'My entitled neighbour made a cheeky demand about my driveway and I'm baffled'
A woman shared that she lives on a street where 'parking is a pain in the a**' but she's lucky enough to have a big driveway, and she said her neighbour kept asking the same thing
Would you let your neighbour park on your drive if it was big enough and they asked nicely? A woman was left baffled after her neighbour kept asking her the same thing about her driveway, because she was lucky enough to have one. The woman explained that she lived on a street where "parking is a pain in the a**" but she's lucky enough to have a big 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 explained. However, she shared that her neighbour kept making a cheeky request, and she wasn't sure whether to keep agreeing, as it risked becoming a regular occurrence.
On Mumsnet, she wrote: "Neighbour has no parking and constantly asks if she can use my drive - am I being unreasonable to say no?
"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!"
People insisted that the woman wouldn't be unreasonable for wanting her driveway free of neighbours' cars.
Someone wrote: "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.
"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 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 reckoned they would only consider this "for friends" and that she ought to "say no" if she's "not comfortable" with the arrangement, as it will 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," another user cautioned.