So how do we deter unwanted parking?

Stroma

The only way to do it investment to protect the parking spot, you can buy parking posts for about £50 each. But it's very difficult to advise what to do as we don't know the lay of the land. You could try various different things but most will involve an outlay of money. It depends on how much value people have of their parking space, if they invest nothing then that is how much value they have of it.

Guys_Dad

The trouble with chain is, that if they are padlocked, how do visitors , mail and delivery services etc get in. If unlocked, not really a deterrent to anyone and a nuisance to all residents.

And there are some sites where parking posts just wouldn't work. (Nose to nose parking if the space opposite hasn't put their post in, just one example)

I don't have an answer, but I know that £100 penalties (for that is what they are) are NOT the answer.

spacey2012

The problem is, if you bring in a Parking parasite they see the tenants as the prey.
Management are keen as they get a cut of the scam money and most are self ticketing packs with the local Norris Cole given £10 everyone that pays up,

Guys_Dad

spacey2012 wrote: »

The problem is, if you bring in a Parking parasite they see the tenants as the prey.
Management are keen as they get a cut of the scam money and most are self ticketing packs with the local Norris Cole given £10 everyone that pays up,

Spacey - we agree at last (at least on this) :beer::beer:

BobQ

still_here wrote: »

While I applaud efforts to defend motorists against dubious anti-parking procedures, there is another side to the coin. We are a non-commercial company that manages a small block of flats with parking facilities for the residents. Unfortunately it is an area where parking for the public is in short supply and we think it reasonable to discourage strangers from parking in the surrounding private land. Genuine visitors are welcome. We ask the flat being visited to provide a display disk in the visitor's vehicle. Commercial visitors are welcome. How do we deter the rest? I notice Tesco Express had a big sign on their wall saying, "By parking here you agree to pay us £50 if you park for longer than 30 minutes". That seemed reasonable to me.

Yes you seem the sort of person who thinks that just because you are fit enough to nip into Tesco and out in 30 minutes everyone else can. You make no allowance for disability and the length of the queue. I stopped going to my local Tesco for that reason.

Orrin

You should ask your residents what they want as any measures you introduce will require their assistance to work. A chain won't be effective for example if people can't be bothered to put it back across the entrance every time they use it.

If you engage a private parking company then unless you pay them to patrol the car park they are only going to make money from people without permits. This will include residents who forgot the permit that day or where it fell out of sight, as well as visitors who didn't bother with a permit because they were only staying 5 minutes etc.

You'd have to ask your residents if the parking problem is bad enough that they want the hassle of dealing with a PPC.

Regarding your comment on the Tesco sign yes you could certainly put up something like that yourself and depending on how you worded it you might even have a reasonable chance to enforce payment if you ever took someone to court although I doubt it would be worth the effort. Certainly you could put up a few signs as a deterrent but a physical barrier at the entrance would probably do a better job.

atilla

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

I have to agree. Imagine if you owned a plot of land, and your business income was from charging people to park there. Unless you can afford expensive barriers and payment machines, then anyone can park there and cost you business. And it seems there is nothing you can do about it.

As for Tescos, I should think they use one of the many dodgy parking companies.

It's a shame that people put so much effort into finding ways to not pay for parking. The way I see it is that if you park, then you obey the car park rules, and you pay.

Ah, the stirrer returns.

bazster

OP, here is some food for thought for you.

The private road next to my road had a problem with unauthorised parking. It's right next to a school, so of course all the yummy mummies in their Chelsea tractors simply regarded it as a free car park. Like you, the management company consists of the homeowners in the road. They put up signs stating that the road was private, but of course this had no effect.

They (the management company) were then warned by their insurers that if one of these unauthorised parkers had an accident whilst in their road then they (the management company) could be liable, so the insurers required stronger measures to prevent unauthorised access. Madness I know, but that's what they were told. So they (the residents) were obliged to club together and fund a gate at the entrance to the road, with remote control gizmos for them to open and close it for themselves and an entry phone system for visitors and deliveries.

Of course, a PPC wouldn't have worked because, as we know, they don't prevent unauthorised parking, they merely profit from it.

So there you go. If you have a problem with unauthorised parking then finding a space might be the least of your worries, and stumping up some money now to control access might be a necessity in order to save major expense in future.

Stroma

And investing in a system like above may make the property more sellable in the future, like secured parking that comes with the flat etc . I can't think of a fix that doesn't involve investment.

Another thing about these parking companies, if one is engaged people living there will get all the harassment for months on end from various companies for payment.

Some of the residents will cave and cough up. Once they have a payer they will start ticketing that vehicle for any made up rule. So the free option will eventually cost more than investing in barriers e

still_here

Thanks for all the contributions. There isn't really an easy answer, it seems. Making the site gated, or fenced or chained etc involves trouble, expense, possible planning permission, and we really want to keep a light touch. It is possible that warning signs that something might happen to unentitled parkers will deter many, but there should be some legal and convenient way to enforce the simple right to park on your land. But then our legal system is far from perfect!