Neighbor Keeps Parking in My Spot (This Made Them Stop)

Coming home late at night to find your neighbor’s car in your parking spot again can be extremely frustrating. You want to reclaim your spot but you don’t know exactly what you should do when your neighbor keeps parking in your spot.

If your neighbor keeps parking in your spot, you should start by leaving them a friendly yet firm note on their car asking them to park somewhere else. If this does not work, you can contact your landlord, property manager, HOA, or, as a last resort, a towing company.

As we mentioned, there is a process of steps you should take before either contacting the authorities or a towing company. We will guide you through these steps whether you live in an apartment building or a detached house. Get ready to reclaim your land back!

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If You Live in an Apartment or Condo Building

It is more likely that you have an official assigned parking spot if you live in an apartment or condo building compared to living in a house. So, if this is you, you’re in luck! Read on to find your justice. 

Someone Keeps Parking in My Assigned Spot

If someone keeps parking in your parking spot, you should start by leaving them a friendly note stating that the parking spot they are parked in actually belongs to you. 

It is possible that the person parked in your spot is completely unaware that the spot actually belongs to you.

Therefore, before you take any other drastic measures, you should leave them a note on their window that states that this parking spot is specifically assigned to you. 

My Neighbor Keeps Parking in My Spot

If your neighbor keeps parking in your spot, you can either visit your neighbor directly, since you know where they live or leave them a note on their window. The note should state that they are parked in your spot without your permission. 

When you know it is your neighbor parking in your spot, this is actually an advantage for you since you do not have to do the detective work to find out who the culprit is.

You can visit your neighbor and let them know that they are parked in your spot. Hopefully, they will let you know that this was a complete mistake and that they won’t do it again.

But, sometimes we don’t get so lucky.

If you do not feel like visiting your neighbor in person, you can leave them a friendly note on their window saying you would like them to not park in your spot anymore. 

Do I Own My Parking Spot?

Whether you own the apartment or condo that you live in or you are renting, typically a parking spot will be assigned to you. This parking spot will be in writing either on your lease or in a specific document that you received when you bought the apartment.

Therefore, that parking spot is only yours. You have the right to that parking spot legally because it is in writing on legal documents, such as your lease.

Only you are allowed to use that parking spot and if you want to let someone else use it, you have to put it in writing. 

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

Is My Neighbor Technically Allowed to Park in My Spot?

Your neighbor is not technically allowed to park in your spot. Your parking spot is specifically assigned to you, and you only. The only way your neighbor is allowed to use your spot is if you gave them permission. 

When you live in an apartment, typically a parking spot is assigned to you. The parking spot belongs to the building and therefore your neighbor is not allowed to use it. 

If your neighbor lives in the apartment building, they should have their own parking spot. If they live outside of the apartment building, they are still not allowed to use the parking spot since it belongs to the building. 

How Do I Tell That My Parking Spot Is Assigned to Me?

To find legal proof that your parking spot actually belongs to you, you should check your lease. Typically there will be a specific parking spot that is assigned to you which is written on the lease, making it official.

If you own your apartment, your parking spot will be in writing somewhere in the documents that outline your property. 

If you are unsure of where it is written, you can call the real estate lawyer that you used while purchasing your apartment.

What Do You Do When Someone Keeps Parking in Your Spot?

When someone keeps parking in your spot, you should first start by leaving them a friendly note letting them know that this spot is yours and you would like them to stop parking there. 

Hopefully, it was an innocent mistake and the person will stop parking there. But, sometimes this is not always the case.

If you have to, you can inform either your landlord or your property management to let them know of the situation. They will likely know who owns the car and will inform them that they are not allowed to park there. 

Note for Someone Parking in Your Spot

Leaving a note for someone who is parked in your spot, is the most courteous way you can go about the situation. Your note should be polite and non-confrontational yet should clearly state what you want. 

Here is a great example of a note you can write:

Hi there,

I hope this note finds you well. I am writing to you because, unfortunately, your car is parked in my spot. This specific parking spot was assigned to me when I rented/bought my apartment. If you could please not park here again, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for understanding. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Take care,

{Your name}

[Your number}

{Your signature}

Place the note under the car’s windshield wiper. Be sure to take a photo of the note in case you need to escalate the situation further. 

You might also enjoy our post on How to Stop Neighbors From Parking in Front of My House

How Do You Tell Someone Not to Park in Your Space?

If you know who is parking in your spot, you should pay them a visit during daylight hours. Or, try to catch them in a common area near your apartment building, for example near a garbage chute or in the lobby. 

