Allocated parking but current owners not using

Debbie9009

On a previous property I lived in there was a gated shared garage and parking area, all houses had one garage, and one parking space in front of the garage, all clearly marked, and only residents had access to the area.

Other residents used my space numerous times, I left polite notes explaining that the space was legally mine, and please could they stop using it, these were ignored, I ended up having to threaten to take legal action.  I also had to deal with an extremely irate neighbour who wasn’t happy with me politely and calmly explaining face to face that I needed to use my parking space so please could he stop parking there.  

It finally stopped when my ex moved in and started parking his van in the space.

This was a new build area so there was no history of anyone using my parking space, and the residents using it moved in after me, so were well aware it was my space and that it was being used.

So for me this would be a huge red flag, personally I wouldn’t purchase the property unless it was completely unique in some way and I couldn’t find anything else comparable.  Even then Iwouldn’t continue the purchase without the issue of the parking space being resolved.

I know that’s a different view from many who have commented, and it is based on my personal experience, so perhaps I was just unlucky with my neighbours.

eddddy

mi-key said:

If the spaces are numbered and allocated, then there would be no dispute about who has the right to use it. The flats should have a management company in place, and they can enforce any antisocial behaviour if people carried on using it.

I don't really think its a major worry for the OP, and I'm pretty sure when he puts a note on the parking space then people will obey it. The have only been using it up until now because the current owner doesnt use it, not because they are being antisocial

Yep - if it's really easy to resolve, it shouldn't be a problem for the seller to resolve it. Including contacting the management company, if required.

Can you see any reason at all why it might be a bad idea to ask the seller to deal with this?


@Debbie9009's experience is one reason why it might be a good idea to ask the seller to deal with this



It seems like a perfectly reasonable request. It's a little surprising that a 'sensible' seller hasn't dealt with this already. (If I was the seller, I would have dealt with it before putting it on the market.)


So I would be wondering - "Is it that the seller isn't 'sensible'? Or is there a problem here?"

warby68

The thing with advice forums is that we hear far more about problems rather than normal everyday folk who just do the right thing. A quick word and problem solved is probably FAR more common than a beligerently unreasonable neighbour who wants to claim someone else's territory.

Ask the vendor, take it from there. 

diystarter7

warby68 said:

The thing with advice forums is that we hear far more about problems rather than normal everyday folk who just do the right thing. A quick word and problem solved is probably FAR more common than a beligerently unreasonable neighbour who wants to claim someone else's territory.

Ask the vendor, take it from there. 

Hi
As I read through the threads I was surprised no one else had said that, the highlighted bit as I was thinking of that.
Then check for the vendors feedback

One of our kids rents out an apartment with allocated spaces and visitors - the car park numbers do not correspond to apartment numbers for security reasons and at times new people get confused. As it is not gated and near a station, others often parked there and now a permit scheme controls that well

So ask the vendor to have a polite word.
Look around other parking places to see how cars are parked etc to get an idea of how people behave there
Ask the vendor if they have encountered any disagreements over parking though they do not have a car but possibly family/friends parked there

Thnaks

movilogo

I once bought a house (not flat) which didn't have its own driveway but allocated parking few yards away from the house. While the title deeds clearly showed I owned the space, I had trouble getting my space back as other people who were using the space thought it is for general public! After some heated discussions and threat of legal actions I was finally able to make use of my parking space. But it took around 2 months and bit stressful period. Even after that there were many occasions where I discovered someone else parked upon return to my home. Then I had to knock on several doors to discover who parked and asked them to move their car,. 

TripleH

Parking is amazingly territorial.

In our old flat there were constant arguments about parking. We were lucky as our car was small enough for our carport (although a couple of times we did have neighbours block our car in).

People would decide a spot was theirs and throw a tantrum if another parked there. I would ask if the current owner could sort it.

I would advise against sticking notes on cars except as a last resort after once having a rude note sellotaped to my windscreen telling me not to park in someone's allocated parking (a stretch of road alongside a village green with no parking markings). Now if I was asked in person nicely I'd happily comply but the aggressive nature got my back up.

That I am over 6 ft and quite broad shouldered might mean I could be viewed as unapproachable.

YoungBlueEyes

That last sentence made me laugh @TripleH  

A few years ago I had a problem with people parking outside my house. So I popped a note on the windscreen that said something like "Jeez you're brave parking here, I wouldn't do it twice if I were you". They never did.

NameUnavailable

You must buy the property with vacant possession. What if the vendor had a mate staying and when you got the keys to your new flat you found that the mate was still expecting to live there?

I would insist that the matter is dealt with before you exchange contracts. Put the onus on the vendor to deal with the liberty taking neighbours. If not I can imagine some of the responses you might get - like "we agreed I can use this space" or "I paid them £ to store my bikes here, you can't tell me to move".......

bouicca21

How many flats are there?  When new neighbours moved into our block they went round introducing themselves and gave everyone a little box of chocolate.  Such a nice thing to do.  Our block is small, if OP lives on a bigger development then an introductory letter seems a great idea.  You want them to be predisposed to like you and want to help.

Noneforit999

TripleH said:

Parking is amazingly territorial.

Indeed, what seems like a fairly easy thing to solve could end up difficult and stressful quite easily if they refuse to stop parking there.

Despite a covenent staying commercial vehicles were not allowed to park on the development and visitor spots were for 24 use only for visitors, one of the flats opposite parked his work van in it every single night. Management company were not interested, when they eventually returned my call they offered to write to them but it didn't stop.

It was a visitor spot on a new build development so visitors then had to park on kerbs etc when visiting.

The parking issues on the development were one of the major reasons we moved and bought a house with a large driveway.