Huge Residential Parking Problems

Rtype

I bought my flat over a year ago at great expense in a pretty nice estate (after renting here for some time) and I’ve had nothing but problems since moving in!


It is a small cul-de-sac on the estate made up of a small block of flats and several houses, the houses have 2 parking bays each whilst the flats have 1 and then share 4 bays between the 6 flats on a first come first served basis.


The problem is that the houses are constantly parking in our shared bays whilst leaving their own empty, which is pretty selfish imo!


At first I thought that maybe they were unaware of the situation and the management company wrote each house a letter explaining that the bays belonged to the flats, they even spoke to each house individually after they had promised to stop parking there and then carried on regardless.


Since then the situation has got worse, 2 of the houses continue to park there but one of these houses is parking both of their cars there now!! One of their cars is permanently there as the woman doesn’t work so when I finish work some days, 75% of the cars parked there belong to the houses (whilst their spaces are left empty)! :mad:


The management company seem pretty ineffectual and I just feel like I’m constantly moaning at them with nothing actually being solved! The only thing that they have said they can do now is to install posts giving us residents the keys to lock/unlock them but because there is no budget for this, it will not get done until next year!


I know for a fact that these neighbours are doing it on purpose to wind everybody up, why I don't know as we all have to live there!



Has anybody been through a situation like this and is there anything that can legally be done to stop it?


Many thanks

The_Slithy_Tove

Install lockable bollards over the allocated parking spaces.

spacey2012

Agree install your own lockable bollard, problem solved

Guys_Dad

I would inform the house residents that if they continue to park in the flats' spaces, flat owners will park in theirs.

I would copy the management company in as well.

chris_n_tj

Why not just go and part in their space? Thats what I would be doing if there wasnt anywhere else to park. They will soon get fed up. x

Rtype

The problem is, if I parked in 'their' spaces, I guarantee that my car would get keyed (despite the fact that they are completely in the wrong), plus one of the houses has a load of garden stuff permanently in their 2nd space which is why they keep parking in ours!

I am trying to find a way of doing this amicably without lowering myself to their level and it’s looking like I will have to install bollards, problem being, the management company 'have' to OK this as everyone in the flats has to have the same key as the spaces belong to 6 flats and they need access to all 4 spaces.
Another problem is that one of the neighbour’s cars is permanently parked there so if any bollards were put in, she would be blocked in! Can she do anything (legally) about this if she is given prior notice to the bollards being put in?

I have absolutely no problem in paying for this myself and then recouping the money next year (when it’s a new budget year for the management company) but I wouldn't have a clue as to where to look for such a bollard/lock that will have the 'same' key for all of the residents!

Coupon-mad

Rtype wrote: »

''wouldn't have a clue as to where to look for such a bollard/lock that will have the 'same' key for all of the residents!''

Google is your friend; I searched 'lockable parking post'.

http://www.ultrasecuredirect.com/acatalog/Fold_Down_Parking_Posts.html

Forty quid each, job done.

GwylimT

Could the flats not pay for the bollards between them and get enough keys cut?

chris_n_tj

I gather you pay a service charge? I would tell your management company you will be withholding their monthly charge until they get this sorted out. They might move their butts a bit quicker x

Rtype

Coupon-mad - Excellent, thanks for that! My querie is that can you get these kinds of keys cut/copied? I know that high security products are designed to not be able to do this!

GwylimT - A few of the flats are rented out by landlords or are in the process of selling so this would be extremely difficult.

chris n tj - Yes but it is always paid up a year in advance! I am the newly appointed 'director' of our small block and after speaking to our 'manager' at the company, he has told me that there is absolutely no budget for it this year. I would happily pay for it upfront if I was assured that I would get my money back next year.

I would also like to know where I/we stand legally if we put a bollard in preventing the woman from moving her car (she has it parked there permenantly)!

ffacoffipawb

Rtype wrote: »

I would also like to know where I/we stand legally if we put a bollard in preventing the woman from moving her car (she has it parked there permenantly)!

Can the flat owners not park strategically to block her in?