Fair right of access to communal resources question

deepindebtor

Not sure if this is really consumer rights but this is the best place I could see to post this question, forgive me if there is a better place!

I live in a small block of council owned flats that has a communal parking area.

The council has turned a blind eye to the fact that one of the residents has taken measures to restrict access into the communal parking area.

This resident, who is unknown to me at present, has supplied keys to some of the other residents of the block to allow them access to the communal parking area.

A number of the residents are therefore denied access to this shared resource even though there are still unused spaces.

Now, we all pay the same rent, we should all have equal access to the shared resources, that would only be fair.

I am wondering how to approach this with the council to make them wake up and deal with the issue.

The car parking area should ideally be locked off to prevent non-residents from parking but the keys should be held by the council, as they are for every other lock in the building.

Any ideas of what I should do to ensure we are all given equal and fair access to this communal resource?

Polite request: Please only post a reply if you are able to help.

Morty_007

Perhaps you could ask those who have keys who to get one from?? You say they are unknown to you...maybe you are unknown to them too. Why cause a rift by going to the council in the first instance and "telling" on someone who you don't even know the name of!?
(I don't know if this will help, but that what i'm trying to do...)

patman99

Inform the Council. They will remove the lock and if required, fit a new one and give every resident a key.
It could be that the resident is in breach of his/her tenancy by locking-out other tenants from the car park.

deepindebtor

You misunderstand, its a historical thing, I don't know who locked it off originally but I do know it was a current it likely a previous resident.

We have tried to get copies of the key from those that have them now but they refuse.

They are trying to keep what is meant to be shared to themselves, rather.selfish.

Morty_007 wrote: »

Perhaps you could ask those who have keys who to get one from? ? You say they are unknown to you...maybe you are unknown to them too. Why cause a rift by going to the council in the first instance and "telling" on someone who you don't even know the name of!?
(I don't know if this will help, but that what i'm trying to do...)

Zandoni

There's always an angle grinder, think I'd be tempted myself.

4743hudsonj

Put your own lock up......You wont be restricting it anymore to yourself, only to those who are being unreasonable....

They will soon either get onto the council themselves (who will remove BOTH locks) Or see sense and taste their own medicine.

Optimist

How do you know it is a communal parking space ? I would have thought such a thing would be mentioned on your tenancy agreement. Some tenancy's have separate agreements for parking spaces.

Mk14:37

Are you sure that this person isn't the President of the Residents Committee or something like that? Start by tracking them down and getting a key, and if they refuse / you genuinely can't get hold of them, call the council

Freddie_Snowbits

Do what Freddie would do, if I am entitled to park there and the gate is locked, Freddie would block the gate with his Roller!

heretolearn_2

You say the council is turning a blind eye to it - but has anyone ever told them this is happening? I'd just go straight to your housing officer, tell them that someone has blocked it off with a lock (you don't need to tell them who) and ask them to restore full access.

smcaul

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

Do what Freddie would do, if I am entitled to park there and the gate is locked, Freddie would block the gate with his Roller!

to be fair, a Roller (skate) does not block very much does it!