while there is no criminal law stopping someone from parking on your driveway without your consent, your driveway is part of your property, so by driving onto it, the person is committing an act of trespassing. Trespassing, however, is a civil offence, not a criminal offence, meaning the police don’t have the power to make an arrest.

It is advised to "keep calm" and "not let the situation escalate". It adds that people should "never take the law into their own hands" or "stoop to revenge tactics that could get you prosecuted".

Instead, pursue a civil case for trespassing as the courts have the jurisdiction to remove the car from the driveway. Another option is to pursue a legal claim for nuisance behaviour on the grounds that the driver is interfering with your use and enjoyment of your property, but going through the courts can be a long and potentially costly process.