AITA for not allowing my neighbours to use my extra parking spot and telling them to get lost?

A Reddit user shared a story where their neighbors requested to use their extra parking spot for a few days while hosting relatives. The Redditor refused, and the neighbors went ahead and parked in the spot anyway, resulting in their car being clamped by building management. They are now demanding the Redditor pay the $100 fee to release the clamp.

The Redditor’s refusal stems from a previous incident where the neighbors had refused to help with their Wi-Fi, which caused the Redditor to miss a deadline. In response to the neighbors’ demands, the Redditor told them to “get lost.” Some friends suggest the Redditor apologize to defuse the situation, but they are unsure if they should. For the full story, read below…

‘ AITA for not allowing my neighbours to use my extra parking spot and telling them to get lost?’

I have 2 parking spots that belong to my unit. I often have family/friends come over a lot so it was easier to pay the extra for an additional spot than having them park blocks away and walk all the way to my condo. For clarification, I already have 1 spot by default, I pay for an additional one.

Long story short, my neighbours asked me if they could use the spot from Friday morning till Sunday evening because they had relatives coming over for a short stay. I said no, but they went ahead and let their relatives park in it anyway. I called management the moment I noticed it on Friday when I was on my way to work and management clamped the car immediately, so the neighbours had to fork out 100 bucks to have it unclamped.

They banged on my door the moment I got home from work in the evening and cussed me out for calling management and having their car clamped. They are now repeatedly demanding I pay them the 100 bucks they spent to unclamp the car.

The one and ONLY reason I said no to them was because a few months ago, when I was trying to submit something before a really close deadline, my wifi stopped working and when I asked them if I could just borrow theirs for a few minutes so I could submit my work, they said no and shut the door on me.

By the time I got in my car and drove to a nearby cafe, I missed the deadline. They just knocked on my door again today to bring it up again and I told them to f**k off and get lost during our heated argument, which has made them even angrier.

My train of thought here is that they didn’t help me out, so why should I help them out? They’re even more upset because other neighbours have used my additional parking spot before (with my permission) so they don’t understand why they weren’t given the same treatment. My friends think I should apologise here and try to defuse the situation as to not escalate the issue any further and cause more tension.

AITA here for being petty in the first place, as well as telling them to f**k off? Should I apologise?

See what others had to share with OP:

lostalldoubt86 −  NTA But you should tell them why they can’t use the spot. It will keep them from asking again.

pixie-ann −  NTA my experience is that once you are kind to someone and let them use your car park once, they start feeling entitled to it and use it whenever they feel like it and “forget” to ask you. If you aren’t careful you wind up having to ask others when you need to use your own damn car park.

Start out as you mean to continue. Don’t let them use the car park. You did the right thing by reporting them because now they know you won’t tolerate them taking advantage of you.

East_Parking8340 −  The parking space is yours, you ‘bought’ it. Why they think they have a right to your piece or real estate is beyond me, especially when you declined their request and they have a history of denying yours. It is entirely up to you to whom you lend the space.

When they let their guest use it they will have known what the possible penalty would be and you have no responsibility (moral or legal) to pay the fine. I would suggest, however, you check your vehicle as they are likely to get their $100 back by damaging yours.. NTA

Saberise −  Twice I let neighbors use my unused parking spot at two different apartments . Twice the neighbors refused to give it back when I needed it. Zero chances I would ever agree to it again.

CommunityGreat9255 −  NTA. They asked. You denied. End of story. If they wanted to be dicks, then FAFO. Your friends are wrong. You have nothing to apologize for. And the only way you could “defuse” the situation is by rewarding boorish behavior. It would not be wise to do that.

wizardjesta −  Your friends are dumb as f**k lmao.

babydemon90 −  NTA, but only because of the WiFi situation. In a normal neighborly environment, if you aren’t using it then yea it’d be cool to share – but which you already know since you do let others. But if they started the being a d**k with not sharing the WiFi, then they’re the ones that initiated the no sharing policy, so I’d have no issues with not sharing either.

Beautiful_Sweet_8686 −  NTA your friends are AHs just like your neighbor. If they are not neighborly to you why should you be to them. Have they apologized to you for parking in your spot after you already told them no? Whats their justification for parking in your spot other than because they thought they were entitled to it? They can pay for an extra spot just like you do, welp I sorta guess they already have though lol.

WhereWeretheAdults −  NTA. They asked, you said no, they did it anyway. You don’t owe them an explanation. You certainly don’t owe them any money. They are the ones who should be apologizing.

icybunnybaby −  NTA. This is a parking spot you pay for so it’s yours. You are not obligated to share. They weren’t given the same treatment because they didn’t ask permission and used it anyways resulting to n consequences. Other neighbours asked.