A man woke up one morning and was shocked to discover that a complete stranger had parked on his driveway for days.
Imagine waking up to find a stranger’s car parked on your driveway—for four whole days.
That’s exactly what happened to Zekarias Haile, a homeowner living near Manchester Airport.
Man spotted stranger’s car left on his family’s driveway
Zekarias Haile, a 51-year-old engineering lecturer, lives with his wife and two children in Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe.
One morning, he discovered a car parked on his private driveway.
The vehicle, left by unknown holidaymakers, remained there for four days, blocking access to his garden and bins.
“I just went out, and it was there,” Haile told the *Manchester Evening News*. “Then it stayed Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. On Monday morning, it was gone.”
Police say no action can be taken after the incident
Frustrated, Haile contacted the police. However, they informed him that since his car, parked on the road, wasn’t blocked, they couldn’t intervene.
“I was very angry but resisted doing anything to the car—just,” Haile said. “It didn’t feel right. We couldn’t access our garden, and we couldn’t take out our bins.”
Haile suspected the car belonged to a rogue parking company operating near Manchester Airport.
These companies allegedly offer meet-and-greet services but park vehicles in residential areas instead of secure lots.
Manchester Airport responded to the incident
A neighbor informed Haile that the driver was wearing a high-visibility jacket, further fueling his suspicions.
“There are rogue parking firms claiming to offer meet-and-greet services, but they just park in our area,” Haile explained. “It’s a violation of my private property. My worry now is that it will happen again.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police stated that the incident wasn’t a criminal offense.
Homeowners could, however, approach the council and take civil action.
Manchester Airport condemned the actions of rogue operators, stating: “We categorically do not condone these practices, including those falsely implying cars are parked in secure locations. These activities blight surrounding communities.”
The airport vowed to continue working with local authorities and police to combat these issues and address residents’ concerns.
As travel resumes post-pandemic, incidents like this highlight the challenges homeowners face living near busy airports.
Haile’s experience underscores the need for stricter regulations to protect residential areas from rogue parking firms.
For homeowners in similar situations, contacting local councils and pursuing civil action might be the best solution to defend their property rights.