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Buying an extra parking space

Hello.


I moved into my home about a year ago as the estate was being built. Outside of the property was a crazy paved area just at the edge of the road, which was never marked out for separate bays but was for the parking of 4 vehicles. Part of this is marked on my house deeds as belonging to me. The 2nd and 3rd spots belong to the houses each side of me. The 4th spot is showing on maps for the development as a 'Visitor' bay.


One of the houses opposite and about 3 houses down the road keeps using this 4th space as there personal parking spot. They have a drive way for 2 cars and space outside there home for 2 more cars on the road which is always empty. Even though they usually have 1 or both cars from the drive out during the day the 3rd car, which is used for school runs, is always back and in the space before we get home from work and so any visitors over the evening or weekend cannot park near us. The road outside of our house is taken up with access for our parking and the houses opposites parking bay access so there is no extra space to park.


We have spoken to them on several occasions and even got there builder (who is not the same as the one who built our houses and the space) involved as the site is still being developed but they always go back to using it, usually when I have visitors or a delivery due. Heck, I don't want to use the bay exclusively, just allow my neighbours and myself to use it as intended.


As such I contacted my builders and ask them who owned the space as I would like to either purchase the space or to at least find out who would do any repairs in the future. They said its now 'owned' by anyone and the council said they had to provide visitor parking. No where else on the street or even the site has a 'visitor' bay marked on the map.


I have asked again who owns the space for maintenance and I am waiting a reply. My questions are:


How much would it be reasonable to offer for the space (including fees for solicitors etc. as its a land sale)?


If the builder says it is not theirs, how can I find out who it does belong to?


Is there anything else I could do to stop the people parking on the visitor bay as its private off road parking but not 'owned' by anyone?


Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Comments

  • lee111s
    lee111s Posts: 2,988 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    My friend bought two outside of her property, one which was destined to be visitor parking. I think she paid around 2k for it.

    However the builders STILL have it marked for VP, infact they had it marked as such well after her purchase and are yet to rectify it.

    As such anyone parks in the space at the moment. The problem you may well get though is that people may block you in if you're parked in it or block the space when it's empty....and there's nothing you can do about that.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 17,539 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Minudra wrote: »
    ... and the council said they had to provide visitor parking...

    So it sounds like it may have been a planning condition that a visitor space was provided on the development.

    If so, you could contact the council planning department and inform them that a resident is contravening the planning condition by parking a resident's car in the visitor space.

    They may write a letter instructing the resident to stop. In theory, they can even take enforcement action.

    I guess it could be worth a try...
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    eddddy wrote: »
    So it sounds like it may have been a planning condition that a visitor space was provided on the development.

    If so, you could contact the council planning department and inform them that a resident is contravening the planning condition by parking a resident's car in the visitor space.

    They may write a letter instructing the resident to stop. In theory, they can even take enforcement action.

    I wouldn't have said that "visitors spaces" signifies anything more than "first come first served" (as opposed to spaces allocated to specified properties). I haven't come across a development with formal restrictions which prevent residents from parking in visitor spaces.
  • I guess that's the thing, ie that its obvious to every non car-owner (ie no vested interests in what they personally actually want) that a visitors space is exactly what it says it is on the tin. That is = it is a space for visitors and visitors only. It isnt for residents to try and use as their personal extra parking space (with or without them trying for ownership of it).

    So, that makes neighbour in the wrong for trying to treat it like its theirs (when it obviously isnt, because they dont own it) and OP in the wrong for trying to buy it and make it theirs (ie because its a visitors parking space).

    We all (car-owners and non car-owners alike) need space for our visitors to park in and where else will they go except the designated "VISITORS parking spaces"?

    The clue really is in the name - "visitors".

    2 + 2 = 4 as well...
  • If there's space on the road outside the neighbour's house for 2+ cars, can't your visitors just park there? It's only a few doors away. Neighbour might start parking there themselves if they've always got random other cars outside their lounge window....

    (I'm assuming the space outside their house is public space, not parking spaces owned by them.)

    It's odd behaviour for them to be parking there when their driveway is empty. You might just have a bit of an oddball on your hands. Even if you buy the space, they'll probably still park in it and then you'd have to install a lockable bollard or similar. Probably not worth the hassle.

    Delivery drivers shouldn't have a problem - they don't usually mind blocking a road...
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