Advice

[peggoula]

Hi there

Looking for advice on something. We live near a main road would prefer not to say where exactly.one of the neighbours constantly goes out of his flat and puts the bins out and blocks parking spaces. As soon as you take them off he hears it and gets out and puts them somewhere else. It is very annoying as parking already difficult. Question is is it illegal? He is a bit intimidating looking and I feel weird approaching him.

[jimlad48]

It is totally illegal - get photo evidence and report it.

[rendelharris]

Yes (says Google): under the Highways Act 1980 it is an offence if "a person deposits any thing whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user of the highway without lawful authority" and the culprit can be charged for any costs of removal. Example being if you need a skip for building works it needs a council permit.

(ETA obviously this is assuming this person is blocking spaces on the public highway - if it's on the grounds of your building that's a matter for your landlords/tenants committee etc)

[peggoula]

Thank you. He is blocking the road, off street parking. Do I report him to the council?

He also regularly throws cigarette butts out of his window into my front yard but doubt I can report him for that!

In general not the loveliest of neighbours....

[malumbu]

Speak to the Rozzers - the community police. They deal with neighbour 'disputes' every day, and from my experience pretty sensitively. You will not be obliged to escalate it, but sometimes they can help sort things out in a reasonably adult way.

Here in Lewisham they are really easy to access and return calls and e-mails. Good luck if you are in Southwark as some of the links and phone numbers may not be current.

[malumbu]

Ditto for local councillors - probably best go to a surgery. http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

[intexasatthe moment]

"He is blocking the road, off street parking." do you mean he puts bins in the road thus blocking access to off street parking ?

[peggoula]

Yes that's exactly what I mean.

Thanks for advice and comments so far.

[JohnL]

peggoula Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thank you. He is blocking the road, off street

> parking. Do I report him to the council?

> He also regularly throws cigarette butts out of

> his window into my front yard but doubt I can

> report him for that!

> In general not the loveliest of neighbours....

Our freeholder/management company holds throwing cigarette butts out

the window as a most evil crime (letters go around)

With us it's usually workers on the roof :)

[robbin]

peggoula Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ...He is blocking the road, off street

> parking...

It is illegal to block the road for on street parking as well. It is a public highway and for the public at large to use - it is not lawful for any one anti-social resident to claim a space as 'theirs'. Unfortunately, there will always be a handful of anti-social neighbours who will do this without any consideration for their community/neighbours.