Communal car parking

[oll]

In the estate where I live my house is in a small cul de sac of 9 houses but there are only 14 official car parking spaces. Some of the other houses that were occupied before mine have put up reserved signs for two car places. I know you might say to tell these people to take them down but I was wondering where do I stand legally before I go there. By the way there are approx. 18 cars not including visitors.

 

[Carpenter]

If there is a residents' association this would be the first call but failing that I would approach the local authority- permission would have been granted for the development based on a certain allocation of parking spaces. If these spaces are not available for "visitors" then this could (conceivably) result in people parking on the public road or at road junctions etc- this is certainly something a local authority would want to discourage. Has the development been taken in charge by the local authority?

 

[oll]

I think it has but it is not even the visitors that are the problem, the people who have the signs up sometimes have only one car in "their" places. This is the most annoying thing. I generally have no problem parking as I work shift and come and go at different hours but at weekends it is different

 

[Carpenter]

I think it has but it is not even the visitors that are the problem, the people who have the signs up sometimes have only one car in "their" places. This is the most annoying thing. I generally have no problem parking as I work shift and come and go at different hours but at weekends it is different

It is annoying and more importantly it is wrong! Unless they have legal title to additional spaces they no right to "reserve" them. Perhaps some AAM readers with legal expertise could advise you on a suitable course of action?

 

[mf1]

Do you own or rent? If you rent, what was the deal on parking? Were you told it was communal or were you allocated a space?

If you own - what's the deal in the Deeds? It was either allocated parking or a free for all. If a parking space is allocated in the Deed, its yours. If no space is allocated, its a free for all.

If these people were allocated and paid for the spaces, then they own them and can do what they like. If however they are choosing to "reserve" them because they want to, that is a different issue. Its hard to deal with neighbours in this instance, you are in a much better position if you are sure of your ground.

It definitely sounds like a situation where a Residents Association might be helpful and if not already set up perhaps its time to consider doing that.

mf

 

[Humpback]

What does it say about parking spaces in the documentation relating to the purchase of your house? Is it allocated or unallocated parking spaces?

Unless it specifically states that parking is allocated (whereby you should have been told which particular space is yours), then these people have no right to put up this reserved sign.

Given past experiences where this was an issue (and it can be an extremely touchy issue for some people, and especially I'm guessing people who feel the need to put up "reserved" signs), I'd be very wary about approaching this situation with them at all.

Personally speaking, I would remove the signs in the middle of the night. There's no reason (I'm presuming from above) that they should be there, so there can be no complaints if they're taken down.

Whether or not you park there is one thing, but it does leave it open for other people to park there. You can always give the sign back to them people concerned at a later date so you're not accused of theft. Even post it back to them so they won't know it's you.

(crossed with MF1 above).

 

[Kiddo]

This is the same in our estate...apparently there are 1.5 spaces for each unit...which is a fat lot of good when the majority of units have 2 cars.

 

[oll]

If you own - what's the deal in the Deeds? It was either allocated parking or a free for all. If a parking space is allocated in the Deed, its yours. If no space is allocated, its a free for all.

mf

Own house alright. In deeds as far as I can see is the plot stops at the foothpath between garden and car parking spaces. Thinking of selling the house and worried that any buyer that sees the signs might get frightened off!!!!!

 

[Winnie]

What does it say about parking spaces in the documentation relating to the purchase of your house? Is it allocated or unallocated parking spaces?

Unless it specifically states that parking is allocated (whereby you should have been told which particular space is yours), then these people have no right to put up this reserved sign.

Given past experiences where this was an issue (and it can be an extremely touchy issue for some people, and especially I'm guessing people who feel the need to put up "reserved" signs), I'd be very wary about approaching this situation with them at all.

Personally speaking, I would remove the signs in the middle of the night. There's no reason (I'm presuming from above) that they should be there, so there can be no complaints if they're taken down.

Whether or not you park there is one thing, but it does leave it open for other people to park there. You can always give the sign back to them people concerned at a later date so you're not accused of theft. Even post it back to them so they won't know it's you.

(crossed with MF1 above).

Surely steeling signs would cause more hassle than speaking directly to neighbours!! taking the signs down would be just asking for trouble.........much better to find out the deal first & then discuss in a rational manner .........if this doesnt work then yes you may have to resort to tactics such as removing signs etc but defo not as a first step - you will get their backs up immediately doing that.