Car with no tax/insurance parked outside my door

susiewoosie · 27-07-2011 5:43pm #1

I live in an apartment complex - on the ground floor and there is communal parking for anyone - i.e. no designated parking spots.

There is a car parked right outside my front door for the last few weeks, possibly months at this stage - and it's really getting on my nerves as I can never get to park outside my door.

Parking is first come, first served outside - so I don't mind in general not always being able to park outside my door.

The car has no tax or no insurance and last week I noted that the car has now got no steering wheel.

The car is not an old banger - it's a decent looking audi (looks brand new)

Car has GB plates on it - and is owned by non-nationals who are not British (Well probably wrong of me to say that but I have never heard them speak English)

I had problems with this couple before over another issue (since resolved) but since then, i try not to talk with them so do not feel comfortable in approaching them and asking them to move their bloody car away.

The family have another car that they use - but this audi is never used.

I have been looking online to see if this is allowed (leave a car with no tax/insurance/steering wheel - and its not being used)- and can't find anything online.

If anyone could direct me where to look on the ould www. - that would be great!

Bullseye1 · 27-07-2011 5:45pm

Sounds like it maybe abandoned. Contact the relevant authorities.

Atlantic Dawn · 27-07-2011 5:46pm

Contact your management company, the apartment complex would most likely fall in to the same category as having an untaxed or uninsured car on your driveway. I doubt an apartment complex will count as public area in the same way a car parked in a shopping centre car park would be.

susiewoosie · 27-07-2011 6:05pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Contact your management company, the apartment complex would most likely fall in to the same category as having an untaxed or uninsured car on your driveway. I doubt an apartment complex will count as public area in the same way a car parked in a shopping centre car park would be.

Thanks - I just dropped them an email!

needadvi · 27-07-2011 6:58pm

You said that you had problems with these people before. Did you confront them about something in the past? If so it might be that they are trying to annoy you for confronting them and perhaps they are trying to provoke you. I guess they feel like they can do it and that you can't do anything about it. Now they have stopped you parking outside your front door and they probably know you'll be boiling.

Tefral · 27-07-2011 7:02pm

I were in your position, id get a few of my mates over and two trolly jacks, then jack the car up and the front and back axels just enough clear the ground and then move it to some place more convienient to you:D

jimmynokia · 27-07-2011 7:09pm

Call a breakdown company and get them to stick it in a carpark at a local shopping center it would cost unless you knew somebody but it would be worth it

jimmynokia · 27-07-2011 7:12pm

http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-samsung&ei=j2IwTtD8L4KXjAf8xKgD&q=http://environment.southdublin.ie/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D105%26Itemid%3D182&source=android-home&ved=0CCMQFjAD&usg=AFQjCNGpp17Z30Pj4tNH0XeapJjqkcjS2A

might help

Captain Commie · 27-07-2011 7:13pm

i would contact the gardai and customs and get them to remove it as its untaxed and uninsured.

susiewoosie · 27-07-2011 7:14pm

needadvi wrote: »

You said that you had problems with these people before. Did you confront them about something in the past? If so it might be that they are trying to annoy you for confronting them and perhaps they are trying to provoke you. I guess they feel like they can do it and that you can't do anything about it. Now they have stopped you parking outside your front door and they probably know you'll be boiling.

We had a minor issue to do with bins (!) - hardly something I would imagine they would try to seek revenge with... Its just that we're not neighbourly neighbours.. just greet each other when we see each other... if that makes any sense.

I did ask management company to not mention my name/apt number just in case!