Approach the situation lightly and friendly. Although it may be awkward, it is necessary. Let them know that you think they may have accidentally parked in your spot.

Give them a chance to respond and, hopefully, apologize. 

If they give you a hard time, give them a hard time back but without escalating the situation.

Always stay calm. Let them know that that spot is specifically assigned to you and you can prove it in your lease or property declaration.

Can I Ask Someone to Move Their Car From My Spot?

You have every right to ask someone to move their car from your spot. Just ensure that you are doing this at an appropriate time and in an appropriate manner. 

If you come home at, for example, midnight, and you find someone is parked in your spot, you should wait to deal with the situation until the morning. 

Knocking on someone’s door late at night can be seen as invasive and should be avoided.

If it is an appropriate time of the day, you can knock on the person’s door and ask them to move their car.

Let them know that that parking spot is assigned to you and that you would like to be able to park there. 

How to Prevent Someone From Parking in Your Spot

If someone parked in your spot and is not getting the message that you don’t want them there, you can ask your landlord or property management to put up reserved signs on your parking spot. 

If you own your apartment or condo, you can put up the “reserved” signs yourself. Play some on the wall behind your parking spot. Since you own your parking spot this is legal.

Just be sure to get permission from the company of your apartment building first.

How to Block a Parking Spot

To block a parking spot you can either use pylons or no parking floor signs. Place any of these items within your parking spot but not too close to the edge of the parking spot.

It is important not to place these items too close to the end of your parking spot because they could interfere with traffic. Placing them in the middle of your parking spot is an ideal location for them. 

Before you do this, though, you should check with the company of your apartment building to make sure that this is allowed.

Explain to them that you are dealing with someone who keeps parking in your spot and you are trying to deal with it yourself so they don’t have to get towed.

Who Can I Talk to About Someone Parking in My Spot?

To help you resolve your parking spot issue, you can speak to your landlord, if you are renting, or the apartment/condo manager, if you own your unit.

When you speak to either your landlord or apartment manager, they will hopefully assist you in this situation.

They may either talk to the person who is parked in your spot themselves if they know who it is or simply call a tow truck. 

What Happens if Someone Parks in Your Spot?

When someone parks in your spot at the worst, they will be towed. But, if you want to deal with the situation yourself, you can either leave them a note or visit them in person explaining your concerns. 

Your parking spot is specifically assigned to you so they do not have any right to park there. If you have already tried speaking to them about the situation and they continue to park there, you can have their car towed. 

If You Live in a Detached House

So, if you live on a public road without an HOA, we are sorry to say that you do not own your parking spot.

But, if you have an HOA in your neighborhood and have an assigned parking spot, then there are several steps you can take to reclaim your parking spot. 

Do I Own My Parking Spot in Front of My House?

In most cases, the parking spot in front of your house is on a public street and, therefore, you do not own it. However, in some neighborhoods, there is an HOA that designates parking spots for your house.

Therefore, if you are specifically assigned a parking spot on your street, then it is only assigned to you and your neighbor cannot park there.

But, if you have been using the same parking spot for years on a public street, that parking spot still does not technically belong to you. 

You might also enjoy our post on If Your Neighbor Hit Your Parked Car

How Can I Stop My Neighbor From Parking in My Spot in Front of My House?

If you know who is parking in front of your house, you should first let them know about your concern. If they do not care, you can contact your HOA or a tow truck company.

If you live on a street with assigned parking spots and your neighbor keeps taking your spot, follow these steps to justice:

1. Leave a note on the car informing your neighbor that this spot is specifically assigned to you.
2. Visit your neighbor in person and let them know that they are still parking in your spot and you would like to be able to park there.
3. If they still don’t move, inform them you will have to contact the HOA.
4. Contact the HOA if your neighbor is still parking in your spot.
5. If the HOA does not do anything, inform your neighbor that you will call a tow truck company.
6. Call the tow truck company and have their car removed.

Keep in mind that these steps only apply if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA that has specially assigned you a parking spot and it is written in your lease or ownership documents. 

If your street is public, unfortunately, you do not technically own your parking spot and anyone is free to park there. 

Can You Have a Car Towed for Parking in Front of Your House

If the car parked in front of your house is in your assigned parking spot, you can absolutely have the car towed. However, this option should be your last resort.

If you have done everything to try and get your neighbor to stop parking in your spot you have every right to call a tow truck on them. 

You have done your due diligence and acted as a kind and courteous neighbor by giving them a chance to park somewhere else. It is not your fault if they choose to not listen.

