A solicitor has outlined the legal position for homeowners frustrated by others parking outside their properties, emphasising that the road is public highway and no one has an automatic right to the space in front of their house.
Speaking on BBC's Morning Live, solicitor Gary Rycroft explained that while owning or renting a home gives you rights to the property itself, it does not extend to the road outside. 'You don't own or rent the road in front of your house. That is the public highway, and the clue is in the name. It's for the public,' he said.
Rycroft warned against using cones or wheelie bins to reserve a parking space, stating that doing so could constitute an offence under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980. 'You are blocking the public highway. You might be liable to a fine or a penalty charge notice or even imprisonment,' he added.
He conceded one exception: if a child is getting married and needs space for a wedding car, a cone might be acceptable for that single event. For private parking areas like flats, the rules are governed by the lease, which should be consulted.
The RAC confirms that parking outside someone's house is legal unless the vehicle blocks a driveway, is over a dropped kerb, or contravenes local restrictions such as double yellow lines or residents' permits. Councils can act if a car on the public highway blocks access from a driveway, but not if the obstruction is on private property.
