Car park under seige - advice appreciated

garnelle

My mother lives in a development of 100 flats next to a main line station and many offices. It is a 60's development with limited parking spaces. The car park is continously used by individuals with no connection to the development.This leaves no space for the residents - who pay for the parking - to park. When challenged their reaction is very much one of "there,s nothing you can do to stop me parking here". There are cars parked from anything from one hour to three weeks - being 15 minutes by train to an airport. The managing agent has gained details of offending cars via DVLA and written to the registered keepers. Again the attitude is as described previously. The residents have no desire to turn the property into a prison with gates, rising bollards,clampers and gate personel. The cost would be impossible - service charges already being high and they have no wish to fence themselves into a prison. Finally my question is why do the neighbouring houses who have no security measures have no problem parkers but the my mother and her fellow residents do? What can they do to enjoy the same security of parking - as their neighbours -for the same cost ie nothing? Any advice much appreciated

muckybutt

My advice would be for the residents to buy gummed lables as large as possible and to stick them right over the drivers line of sight with wording such as private residence parking do not park here again, cant be seen as criminal damage as you are not damaging the car, the damage if any would be done by the driver removing the said label, a traffic officer told me to do that when my step father was plagued by drivers leaving their cars on his private property

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Clamping firm.

DaveF327

It's sad to say, but the cheapest "solution" to the residents is to contract one of the dreaded PPCs to put up signs then ticket and clamp offenders. I'm aware there's a whole sub-forum dedicated to the criticism of these companies (not to mention the horror stories of their inflexibility and alienation of the very motorists they're mean to benefit), but the cost to the landowners / residents really is minimal as they make all their money from transgressors.

That's exactly what happened at the car park where I live. The place was under siege from a company over the road which kept dumping their cars on our land leaving us to fight over the few remaining spaces. We complained, the management company looked into solutions (including gates) then plumped for the cheapest option of using National Clamps. Now we have a situation where our visitors can't park without fear of a ticket or a clamp, and even residents who forgot to swap permits between cars have been ticketed, but at least we can park our cars now as the car park is half empty, so the scheme does work up to a point.

wazza

I would just let the air out of their tyres.


Then happen to walk by when the owner comes back and offer him a use of my tyre compressor for a small fee. Might as well profit from it.

Worse come to worse employ a private clamping firm.

mcjordi

although i hate to say it

CLAMPERS.. and tow companies

custardy

garnelle wrote: »

My mother lives in a development of 100 flats next to a main line station and many offices. It is a 60's development with limited parking spaces. The car park is continously used by individuals with no connection to the development.This leaves no space for the residents - who pay for the parking - to park. When challenged their reaction is very much one of "there,s nothing you can do to stop me parking here". There are cars parked from anything from one hour to three weeks - being 15 minutes by train to an airport. The managing agent has gained details of offending cars via DVLA and written to the registered keepers. Again the attitude is as described previously. The residents have no desire to turn the property into a prison with gates, rising bollards,clampers and gate personel. The cost would be impossible - service charges already being high and they have no wish to fence themselves into a prison. Finally my question is why do the neighbouring houses who have no security measures have no problem parkers but the my mother and her fellow residents do? What can they do to enjoy the same security of parking - as their neighbours -for the same cost ie nothing? Any advice much appreciated

when i lived in a similar development we got a private parking company in.

costs for sign age of course but after that they only came round once a week or so
if theres parking nearby you may only have to have the company 'onsite' for a few months
after a few tickets went out the problem eased a lot

garnelle

Thanks for advice. The sticky labels/tyre deflation options are not practical. The generally elderly reidents are intimidated by the individuals concerned - and understandably feel they shouldn't have to resort to such tactics on their own private land. Secondly the selfish individuals who "steal" other peoples right to park are all too well aware of the meaningless status of private parking "tickets" and would view them for the joke that they are. And finally the option of letting loose the clampers would not work due to the number of visitors, carers, meals on wheels etc who park on the site. As Dave F327 says it turns a pleasant place to live into one where friends/relatives fear to park. As I originally asked why are private houses not blighted by these arrogant and selfish individuals? Is there legeslation that could be used?

custardy

garnelle wrote: »

Thanks for advice. The sticky labels/tyre deflation options are not practical. The generally elderly reidents are intimidated by the individuals concerned - and understandably feel they shouldn't have to resort to such tactics on their own private land. Secondly the selfish individuals who "steal" other peoples right to park are all too well aware of the meaningless status of private parking "tickets" and would view them for the joke that they are. And finally the option of letting loose the clampers would not work due to the number of visitors, carers, meals on wheels etc who park on the site. As Dave F327 says it turns a pleasant place to live into one where friends/relatives fear to park. As I originally asked why are private houses not blighted by these arrogant and selfish individuals? Is there legeslation that could be used?

it seems you are expecting a miracle answer? you have had pretty much all the options listed
theres nothing to stop (with a bit of organisation) carers,meals on wheels etc getting parking permits before any parking enforcement comes into place

DaveF327

garnelle wrote: »

As I originally asked why are private houses not blighted by these arrogant and selfish individuals?

Because private houses don't have spacious off road car parks which are attractive to commuters.

Is there legeslation that could be used?

Only the "law of contract" which is much ridiculed on this forum.

custardy wrote: »

theres nothing to stop (with a bit of organisation) carers,meals on wheels etc getting parking permits before any parking enforcement comes into place

Oh, yes there is. Management companies who just don't care. I (and various residents) have asked for duplicate permits for visitors etc. but these have been flatly denied on the flimsiest of excuses (one being that it "wouldn't be in the PPC's interest to penalise bona fide vistors as it would jeopardise their contract."). The PPC themselves won't issue permits, even to known residents as they pass you on to the landowner.

MUMMYTO2BOYS

Clampers and publicity.

They won't clamp every car that comes in, only the people who don't visit the flats.