Neighbour is parking his motorcycle inside the common area.

Skag

maisie_cat said:

Unless the lease specifically excludes motorised bikes and there is plenty of space it's probably a good thing.
If the bike is parked outside and gets stolen, the resulting increase in "crime" in the immediate vicinity will increase insurance premiums.

That's a very interesting point. I will check with our insurer whether that is the case.

Skag

Andy_L said:

If the lease doesn't have anything useful (eg cannot do X, can only do Y in the communal area) not that much

2. Make it inconvient for him by putting the bins etc in the way

3. See if he's breaking any traffic laws by how he gets the bike there, eg he has to ride it up a long stretch of pavement and shop him to the police.
4.If he's riding it in under power at all hours is the noise breaching anything in the lease

Thanks for the suggestions.

2. The bins are actually sheltered in a bin store. Either side there are bicycles parked in between bars.

3. He isn't...

4. Unfortunately not.

Skag

maisie_cat said:

Unless the lease specifically excludes motorised bikes and there is plenty of space it's probably a good thing.

The lease doesn't ban it, that's why we are trying to figure out a workaround.

-taff

Is it parked in such a way as to cause an accident maybe?

Perosnally, it's annoying [ went through something similar when I lived in a block of flats] but honestly, apart from feeling aggrieved about it, as long as the rest of you don't buy a motorbike, it's not actually harming anyone.

Jeepers_Creepers

Skag, seems like there's two issues here. One is 'is it allowed and, if not, what can we do about it?', and the other is 'why don't I - and some other directors - like it?'.

For the second issue, only you (and nearly half the directors) can answer this. Is it really a problem. And, if it is, why - what is the actual problem? Is it in the way? Is it unsightly? Is it honestly simply a case of, if one m'bike gets parked there, there could be 5 tomorrow? If that is the only 'legitimate' concern, then at the next meeting it can surely be a case of "Ok, we understand why you'd want to park your lovely bike there, but can you understand why it would become an issue if this escalated? Yes? Cool. So we can agree that - perhaps - 2 bikes can fit in there without it becoming an obvious 'parking spot' and taking over too much space, but more than that will need the matter addressing further? So, if three new 'biker' owners moved into these flats, we may have to say "Sorry, grease-monkeys - but you all have to park where we civilised folks leave our BeeEmmDubs." Yes? Sorted.

If, however, it's the former concern - it's against the deeds, pal, - then that needs a good look at these deeds. Is this a 'communal' area? If so, that suggests no-one can effectively take over a part of it by plonking something there. Where do the deeds say the actual parking area is - outside these gates where everyone's car is parked? Then that is pretty clear about where 'vehicles' should be parked. So the m'bike rider is in breach of these conditions - his bike is just a narrow 'vehicle'.

In which case, the next time you come home, open these gates and drive right in. Park wherever you want. A motorcycle does not have special rights as a vehicle, unless it is specified in the deeds.

Prove your point; just park anywhere. Across the gates. In the shrubbery. Upside-down on the pavement. On top of the bins. On top of the bike that shouldn't be there.

Skag

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Skag, seems like there's two issues here. One is 'is it allowed and, if not, what can we do about it?', and the other is 'why don't I - and some other directors - like it?'.

For the second issue, only you (and nearly half the directors) can answer this. Is it really a problem. And, if it is, why - what is the actual problem? Is it in the way? Is it unsightly? Is it honestly simply a case of, if one m'bike gets parked there, there could be 5 tomorrow? If that is the only 'legitimate' concern, then at the next meeting it can surely be a case of "Ok, we understand why you'd want to park your lovely bike there, but can you understand why it would become an issue if this escalated? Yes? Cool. So we can agree that - perhaps - 2 bikes can fit in there without it becoming an obvious 'parking spot' and taking over too much space, but more than that will need the matter addressing further? So, if three new 'biker' owners moved into these flats, we may have to say "Sorry, grease-monkeys - but you all have to park where we civilised folks leave our BeeEmmDubs." Yes? Sorted.

If, however, it's the former concern - it's against the deeds, pal, - then that needs a good look at these deeds. Is this a 'communal' area? If so, that suggests no-one can effectively take over a part of it by plonking something there. Where do the deeds say the actual parking area is - outside these gates where everyone's car is parked? Then that is pretty clear about where 'vehicles' should be parked. So the m'bike rider is in breach of these conditions - his bike is just a narrow 'vehicle'.

In which case, the next time you come home, open these gates and drive right in. Park wherever you want. A motorcycle does not have special rights as a vehicle, unless it is specified in the deeds.

Prove your point; just park anywhere. Across the gates. In the shrubbery. Upside-down on the pavement. On top of the bins. On top of the bike that shouldn't be there.

Thanks for your detailed response.

The main point is that as Directors, we must be careful not to set a precedent as otherwise there will be motorised bikes left outside various ground floor flats which lessees may complain about. This is the main point. To be realistic though, no one else as of now has a motorcycle. However, we certainly wouldn't like the shared space to become a motorcycle parking space!

All I am worried about is that he'll start ignoring the rest of us and keep his motorcycle there anyway. It isn't blocking any entrance though..

Jeepers_Creepers

It's been raised at a directors meeting? If not, I'd suggest do so - but in a measured way. You want the issue and concerns minuted, but acknowledge that it isn't really a problem at the moment; you just wish to have noted the concern amongst a number of flat-owners/directors that - as you understand it - parking a vehicle there is contrary to the actual terms of the deeds (it is a 'communal' area, and nothing else), it shouldn't escalate, is not a allocated parking area, and should not become one in any sense - or else I will drive my Twizzy in there. You'd like this minuted as being the terms of the deeds, and that directors are permitting this to occur in this instance, but it remains open to review and does not set a precedent.

If it really isn't an issue at the moment, then make that clear. Maintain good relations; explain that you do understand why they'd want to park their bike there, but you hope that they'd equally understand why this cannot escalate.

Minuted.

[Deleted User]

400,000 covid cases a DAY in India and people are worried about who parks a motor bike where?God above the worlds gone mad.

Skag

venison said:

400,000 covid cases a DAY in India and people are worried about who parks a motor bike where?God above the worlds gone mad.

I don't live in India, I live in the UK, what would you suggest I do? 😁

theoretica

The problem with one person doing something like this is the risk of more people wanting to do something similar - maybe not motorbikes, but stuff... and if it does get to the stage that more people want to park motorbikes there then there is pretty large scope for resentment.  He's used the space for years, I should get equal time.  I will still keep my bike here, owners 4 and 5 need to park on the street and not spoil my arrangement.

But on the other hand, if there is an unused concrete area between the bins and the bike shed why not use it for something - and how different is this from a bicycle?  How much more space does it take than a flat's worth of bicycles?