What To Do About Illegal Parking?

opentux

I have a private designated parking space in my apartment block's underground car park. A week ago someone parked in it and has been there since.

I left a note on the car and on the building's notice board asking that it be removed, but to no avail.

I called the building's clamping company (NCPS) but they no longer service the development. I notified the property management company and though they said they would deal with it they have not done anything yet. The development does not appear to have a current clamping contract.

I spoke to the Gardai who checked the registration to confirm that the car was not stolen, but otherwise said that it was private property and as such a civil matter in which they could not interfere.

What are my options for having this car removed and getting my parking space back?

The car itself is NI registered, at least 10 years old, and has expired tax and insurance discs; Which could suggest abandonment, but other residents reported seeing it parked in other parking spaces before. Given that and the locked access to the cark park, it most likely belongs to someone in the building.

All [lawful] suggestions welcome.

corktina

Get a trolley jack...stick it under the rear axle and pull the fecker out of your space into a neutral area or someone elses space....

Gary ITR

opentux wrote: »

I have a private designated parking space in my apartment block's underground car park. A week ago someone parked in it and has been there since.

I left a note on the car and on the building's notice board asking that it be removed, but to no avail.

I called the building's clamping company (NCPS) but they no longer service the development. I notified the property management company and though they said they would deal with it they have not done anything yet. The development does not appear to have a current clamping contract.

I spoke to the Gardai who checked the registration to confirm that the car was not stolen, but otherwise said that it was private property and as such a civil matter in which they could not interfere.

What are my options for having this car removed and getting my parking space back?

The car itself is NI registered, at least 10 years old, and has expired tax and insurance discs; Which could suggest abandonment, but other residents reported seeing it parked in other parking spaces before. Given that and the locked access to the cark park, it most likely belongs to someone in the building.

All [lawful] suggestions welcome.

You seem to have explored all avenues, if the complex isn't too big you could copy your notice and do a mail drop. I had a similar issue myself and I eventually got the car clamped (which still doesn't help your situation), I didn't want to but I was paying €50 a week for my space and the car was there for 3 weeks.

longhalloween

Ah Im sure theres some law that anything left on your property for a long period of time automatically becomes yours.
Call the manufacturer and ask for a replacement set of keys, then sell it.

Dancor

Clamp it yourself then charge the swine to have it romoved.

John_Mc

Well first off I would stop paying the €50 a week until you can actually use the space. The onus is on the person or company leasing the space to ensure that it's available to you. Demand that they do something about it.

Gary ITR

John_Mc wrote: »

Well first off I would stop paying the €50 a week until you can actually use the space. The onus is on the person or company leasing the space to ensure that it's available to you. Demand that they do something about it.

That was me, not the OP. It was part of the standing order for my rent so couldn't exactly stop it

Cookie_Monster

find friend with jeep
tow it out to road
take plates off
call council and say its abandoned

ianobrien

corktina wrote: »

Get a trolley jack...stick it under the rear axle and pull the fecker out of your space into a neutral area or someone elses space....

A slight variation of that - Drop it in the middle of the road, It won't be long before the owner is discovered then.....

Gary ITR

Lads the OP asked for legal ways of getting out of this problem

Cookie_Monster

Onkle wrote: »

Lads the OP asked for legal ways of getting out of this problem

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

find friend with jeep
tow it out to road
take plates off
call council and say its abandoned

first two steps only then.

Mr. Presentable

The Management company have an obligation to provide a space - tell them to designate you another one until this is released. Call them every hour until they are sick of you if this is what it takes to get action. Clamping only means that if the owner does return, he won't be able to move the car.

PCPhoto

OP.... as its on private grounds then your issue is with the owner of the parking space - they are not providing their contractual agreement...so its their problem and they need to get it sorted.

its possible that this is a stolen vehicle being stored or someone with a nordy reg has decided to go on holidays and left their car with a friend, either way you have very little option but to wait until they go back to their car and give out to them.

