How to Keep Neighbors From Parking in Front of My House

If your neighbors are anything like mine, it’s so annoying when they constantly park their vehicles in front of my house all the time. To make matters worse, they have driveways of their own, but park there anyway! If you’re fed up like I was, you’re probably wondering how to keep neighbors from parking in front of my house.

Unfortunately you cannot legally stop your neighbor from parking in front of your house. Try kindly asking them to stop parking there. If proper communication doesn’t work, you can try filing a nuisance complaint or police report against them.

Having inconsiderate neighbors parking in front of your house is all too common. While you can’t sue your neighbor for it, here are some tips on how you can deal with the situation and hopefully get your neighbor to leave that space in front of your home alone.

How To Stop Someone Parking In Front Of Your House

In our previous article, we’ve discussed how parking in front of someone’s house is not a violation of any law even if it’s done on a daily basis. So, it’s basically legal for your neighbor to park in front of your property. If your neighbor insists, you can’t do anything about it.

It all boils down to respect and courtesy and hoping that your neighbor has both and will consider avoiding that space altogether. But not all neighbors are considerate enough. Some will give you a hard time, intentionally annoying you even more.

In this case, what can you do? How do you stop someone from parking in front of your house? Some homeowners swear by putting a “No Parking” sign outside, but is this considered legal or acceptable?

Can I Put A No Parking Sign Outside My House?

“No Parking” signs should deter anyone from parking their cars on the spot where the sign stands. Some people do it DIY, while others buy more professional-looking ones from shops or online. Turns out, there are people doing DIY signs just to get the message across.

This might be a great solution to stopping a neighbor from parking in front of your house if only it were legal. This may be allowed in other countries but in the U.S., it is mostly against the law to put up a “No Parking” sign.

Keep in mind that you don’t have any authority over the street in front of your property, no matter how much you want to save that parking space. You can’t claim that street as yours so, technically, anyone can place their car on that spot. Only the county sheriff or the township highway commissioner has the authority to put up signs.

Basically, any signs you place on your street, including the public right of way or an area of easement is not allowed and should be considered illegitimate. The sheriff can have those signs easily removed without notifying you beforehand. 

You have no exclusive rights to the street so you can’t just put a no parking sign. To be more certain, check with your local government if it is allowed since different rules apply to different areas.

You might also enjoy our post on How to Stop Neighbors From Parking in My Driveway

What Can I Do If My Neighbor Keeps Parking In Front Of My House?

If a neighbor parking in front of your house is not considered illegal and yet you can’t put up a “No Parking” sign, what is there left to do? How can you stop your neighbor from taking that space?

While there may be several ways to approach the situation, one thing you should keep in mind is to never take matters into your own hands. Understandably, it can be frustrating to come home or wake up to the sight of a neighbor’s car outside.

It’s easy to think about doing something unpleasant such as damaging a neighbor’s vehicle to get back at them. But this will not work and will, in fact, backfire as it could land you in even more trouble for property damage.

The first thing you should do is talk to your neighbors. You have to step up and be the bigger person in the situation. You might not know it but some neighbors don’t realize how their actions inconvenience other people.

Your neighbor might also have a valid reason why he or she likes to (or has to) park outside your house. Offer a listening ear to your neighbor and hear them out. Ultimately, you will arrive at a compromise and everyone will live peacefully.

If proper communication doesn’t work, try considering the scenarios below. Keep in mind these are not guaranteed to produce outcomes that you desire.

• You have the option to call the police and report your neighbor’s actions as anti-social. This, however, is only applicable to owners of vehicles that are in poor condition, indicating either a stolen or abandoned vehicle. If you go this route, expect that you won’t get any quick response as issues like this are usually considered trivial.
• You may also complain about a car parked in front of your property for so long. In this case, you do have the right to report it to the police, especially if you can prove that the vehicle has indeed been abandoned.
• Another option is to file a legal claim for nuisance since your neighbor is basically preventing you from using your own property when they park outside your house. This may be a decent approach but then again, it would be really challenging to get the court to be on your side.

You might also enjoy our post on What to Do if a Neighbor Tried to Open Your Door

Other Ways To Stop Neighbor From Parking Outside Your House

Besides the tips mentioned above, there are various ways in which you can stop your neighbor from taking that spot in front of your house. 

Calling The Police

In cases where you suspect that the car parked outside your house is blocking your driveway or if the parked car blocks other drivers or pedestrians, it’s a good idea to ask help from the police to contact the owner. It is also possible for the car to be towed.

Apply Residents-only Parking

In some instances, the space in front of your house may not be occupied by your neighbor but their friends. 

It would be annoying if this happens on a more regular basis, especially if your neighbor likes to invite friends over. In this case, you can apply for residents-only parking. You may also work with other neighbors who have the same complaints and take the matter up to the city hall.

Different states may have different rules, so check with your local council regarding residents-only parking

Putting Kind Notes

Let’s say you already talked to your neighbor and came to an agreement and you noticed, nothing has changed. You can paste a note on their windshield containing a friendly reminder of what you’ve discussed.

If you go this route, make sure your message is legible and clear. The last thing you want to happen is for you to be misunderstood.

Understanding The Truth

All in all, parking in front of someone’s house may seem rude, which is how people view it but it is perfectly legal. If your neighbor parks in front of your house, he/she is not doing anything wrong. He/she is basically exercising his/her rights to the public parking space.

The best way to deal with it is to live with the fact that anyone can park in front of your house. This should save you the stress of having your day ruined just because someone took your spot.

Talking is always the best way to arrive at an agreement and when you have to talk to your neighbor, do it politely. You can ask your neighbor for a favor to let the space outside your house be reserved for your vehicle. But keep in mind that if the neighbor does let you have the spot, it’s a favor done for you not as a way to make up for their rude behavior.

Conclusion

Parking on the streets is usually a free-for-all case, even in those spots intended only for residents. If you’re not sure what to do, it’s best to check your local laws as there may be inconsistencies as to who can park where.

But generally, the rule states that public streets are just that – they’re public, and they belong to the city. That said, you cannot claim the spot in front of your house as your parking area. You can’t put up signs to discourage your neighbor from parking there, and you certainly can’t report it to the authorities and expect an immediate resolution.

If you are curious about how to keep neighbors from parking in front of your house, then you might be disappointed with the answer. There’s not much you can do but talk with your neighbor and hope that he or she comes around and thinks more about the convenience of other people.