Parking in many areas of Wealden can be difficult at times. It can also be very frustrating when someone parks in a spot that you like to park in, especially when you cannot then find another space.
Wealden Tenancy & Estates Team recognise this can be frustrating and we often receive calls on this. However, this is not anti-social behaviour, and in most cases not something we would become involved in.
Most parking issues, at most cause inconvenience. They are not something we can enforce, and we would expect neighbour to be respectful of each other in how they park.
Anti-social behaviour involves actions that can cause harm, anxiety and serious disturbance to people and families. For example threats being made or consistent loud music late at night. It is an important distinction that we feel needs to be made and separating the issue gives us more time to concentrate on areas of behaviour that can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of our communities
If a car is parked legally, Wealden cannot take any action. It may cause you inconvenience, but we are unable to assist if a car is parked legally.
Illegal parking includes actions like blocking driveways, parking on double yellow lines, or using spaces meant for disabled drivers without a permit. If someone is parking illegally, for example on double yellow lines, or blocking your driveway, you should in the first instance try and talk to them. If this does not resolve the issue, the police may be able to help.
Talking to your neighbour, if possible, should always be the first step. Often problems can be solved through communicating. If you feel unable to approach them directly, you can contact Wealden team and ask for a good neighbour agreement card. This is a tool that will help you communicate in a non-confrontational way.
Mediation is when a neutral person (from outside WDC) helps two sides talk about a problem to find a solution together. This means a mediator will sit down with neighbours to listen to both sides, help them understand each other, and work out a fair plan that everyone can agree on. This helps people solve the problem peacefully without the situation getting worse. Mediation would require involvement from all parties involved so that an agreement can be put in place for appropriate car parking.