Private Renting/Allocated Parking Query

ManDu_2

Been googling this all afternoon with no luck and so am hoping someone here knows!

When a tenant rents a private property with a allocated parking space - is it the estate/letting agents responsibility to show the tenant which space it is? Or is it down to the tenant to find it? Reason being is that contract states there is a allocated parking space but doesn't state which one it is and estate/letting agent claim it is their policy not to show which one is the allocated parking space.

I am looking for some sort of law, act, regulation, etc if one exists.

Thanks.

Pixie5740

I don't think there is a law stating that a landlord has to show a tenant exactly where the allocated parking space is located. If you download the title deeds for £3 from the Land Registry the parking space should be highlighted on there.

Failing that you could contact the landlord (the person you have a contract with) and ask him/her. You might also want to highlight the letting agency's policy on parking spaces.

HappyMJ

ManDu wrote: »

Been googling this all afternoon with no luck and so am hoping someone here knows!

When a tenant rents a private property with a allocated parking space - is it the estate/letting agents responsibility to show the tenant which space it is? Or is it down to the tenant to find it? Reason being is that contract states there is a allocated parking space but doesn't state which one it is and estate/letting agent claim it is their policy not to show which one is the allocated parking space.

I am looking for some sort of law, act, regulation, etc if one exists.

Thanks.

If the property is managed by a managing agent for the freeholder then call the managing agent skipping out the letting agent and the leaseholder (landlord).

Ask the neighbours?

eddddy

It's a contractual matter (i.e. contract law). Presumably, the LL has contractually agreed (through the AST) to provide a parking space, but isn't - in as much as they aren't telling you where it is.

You can threaten to claim damages... The damages would be the cost of parking your car somewhere else, until they provide the parking space (or tell you where it is).

Guest101

The policy is not to show you the parking spot? Why not? Some people are strange.


Pixie's solution is the easiest with LR.

Pixie5740

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

I'm wondering if the onus would be on the tenant to satisfy himself over what exactly he was renting before signing the contract?

I'm not sure if landlords would be happy about tenants satisfying themselves all over the rental property either before or after signing the contract. :rotfl:

davidmcn

ManDu wrote: »

estate/letting agent claim it is their policy not to show which one is the allocated parking space.

That sounds "unallocated" to me. Or just "bizarrely secret". I would be fascinated to hear the logic behind this policy.

princeofpounds

The landlord is contractually bound to provide you with a parking space.


Refusing to tell you where one is but asserting it does exist is as ridiculous as someone selling you a car, asserting you have bought it, but not telling you where it is. That sort of argument is not going to get anywhere in court.


And of course the agents not knowing is a load of BS - the parking space is either not allocated, or they simply don't care to ask the right people (the LL and/or Freeholder) - perhaps from laziness, perhaps because they put something in the contract the LL couldn't deliver. So trying the LL direct is also a possibility.


Practically-speaking trying the land registry is cheap and quick, and the managing agent for the freehold might be easy, but ultimately eddy is right, you can probably threaten to take the landlord to small claims for the cost of alternative parking.

ManDu_2

Thanks for the responses.

Reason for the query is that, when I asked, the estate agent's employees pointed to a particular parking space - this space turned out to be the wrong one which meant fines were incurred. After complaining, the estate agent stated that it is their policy not to show allocated parking spaces and that their employees would never have indicated where the allocated parking space is (i.e. calling me a liar about 2 of their agents verbally telling me where the allocated parking space is). Landlord was contacted to find the correct allocated parking space but after the above (at the time, there was no reason to contact Landlord as I was verbally told which space). Unfortunately, as it was verbal, its effectively my word vs theirs so I was hoping that there was some sort of rule that stated that the parking space should be clearly indicated (contract only states that there is an allocated parking space but not its location).

davidmcn

Not telling you where the space is amounts to the same contractually as the space not existing at all (like renting a flat but refusing to tell you the address). So the law's on your side, if that helps you any.

eddddy

ManDu wrote: »

Thanks for the responses.

Reason for the query is that, when I asked, the estate agent's employees pointed to a particular parking space - this space turned out to be the wrong one which meant fines were incurred. After complaining, the estate agent stated that it is their policy not to show allocated parking spaces and that their employees would never have indicated where the allocated parking space is

<snipped>

So what you're saying is...

- Two employees of the LL's agent showed you "your" parking place
- You parked there - you got fined.
- The LL's agent is denying that anybody showed you a parking place

So write a clear description of what happened (names, dates) etc and send it to the LL explaining that their agent's negligence has resulted in you suffering a loss (i.e. you had to pay a fine).

Obviously, there's no guarantee that the LL will reimburse you. If they wont, you have to decide whether to take it forward with a court claim. But like you say, it sounds like it will be down to your word against the agent's. And realistically, it won't help you relationship with your LL.