There are a couple of other neighbours that would appreciate the car being moved so I suspect It won't be too obvious that I complained... and even if it was, I couldn't give a toss (!)

susiewoosie · 27-07-2011 7:16pm

jimmynokia wrote: »

http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-samsung&ei=j2IwTtD8L4KXjAf8xKgD&q=http://environment.southdublin.ie/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D105%26Itemid%3D182&source=android-home&ved=0CCMQFjAD&usg=AFQjCNGpp17Z30Pj4tNH0XeapJjqkcjS2A

might help

Thanks for that - thing is - I may have given the impression the car is abandoned - its a fabulous looking audi car.. wouldn't mind it myself but for some reason the owner doesn't drive it - just polishes it, hoovers it, waxes it.. but the fecker won't move it.

jimmynokia · 27-07-2011 7:49pm

susiewoosie wrote: »

Thanks for that - thing is - I may have given the impression the car is abandoned - its a fabulous looking audi car.. wouldn't mind it myself but for some reason the owner doesn't drive it - just polishes it, hoovers it, waxes it.. but the fecker won't move it.

Thats nice to know how he cleans his car tell him to fcuk off and open a valet shop elsewhere lol Thats what i would do and if he wont move i would get it moved myself

jhegarty · 27-07-2011 7:52pm

On GB plates , so report it for VRT.

Tigger · 27-07-2011 7:54pm

customs

Basil Fawlty · 27-07-2011 9:24pm

You people make me sick. How do you know that the car isnt broken down and the guy is waiting to save up to get it fixed or VRT ( thats if its even liable for VRT ). If its communal parking then he has as much right to park his car there as you. You havent even approached the guy to ask him about it!

Typical apartment dwellers with no neighbourhood spirit!

blacktalons · 27-07-2011 9:33pm

susiewoosie wrote: »

I live in an apartment complex - on the ground floor and there is communal parking for anyone - i.e. no designated parking spots.

There is a car parked right outside my front door for the last few weeks, possibly months at this stage - and it's really getting on my nerves as I can never get to park outside my door.

Parking is first come, first served outside - so I don't mind in general not always being able to park outside my door.

The car has no tax or no insurance and last week I noted that the car has now got no steering wheel.

The car is not an old banger - it's a decent looking audi (looks brand new)

Car has GB plates on it - and is owned by non-nationals who are not British (Well probably wrong of me to say that but I have never heard them speak English)

I had problems with this couple before over another issue (since resolved) but since then, i try not to talk with them so do not feel comfortable in approaching them and asking them to move their bloody car away.

The family have another car that they use - but this audi is never used.

I have been looking online to see if this is allowed (leave a car with no tax/insurance/steering wheel - and its not being used)- and can't find anything online.

If anyone could direct me where to look on the ould www. - that would be great!

ring the cops,ring the customs,ring the vrt, i can assure you 100% the car will be seized and impounded,

Anan1 · 27-07-2011 9:37pm

susiewoosie wrote: »

Thanks for that - thing is - I may have given the impression the car is abandoned - its a fabulous looking audi car.. wouldn't mind it myself but for some reason the owner doesn't drive it - just polishes it, hoovers it, waxes it.. but the fecker won't move it.

The car's on private property owned by the management company - tell them about it, send them pics, and let them sort it out for you.

galwaytt · 27-07-2011 9:38pm

OP, so sorry you feel having a shiney Audi outside your door is inconvenient. Perhaps you'd be happier with a knackered Transit, instead ?

And, as you say yourself, there are no designated parking spaces, so frankly, it's none of your business.

As for suggestions ranging from clamping to getting it towed, to tax/ins/VRT, etc, just remember:
Parked on private ground, it needs neither.
If you interfere with the car, you're in the shady area of the definition of car theft.
Management companies, on private grounds, have no powers to ask, let alone remove, a car on any grounds of the Road Traffic Act or the Finance Act. So tax/insurance/vrt are none of their business.
As you say, the owners are not Irish - then unless you can prove otherwise, they are not obliged to re-reg the car on Irish plates. You do work for Revenue, do you ?

People need to grow up.

mb1725 · 27-07-2011 9:40pm

Am I alone in thinking it weird to remove the steering wheel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC4yDwOh-U8

Anan1 · 27-07-2011 9:40pm

galwaytt wrote: »

Management companies, on private grounds, have no powers to ask, let alone remove, a car on any grounds of the Road Traffic Act or the Finance Act.

No, but they do have the right to remove a car abandoned on their property. I do agree with much of the rest of your post, though.

