Our drive is so tight we can’t even get out of the car!
THEIR car isn’t exactly huge. But compared to the size of their drive, it might as well be an HGV.
For Paul and Zena Jones’s parking space is so narrow they find it almost impossible to squeeze out safely.
They have branded the situation ‘absolutely ridiculous’ after first complaining to the builders of their new estate way back in March.
The couple’s only options are to park so close to the boundary wall that they risk scraping their car, or to clamber out over their seats through the boot.
‘It’s been five months now,’ Mrs Jones said. ‘We’ve had people look at it three times, yet we’re getting nowhere. All we want is a bit of communication. We keep being passed from pillar to post.’
Taylor Wimpey, developer of the Fore Meadows estate in Great Barr, West Midlands, has admitted its error when building the driveway. Mrs Jones added: ‘I don’t think they know what to do with it.
‘You have to take three inches off because of the electricity box so, really it is 86in wide. We’ve been measuring driveways on the estate, with next door’s measuring 110in wide. I know the Government requirements now off by heart. At Asda and Tesco, for example, parking spaces must be at least 94in.’ The couple moved into the house, for which they paid £90,000, in February – and have been unhappy with the after-care service offered by Taylor Wimpey. Mrs Jones said: ‘The lack of communication is shocking. It’s like they take your money and run.
‘We spent six weeks living in my brother-in-law’s garage because we kept having our move-in date delayed. We’ve paid all of this money and we’ve got a driveway we can’t even use.’
A Taylor Wimpey spokesman said: ‘We are in regular contact with the customer and are working collaboratively to resolve any issues.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience which may have been caused, and hope to come to a mutually-agreeable conclusion at the soonest possibility.’