I would question why the management company have stopped the services of NCPS .... are they still charging the apartment owners for proper maintenance of the car park ? if so they are not fulfilling their agreement/obligations.

you need to contact the owner of the apartment and get them to sort the matter out with the management company ASAP..... legally you cant clamp the car as there is no policy agreement visible (I assume NCPS took their signs with them)

As much as I hate private clamping companies this is one occasion when they are needed, I had a similar problem before - after several notes left on the windscreen and reporting the matter to the management company and my landlord I spotted the guy parking and pulled him up on it - he got very aggressive, I eventually had to get my landlord to fax proof (copy of apartment deeds) that I was entitled to the parking space before he would move.... NO APOLOGY from management company or even from the idiot who robbed my space.

Gumbo

double check the reg plates against the tax disc and insurance disc to make sure its not a stolen car with fake plates on it being stored up.

other than that as above, ring the management company on the hour every hour, its the only way to get action or indeed buy a clamp, and put it on it with a sticker with your mobile number on it and a release fee of 120e

Berty

Onkle wrote: »

Lads the OP asked for legal ways of getting out of this problem

Yeah, but dragging it out, taking off the plates and ringing the council is hilarious.

dirtydiesel

It would be a shame if someone accidentally spilled brake fluid on the bodywork!

Tail Wagger

See if you can find out the owners details, send off for a replica key, drive it off and park in in the local river.

I'm sure if you put the word out, someone with a bit of hot-jumping will drive it away and park it somewhere illegal, then it will be towed.

Other option, phone local garage, tell them you've lost the keys, will they come and take it away for servicing, end of story they won't bring it back unless it's paid for.

Other option is it smokeless/

McSpud

Given the ignorance of the owner & the fact its been there for several days now I would say all bets are off. If you can figure out some way to remove from your space go for it - even better if you get it our of the complex & onto the public street.

Its strange that your complex does not have a clamping contractor as the yearly admin fee is probably no more than 1k.

opentux

Thanks all. I guess the best option for now is to continue to pursue the management company. I might try the mail drop idea too.

I would not be beyond the dragging/disappearing options at this point but the Gardai said I could be liable for any damage incurred while towing the car. It would be pretty obvious who was responsible too should the owner ever return.

Where would I stand legally on clamping the car myself? The Garda as much as suggested this :cool:. But can I really just buy a clamp and throw it on, or do I need to incorporate myself as a registered parking service? The NCPS signs are still displayed in the car park.

Atlantic Dawn

There's no licensing or regulations regarding private clamping in this country, anyone can place a clamp on a car and impose any such release fee they wish, you could stick a fee of €1.6 million on it if you wanted. Ofcourse the owner could simply cut it off and there's nothing you could do either

Victor

Get the permission of the management company to fit one of these to your space. Then close up your space for the day.

http://www.shug.com.au/images/SHUG%20BOLLARD%20INSTALL%20008.jpg

listermint

I would be inclined to go with the trolley jack and move option here. stick it in a neutral space the owner probably wouldnt know the difference.

What type of car is it?

Theta

listermint wrote: »

I would be inclined to go with the trolley jack and move option here. stick it in a neutral space the owner probably wouldnt know the difference.

What type of car is it?

If its in gear this wont work. I always leave my car in gear I thought it was pretty standard. I have moved a car with a pallet truck before.

listermint

Theta wrote: »

If its in gear this wont work. I always leave my car in gear I thought it was pretty standard. I have moved a car with a pallet truck before.

As do I , However Ive found it more common than not that people do not leave it in gear. Il let the OP decide

Theta

listermint wrote: »

As do I , However Ive found it more common than not that people do not leave it in gear. Il let the OP decide

Fair enough. If it wasn't in gear id most likly move it to be honest with you or put it up on blocks and change them for there wheels when they cam back for them!

benzie

by any chance will this be in cabinteely?

opentux

benzie wrote: »

by any chance will this be in cabinteely?

No, it is not in Cabinteely.

Hagar

Funny to see people advocating clampers, in most threads they are villified.

JHMEG

Could it belong to a foreign bloke who has abandonded it and Ireland and gone home?

Even without the trolley jack it'd be possible to pull it out of the space. Might take a bit of extra effort tho...

listermint

benzie wrote: »

by any chance will this be in cabinteely?

Is this your Car Benzie.... ...;)

listermint

Hmmm