Our man in Havana · 27-07-2011 9:42pm

Private land has never been a problem for customs before.

galwaytt · 27-07-2011 9:53pm

Anan1 wrote: »

No, but they do have the right to remove a car abandoned on their property. I do agree with much of the rest of your post, though.

It's not abandoned - OP has told us that himself. It's washed, waxed, cleaned regularly, and he knows by whom. There is no requirement to drive a car, by owning it. If they want it just a 'art' - then that's up to them.

galwaytt · 27-07-2011 9:55pm

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Private land has never been a problem for customs before.

Re-read my post - that's not what I said. Revenue can come in, and if they owner's are compliant with Finance Act, that's the end of it - and the GB plates may stay on it. I made the point that a management company have no powers, not Revenue........

Anan1 · 27-07-2011 9:56pm

galwaytt wrote: »

It's not abandoned - OP has told us that himself. It's washed, waxed, cleaned regularly, and he knows by whom. There is no requirement to drive a car, by owning it. If they want it just a 'art' - then that's up to them.

I'd imagine that's up to the management company - it's their land.

daRobot · 27-07-2011 10:45pm

Unbelievable. What exactly have they done wrong? They've every right to park there.

I find your grievance with this pretty disgusting on many levels.

galwaytt · 27-07-2011 10:52pm

Anan1 wrote: »

I'd imagine that's up to the management company - it's their land.

Actually, it's not.

The management company is only a contractor hired to manage the land owned by the homeowner's. That is the extent of their involvement, and like all contractor's, they can be fired. Nothing is fixed in stone forever.

As a person who owns a house, in a mgt-co managed development, with communal/no designated parking, the deeds to my house are quite clear on the parking too. You have no designated space, and all parking is communal, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gers_punto · 27-07-2011 10:54pm

Its a car park, the car is regularly cleaned and you know the owner the car is not abandoned but is PARKED

dont worry yourself over it

Anan1 · 27-07-2011 10:57pm

galwaytt wrote: »

Actually, it's not.

The management company is only a contractor hired to manage the land owned by the homeowner's. That is the extent of their involvement, and like all contractor's, they can be fired. Nothing is fixed in stone forever.

As a person who owns a house, in a mgt-co managed development, with communal/no designated parking, the deeds to my house are quite clear on the parking too. You have no designated space, and all parking is communal, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sure, but they'll have rules about who can park there and how. If the Audi contravenes those rules then they can act, of not then they won't.

galwaytt · 27-07-2011 11:01pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Sure, but they'll have rules about who can park there and how. If the Audi contravenes those rules then they can act, of not then they won't.

No they can't. They have absolutely no powers to do so. The have no title to the property, and they cannot impinge on anyone's civil right to movement or title, of anything - cars included.

If I decide to travel by horse tomorrow, I can pitch up on any space, and there isn't a thing they can do about it.

If they did, I'd have a writ in their door so quick they wouldn't know what hit them.

Horse outside, anyone ??

the_syco · 27-07-2011 11:06pm

If they like the car so much, they can park it outside their own apartment...

Anan1 · 27-07-2011 11:41pm

galwaytt wrote: »

No they can't. They have absolutely no powers to do so. The have no title to the property, and they cannot impinge on anyone's civil right to movement or title, of anything - cars included.

If I decide to travel by horse tomorrow, I can pitch up on any space, and there isn't a thing they can do about it.

If they did, I'd have a writ in their door so quick they wouldn't know what hit them.

Horse outside, anyone ??

What do you mean when you say that they have no title to the property? Don't the management company own the property?

rabbitinlights · 28-07-2011 12:19am

Man up and have a polite conversation with the owner, maybe when he is cleaning the car approach him by saying the car is nice etc and then bring up about it having no steering wheel and that it never moves?

It doesn't have to be confrontational.

S.

Cuddlesworth · 28-07-2011 7:23am

In my last apartment block after five years there, we eventually started having a problem with parking. The communal spaces were being used to store random cars, people were getting pissed off having to park miles away and complaints started being made.

