Homeowners have claimed a parking company is trying to charge people to park on their land.

UK Car Park Management has been slammed after erecting half a dozen signs in a private car park and failing to remove them quickly.

Four homes just off Northumberland Road in Maidstone, close to Maplewood Court care home, each have two spaces for parking just behind their properties and were left shocked last week when the parking company put up signs telling people they could park there with a permit.

The signs, which were removed a week later after KentOnline got in touch, told motorists if they do park in the spaces, they risk a fine of £100.

They have been left stressed and anxious about the signs and fear their spaces will be filled up with visitors for the care home or those who live metres away at a Golding Homes site.

Penny Jackson, 73, was at home when she saw a man putting up signs and went outside to challenge him.

The retired grandmother, who is disabled and needs to be able to get a walker out of her car, said: “It gets busy around here especially when they’re visiting the old people’s home.

“I went out Friday morning to pick some shopping up from down the road and when I came back he was out there putting the signs up. He was on his fourth sign. He hadn’t put the one up on the lampost yet.

“I went over and asked what he was doing and he just said he was told to put the signs up even when I told him he was in the wrong place and on private property. He just told me I’d have to take it up with the parking company.

“It took me five goes of ringing them and I spoke to someone who said they understood my frustration and they shouldn’t be up. I told her I’ll go and take them down but she said not to do that in case they were damaged.”

A week on Penny hadn’t heard anything from the company but a neighbour was told UK Car Park Management was “investigating” what had happened.

“One of the neighbours was in a complete panic about it,” she added. “She didn’t believe her husband that they owned the land and weren’t doing anything wrong.

“I’ve sent them other emails now saying they should be paying compensation for the stress they’ve caused and any damage they've done.

“Parking is bad enough with people visiting over the road as they park out the front. If my kids come round to see me they struggle to park. So if any visitors have a permit they’ll think they can come round here and think it’s an overflow car park.

“On Friday, I must’ve spent a whole day trying to get hold of them to sort it, as did my neighbour.”

One of Penny’s neighbour’s had returned off holiday the day after signs were put up and spent the following day trying to get them removed.

She added: “I was absolutely shocked to find what is essentially our private driveways turned into a car park.

“It's been very stressful on and off the phone, sending emails and getting nowhere all the time trying to keep an eye on it to make sure no one parks there.”

Golding Homes spokesman Genette Pinwill, assistant director of tenancy and housing change, said: "The car parking signs near Northumberland Road were put up by mistake by our parking management company CPM.

“We've spoken to CPM were out on Friday afternoon to see our customers and have removed all of the signs. We're sorry for any upset this has caused customers."

UK Car Park Management has been approached for comment.