Woman Takes Revenge After Finding Car Parked Illegally in Her Private Space
A woman in Manchester was left furious and out of pocket after returning from a trip to find a stranger's car parked in her private parking space, which she legally owns as part of her flat lease. The incident occurred in a city centre area where on-street parking is notoriously expensive, costing £4 per hour.
Private Parking Space Violation Leads to Costly Consequences
The woman, who owns a flat with a designated, numbered parking space in a secure garage requiring fob access, discovered the unknown vehicle upon her return. Initially, she opted to pay for on-street parking for an hour, hoping the car would move, but when it remained, she decided to take action. She parked her own car in front of the offending vehicle, effectively blocking it in, while ensuring it did not obstruct other spaces or movement in the car park.
She explained her reasoning in a post on Mumsnet, stating, "To be clear I own my flat and the parking space is part of my lease and is legally mine. If anyone wishes to use it they would need to have my permission as they would be trespassing otherwise." She left a note on the car and messaged her building's group chat, but received no response, leading her to plan to keep the car blocked in until the owner came forward.
Legal Concerns and Community Response
The situation raised legal questions, as the woman noted it is a civil matter, meaning she could not involve the police. However, she expressed concern that the car owner might call the police on her for blocking them in or potentially damage her car. With the managing agent closed over the weekend, she had limited options for resolution.
In response, Mumsnet users overwhelmingly supported her actions, with 98% voting that she was not being unreasonable. One user advised, "Stay put!" while another suggested, "I don't think the police are going to come to a private car park, with a phone number on the car so that the person can call to be unblocked. It's likely to be a visitor who has misunderstood whose space is whose."
However, some urged caution, with one commenting, "I really feel for you as it's annoying and could be costly for you. But I think you are right about you being in the wrong for blocking them in. And there is a risk they'll damage your car - possibly unlikely though." At the time of her post, the car had been parked for at least three hours, adding to her frustration over the ongoing inconvenience and expense.
