A woman has been left feeling frustrated after her neighbour kept asking her the same thing about her driveway – and she didn’t know whether to keep saying yes
Would you allow your neighbour to use your driveway if you had the space and they asked politely? What about if they asked all the time? One woman found herself in a pickle after her neighbour repeatedly made the same request regarding her driveway, simply because she was fortunate enough to own one.
The homeowner revealed she resided on a road where “parking is a pain in the a**” but was blessed with a spacious driveway. “Not for me because I have a big driveway, but I would not have bought a house on the road without one, as it is near the town centre, so a lot of people park here,” she revealed.
Nevertheless, she disclosed that her neighbour kept making a cheeky plea, leaving her uncertain whether to continue agreeing, as it might establish a routine.
Taking to Mumsnet, she wrote: “Neighbour has no parking and constantly asks if she can use my drive – am I being unreasonable to say no?”
She added: “Don’t really need all the space unless I have visitors, which tends to just be at weekends, but also don’t want it to become a thing!”
Fellow users assured the woman she wouldn’t be out of line for wanting her driveway clear of neighbours’ motors.
One person commented: “You are not being unreasonable – and keep saying no because it will become a thing; it will become an expectation on her part, and on those days when you do need all of your drive, she will resent you for withdrawing the facility.”
They continued: “Seriously, she should have gone to the expense of buying a house with a drive (just like you did) if she values having her own guaranteed parking space”.
Another person proposed: “If her parking there doesn’t obstruct your car, you could come to an agreement with her that Monday – Friday (or Thursday) she can use your drive for a fee when you are unlikely to have guests.
“Putting a fee in place means it is a formalised arrangement (get it in writing) which can be ended at any time.
“Consider the fee as payment for wear and tear on your drive. Or just say no. Full stop”.
One Mumsnetter remarked: “How many cars can you fit on your drive? Tbh, even if you can fit 2 or 3, I don’t think this is something I’d want to get in the habit of.
“Next thing you know, she’s parking there without asking. Just say you’d rather not, as you never know when you’ll need it for friends and family”.
Someone else mentioned they would only consider this “for friends” and advised she should “say no” if she’s “not comfortable” with the arrangement, warning it would only create unrealistic expectations from the neighbour.
“You give an inch and people take a mile. You’ll have her guests on there as well, and it will drive you nuts,” one woman cautioned.
#neighbour #parking #making #annoying #request
