Dear RG, 

We own a house in the city and all the neighbors park their cars from across the street in front of ours and even leave them there for a week. Police do nothing. There is no reason for this. 

And when we complain, we look bad. 

We live in a house and can’t even park in front of it. And we can’t park in front of theirs because they have their other cars parked there. 

Our house is the first place everyone comes to…. I swear u would think the spots in front of my house is gold. It’s like this all the time. 

How do u get rid of inconsiderate & ignorant neighbors? I’m trying to get my husband to sell the house. It’s ridiculous. 

Any ideas??

Hi J, 

It’s next to impossible to get people to stop parking on the street, especially if the police will do nothing about it. Of course, the police don’t issue parking tickets, the city does. 

The first thing you need to do is check with the bylaw office and see what the street parking rules are for your street. There may be some enforcement rules you can use to your advantage. 

Of course, then everyone on the street will hate you and could escalate things, but your own peace of mind comes first, am I right or am I right? The next thing I’d do is get some old furniture and park it right on the curb, let it sit there. Block anyone getting out on that side of the car. Frustrate the hell out of them. 

Old sofas and mattresses are easy to find that don’t cost a lot. Put up yard signs on the curb that say “Poison: Pesticide spray, do not walk here” in bright colors. Give people something to think about. 

Water the area all the time. Keep it wet and gross. Of course, moving will solve this issue but you may be in for worse things later. Stalk your new neighborhood, interview the neighbors, make sure your next place is as friendly as it can be. 

Good luck! RG