definition of Allocated parking space and my rights on it

pck76

Hi all,
My tenancy agreement states my flat includes an "allocated parking space". The agency told me this was going to be able to accommodate both my car and motorbike, on which basis I decided to rent the flat.
When I move in, it turns out the building has a valet parking system. No spaces are actually allocated: I leave the car in a drop off area and someone else parks it. This also means I don't get the extra space for the motorbike, and they are now asking me to pay extra to get that.


I don't think this is fair. Nobody mentioned this valet parking system, and I don't think one should reasonably expect that the defnition 'Allocated parking space' could actually mean something else than a fixed space of ground that I can use to park my car/motorbike - or boat, for that matters.


Do you think I have a right to ask the landlord to pay for the motorbike space, or reduce rent accordingly?


Thanks!

Coupon-mad

pck76 wrote: »

Hi all,
My tenancy agreement states my flat includes an "allocated parking space". The agency told me this was going to be able to accommodate both my car and motorbike, on which basis I decided to rent the flat.

Complain in writing to the Letting Agency for false advertising for a start, and copy in the landlord and the managing agents. And park your bike tucked in next to the car - and appeal and win any fake parking ticket issued, with the help of the parking forum advice.

Your question would have been better in the parking sub-forum, perhaps.

paddedjohn

And who pays the valet in these flats?

Richard53

Valet parking? There is no way I would allow some random stranger to drive my car. And as for the bike ...

You have been the victim of false advertising. I assume because of the car + bike thing (which is slightly unusual) that you have entered into detailed discussion on the arrangements before signing, and presumably what you agreed to in writing is not what you have got. I'm not sure what the solution is, if you like the place and don't want to move, but I would be complaining bitterly.

paddedjohn

Sorry op, im finding it hard to believe that you have valet parking in a block of flats, they would have to be available 24/7 and at min wage they would cost over £1100 per week plus insurances.

arcon5

paddedjohn wrote: »

Sorry op, im finding it hard to believe that you have valet parking in a block of flats, they would have to be available 24/7 and at min wage they would cost over £1100 per week plus insurances.

Well we don't know where op lives or how much op pays for the flat, unless you know something the rest of us don't.


Op -- i'm betting you do have an allocated space, it's just you don't park your car in it.

What i'm surprised at is they advertise it as with an allocated space but not valet parking...? Wouldn't the latter make it look more prestigious to potential tenants?

worried_jim

Perhaps the OP is not in the UK?

Herzlos

You can still have an allocated parking space without it being fixed; i.e. you could have 1 of a pool of spaces. If you were told there was allocation for bike and car and it turns out there isn't, then you should take it up with the letting agency.

eddddy

Hi pck76

If you're in the UK (which seems doubtful), it sounds like the situation would be as follows:

Before signing a contract (AST), you were told by the Landlord's agent that you could park your car and bike, so you signed the contract on that basis.

So, the landlord is now in breach of that contract.

One solution would be to pay to park your bike, and deduct the parking payment from your monthly rental payment.

If the Landlord/Agent denies telling you that you could park your bike, they may decide to take you to court to get the shortfall in rent. The court would then decide who is telling the truth (on the balance of probability).

However, whatever the outcome, I suspect that the Landlord would regard you as a problem tenant, and might serve a section 21 eviction notice on you for the earliest date possible.

(What does the Landlord's agent say about this matter?)

arcon5

If you pay for the bike parking id strongly advise against deducting it from the rental payment. You can pursue it via the courts yourself. But deducting disputes monies from rent will do nothing but see you issued required notice.

pck76

in answer to previous comments:
a) yes, the property is located in the uk
b) the agency confirmed several times verbally I was going to be able to park both car and motorbike in the allocated parking space. Also, they never mentioned it was going to be valet parking.
c) The contract mentions an 'allocated parking space', and maybe I should have been more careful and should have added something about being able to park the motorbike too. However, I trusted the agency and, frankly, I wasn't expecting this to turn up to be valet parking.
d) the valet parking is paid by the landlord as part of his service charge
e) the agency claims that an allocated parking space has been provided (in the form of valet parking), and fail to see that valet parking is NOT the same as a 'normal' allocated space. It sounds better, but the reality is that it is worse: You have strangers driving your car, and you have to give them 30 minutes notice when you want to use it.
f) I have no intention to stop paying the full rent while this is being discussed, and want any reduction in price to be agreed with either landlord/agency or via court.

Do you think I have grounds to ask for a reduction in rent given the valet parking is not worth as much as a 'normal' allocated parking space (not only because I can't park the bike, but also because of the drawbacks above)?