Go ahead and call the tow truck company.

Is It Rude to Park in Front of Your Neighbor’s House?

Parking in front of your neighbor’s house, especially in their parking spot, is certainly not going to get you any brownie points in the neighborhood. Even if they do not own the parking spot, it is still not typical to park in front of your neighbor’s house.

You should only park in front of your neighbor’s house if it is absolutely necessary; For example, there are no parking spots left on your street. 

Parking in front of your neighbor’s house, especially when there are plenty of other parking spots, can cause your neighbor to feel uncomfortable.

Your neighbor has a right to their privacy and having your car directly in front of their house can take that privacy away.

The Legalities of Parking Spots

Now that we have determined what you can do whether you live in a condo or a house, let’s discuss the legal side of parking spots. Remember that you should only involve the police as a last resort. 

Can You Legally Stop Someone From Parking in Your Spot?

If your parking spot is specifically assigned to you and it is written in your lease or homeowners documents, you may have some legal rights to stop someone from parking in your spot. 

Some neighborhoods have an HOA that assigns parking spots to homeowners or renters. 

If your assigned parking spot is in writing on some form of legal documents, such as a lease, you do have some rights when it comes to taking legal action. 

However, it is not guaranteed that the police will act on the matter very fast. Instead, you should try contacting your HOA first, and then a tow truck company.

You will have to prove to the tow truck company that you legally own the parking spot. 

Who Is Responsible for Illegal Parking?

Your city’s parking enforcement unit is responsible for dealing with illegal parking situations. You can call them if your neighbor is illegally parking in your spot and they may issue a parking fine to your neighbor. 

You can report illegal parking in your city by either calling 311, the local police station, reporting it on a 311 app, or filling out a form on your city’s website.

For example, if you live in New York City, you can fill out this illegal parking form and a local police officer will respond when they are not handling emergency situations. 

You might also enjoy our post on What to Do When There Is a Suspicious Car in Front of Your House

How Do I Report Illegal Parking?

Thanks to technology, there are many ways to report illegal parking these days. You can either do it through your city’s app, website, call 311, or call your local police station. 

Major cities typically have a 311 app that you can download. Through this app, you can report illegal parking.

If you do not have the app, you can simply access your city’s website through your smartphone and fill out an illegal parking form.

You can also dial 311 which will put you through to your city’s informational center and report the parking through them or you can call your local police station. 

What Is Nuisance Parking?

Nuisance parking is when someone illegally parks on private land or property without the owner’s permission. This could involve parking on a private driveway or parking space. 

Nuisance parking is a term mainly used in the United Kingdom. It is essentially the equivalent of a parking violation in the United States. It holds the perpetrator responsible for illegally parking somewhere.

Can My Neighbor Get a Parking Ticket for Parking in My Spot?

If your neighbor is parking in your assigned parking spot, it is possible that they could receive a parking ticket for committing a parking violation.

The cost of the ticket will depend on which city you live in and what the officer thinks is fair. They also may be let off with a warning if it is their first violation.

For example, in Los Angeles, it is around $35 for an illegal parking ticket. 

Can I Report Inconsiderate Parking?

If your neighbor is parking in your parking spot but the spot is not technically assigned to you, you may not be able to report the inconsiderate parking to the authorities.

However, if your neighbor is taking up more than one parking spot or has part of their vehicle in the way of traffic, then you could report this.

But, you cannot report them for just taking up your unofficial parking spot since it is not legally yours.

Related Questions

Can I Damage a Car Parked on My Property?

You are not allowed to damage a car that is parked on your property. You can have the car towed but you cannot vandalize it. Since the car is legally not yours you would be committing a crime if you damaged that car. 

Just because someone else’s property is now on your property does not automatically make their property yours. Would you harm your neighbor because they illegally came onto your property? Probably not. 

Is It Illegal to Park in Front of Your Driveway?

You can get charged with private nuisance if you park in front of someone’s driveway. As long as you are obstructing the enjoyment of their private property, it is considered a nuisance. 

Apart from being illegal, it can be dangerous for the homeowner to have their driveway blocked. The homeowner needs to be able to get out of their driveway in case of an emergency.

Also, people need to be able to get into the driveway in case of an emergency.

As long as you are obstructing the driveway, you can be held liable. 

Final Thoughts

We hope by now that you have all the information needed to peacefully reclaim your parking spot. 

Remember to approach the situation in a calm and friendly manner but do not let your neighbor walk all over you. Do enforce further action if need be.