When a driver says the parking space does not fit: host response
Vehicle-fit problems are usually cheaper to prevent than to resolve at the gate. A host should describe the usable route, not only the painted rectangle: width at the narrowest point, turning space, height, slope, gate opening, and obstacles all affect whether a car can arrive safely.
Compare facts before assigning blame
Read the listing, booking details, vehicle information, photos, and messages together. Check whether the driver’s car matches the stated limits and whether a new obstacle, open door, roof box, or different entrance changes the manoeuvre. Ask for a factual description or photo only when it is safe and appropriate; never ask a driver to keep trying a turn that risks a wall, another car, a person, or public traffic.
Stop at the safe boundary
If the vehicle cannot enter without scraping, blocking a gate, mounting a pavement, or reversing into danger, the correct instruction is to stop in a legal place and communicate. Do not ask the driver to remove a safety feature, force a gate, leave the car partly across the road, or use a neighbouring bay. Follow the current booking support, change, and cancellation terms rather than inventing a resolution in the moment.
Improve the listing after the incident
Measure the complete route again and record the narrowest point. Add a photo from the driver’s approach, a simple vehicle-size note, the height limit, the turning instruction, and the condition that makes the space unsuitable. The dimensions and vehicle-fit guide and listing-writing guide help turn the lesson into useful public information.
Pause future availability until the description is accurate. If the space really works only for small cars, say that clearly. Honest limits reduce the number of enquiries, but they increase the chance that the next confirmed driver can complete the arrival without a dispute.