Advice: Neighbor Parking VERY close to my car on shared driveway

Paint a dividing line and tell him not to cross over

booblehead wrote: ↑ Paint a dividing line and tell him not to cross over

Reminds me of a house I saw a few months ago:



Asked my agent to see what the history was: apparently its been there for longer than the current owners on either side, and both sides were too lazy to take it down

The selling agent said the flowers look nice in the summer time lol

https://juliekinnear.com/blogs/mutual-driveways-toronto

For city of Toronto…
https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebas ... bours.html

Painting a line or anything like is most likely going to escalate things - I would not recommend doing this. Removing the shrubs isn't really going to solve the problem either - If it's not parking, it's going to be something else. Better to address actual problem rather than the symptom.

If it were me, I would go over with peace offering (plant, sweets) and say you feel bad about the disagreement, ask if "bygones can be bygones" (can we move past this, I'd like us to be friends, etc.). It doesn't matter who's right or wrong - the point/goal is to have a amicable relationship to avoid situations like this - this may mean having to swallow your pride (but not to your determent -e.g., if he's being abusive or rude). My biggest advice is being authentic about it - whatever energy you put out there is what you're going to get back. So if you're fake about it a) it's going to be obvious b) it's going backfire. Even if you don't go over there and say anything, whatever energy you put out there (e.g.., thinking or saying bad things about him) is going to dictate the outcome.

Sell and get the hell out. Never buy a house with a shared driveway. My sister constantly has an issue with the next door neighbor in a TH. She plans to eventually sell but not sure where.

jmc111 wrote: ↑ Sell and get the hell out. Never buy a house with a shared driveway. My sister constantly has an issue with the next door neighbor in a TH. She plans to eventually sell but not sure where.

Easier said that done. Lose 5% commission and then have to buy again with wild bidding wars and expensive land transfer taxes.

Solution-either make up with neighbour or live with it.

Majoram wrote: ↑ I have a semidetached home with a shared driveway and a shared garage.
My neighbor and I had a disagreement a couple of years ago.
He used to always park in the garage and I park in the front end of the driveway

Since then he has taken to parking as close as possible to middle of the driveway (on the front end).
His side has at least a couple of feet free.
My side though has very little space.

Now you might think why don't I just park on the back end of the driveway?
Well the way he is parked, it still makes it difficult to get past the bottleneck at the front to get to the garage.

Sooner or later this is going to lead to an insurance issue (which I think is what he is hoping for) with someone's car getting scrapped.

I haven't gone all gung-ho on this because I have a family and if we start a whole me vs him, they will be affected as well.

Any help on what is the law or what I should do would be appreciated.
If you know the specific laws, that would be appreciated to.

Why did you start parking like that in the first place?

I would just sell. I have a share drive way too. The old owner drove a wagon and would park in the garage. This new guy drives a truck and has junk in the garage. He parks like garbage and doesn’t straighten out. This is why I don’t like shared drive ways.

No need to go into a big argument with these people.

Looking at your hood. It looks like trash. Sell it and buy a nicer place.

ichibansan wrote: ↑ Easier said that done. Lose 5% commission and then have to buy again with wild bidding wars and expensive land transfer taxes.

Solution-either make up with neighbour or live with it.

The last place I lived, I had a detached and she was the corner. There was a hedge that went down the property line. She expected me to cut the hedge (80 feet long). It got to the point where she was ripping the hedge and throwing it on my driveway. i ended up calling the police during the sale of the my house. I got the hell out.

As for bidding wars, I think it is starting to calm down now. I see a lot more listings coming on and sitting. Wait until BofC starts raising more....Correction coming.

Bottom line. If you have crappy or inconsiderate neighbors, it's not worth it.

why are both of you parking at the bottom of the driveway like that? just move up a bit, problem solved or drive in with the passenger side near the shrubs. That's a decent size driveway - this shouldn't be an issue

What law you want in place? Not to park too close to you? If you still want to live there i would cut the shrubs and put 2-3 feet of interlock there. You will have more space and can park further away from him. Make sure anything you do is allowed by your bylaw as I am pretty sure he will call the bylaw office if is something off.

I would not want to live to the person like that. Life is too short.

It looks like the plant/shrub has encroached onto OPs driveway. OP probably has lost half a foot from that stuff.

Clean it up and everything will be restored. I hope the argument was unrelated to how you both park. That would be such a travesty.

booblehead wrote: ↑https://juliekinnear.com/blogs/mutual-driveways-toronto

For city of Toronto…
https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebas ... bours.html

Thanks for the links.
That realtor is the one we are using right now to sell the home.

hierophant wrote: ↑Painting a line or anything like is most likely going to escalate things - I would not recommend doing this. Removing the shrubs isn't really going to solve the problem either - If it's not parking, it's going to be something else. Better to address actual problem rather than the symptom.

If it were me, I would go over with peace offering (plant, sweets) and say you feel bad about the disagreement, ask if "bygones can be bygones" (can we move past this, I'd like us to be friends, etc.). It doesn't matter who's right or wrong - the point/goal is to have a amicable relationship to avoid situations like this - this may mean having to swallow your pride (but not to your determent -e.g., if he's being abusive or rude). My biggest advice is being authentic about it - whatever energy you put out there is what you're going to get back. So if you're fake about it a) it's going to be obvious b) it's going backfire. Even if you don't go over there and say anything, whatever energy you put out there (e.g.., thinking or saying bad things about him) is going to dictate the outcome.

You are right. And when this crap first started, I did apologize because it was bothering my wife a lot and he started telling her the kids can't play on his side etc.
His response to that was to file a complaint with the city.
We are going to try an arbitrator for now.

jmc111 wrote: ↑Sell and get the hell out. Never buy a house with a shared driveway. My sister constantly has an issue with the next door neighbor in a TH. She plans to eventually sell but not sure where.

And that is what we are doing.

CanadianLurker wrote: ↑ Why did you start parking like that in the first place?

Various reasons. First one. He liked park at the back end of the driveway or in his garage.
One day my kid opened the door and bumped his car. I told him about it and said I would pay for it.
He said never mind. Then he blamed all the other scratches on his door on my kids.
My kids don't play in the driveway alone and they can't open the doors unless I am there (FOB key). So I know they didn't make those extra marks.

Second: I had intended to take up some woodworking hubby and have too much stuff in the garage.

Third: Parking my car in the front driveway kept my car away from his and also a bit of a "do not cross" line for the kids not to go past.

blexann wrote: ↑ why are both of you parking at the bottom of the driveway like that? just move up a bit, problem solved or drive in with the passenger side near the shrubs. That's a decent size driveway - this shouldn't be an issue

See above. Even if I "move up", it's the same issue of getting past his car in the front of the driveway. Sometimes it's either I scratch my car or I scratch his.

Majoram wrote: ↑
See above. Even if I "move up", it's the same issue of getting past his car in the front of the driveway. Sometimes it's either I scratch my car or I scratch his.

I checked the pictures, don't back in. Your lawn/bush...etc sticks out so there's not alot of room for you on the drivers side. Go in front first and hug the lawn - problem solved. I mean what are your options?

...your other option is widen your driveway if bylaws allow it

blexann wrote: ↑ ...your other option is widen your driveway if bylaws allow it

If I was not moving, I would do that.
There are literal boulders to move if I got rid of the shrubs and extended my driveway that way.

blexann wrote: ↑ I checked the pictures, don't back in. Your lawn/bush...etc sticks out so there's not alot of room for you on the drivers side. Go in front first and hug the lawn - problem solved. I mean what are your options?

Then the drivers side is near the middle and I wont be able to get out without scratching his car.