The management company sent out a letter telling the residents that the car parking was one space per flat and that any cars not being moved would be towed. After a month they towed around 15 cars abandoned throughout the complex.

About a week later, Revenue came up and seized about forty cars with English plates. The camera's in the complex were used to show the cars were being driven and public roads and the people lived in the complex. I only ever saw about three of them again.

Didn't have a parking problem after that.

Tea drinker · 28-07-2011 8:25am

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

In my last apartment block after five years there, we eventually started having a problem with parking. The communal spaces were being used to store random cars, people were getting pissed off having to park miles away and complaints started being made.

The management company sent out a letter telling the residents that the car parking was one space per flat and that any cars not being moved would be towed. After a month they towed around 15 cars abandoned throughout the complex.

About a week later, Revenue came up and seized about forty cars with English plates. The camera's in the complex were used to show the cars were being driven and public roads and the people lived in the complex. I only ever saw about three of them again.

Didn't have a parking problem after that.

lol they must have taken someone from revenue's parking space! 40 english reg cars is a LOT though, some sort of garage storing cars there or what?

bastados · 28-07-2011 8:27am

What is it with immigrants and cars?...guy in a rented house across the road has at any one time at least 3 cars vehicles parked up in various stages of repair..even though he's no mechanic he cleans them constantly and tried to flog them at weekends to other immigrants..running a biz from the house in an estate where this kind of activity is illegal..wtf can you do with the likes of that..blocking up the street with his crapped out cars.

seamus · 28-07-2011 8:31am

Worth noting that if the development doesn't have access-controlled gates, then it's a public place for the purposes of the RTA, and it's an offence for them to park it in the car park without tax or insurance.

inforfun · 28-07-2011 8:38am

the_syco wrote: »

If they like the car so much, they can park it outside their own apartment...

As far as i can see in the OP's posts, the car belongs to the next door neighbours. So i guess it is parked outside their own apartment....

giant_midget · 28-07-2011 8:40am

@ Suzie.

If they were friendly normal irish neighbours then you would probably know them and converse with them on occasions, Seeming as they are not... Follow up on previous advice here and get onto customs, They will get rid of the car. If it was parked in front of my house/apt that is what i would be doing...

http://www.revenue.ie/en/contact/customs-division.html

Max Power1 · 28-07-2011 8:45am

giant_midget wrote: »

@ Suzie.

If they were friendly normal irish neighbours then you would probably know them and converse with them on occasions, Seeming as they are not... Follow up on previous advice here and get onto customs, They will get rid of the car. If it was parked in front of my house/apt that is what i would be doing...

http://www.revenue.ie/en/contact/customs-division.html

DO you own the land in front of your house? No

here.from.day.1 · 28-07-2011 8:49am

Any pics of the car? Pure curiosity at this point.

alias no.9 · 28-07-2011 8:54am

galwaytt wrote: »

Actually, it's not.

The management company is only a contractor hired to manage the land owned by the homeowner's. That is the extent of their involvement, and like all contractor's, they can be fired. Nothing is fixed in stone forever.

You may be confusing the Management Company, the legal entity that owns all of the common areas in the development, with the Managing Agent who is contracted by the Management Company to look after the day to day running of the property. Each of the property owners will be shareholders in the Management Company and will elect a board of directors who in turn will generally contract a Managing Agent.
The Managing Agent are a contractor that can be fired, the Directors of the Managment Company may be removed but will have to be replaced. The Management Company continues to exist through any of this, it continues to hold title over the common areas and the property owners continue to be shareholders with voting rights.

giant_midget · 28-07-2011 8:54am

Max Power1 wrote: »

DO you own the land in front of your house? No

My house has a driveway, so yes i own it...

Wolverine_1999 · 28-07-2011 8:54am

I can see that the comments are getting more "non-Irish" motivated than purely sensical.

I have a car off the road and although not parked in front of my apartment, I wouldn't see why I wouldn't be allowed to do it. It is off the road - not in a public place - and I could clean/wash it as much as I pleased?

If it's on English plates, then it should be VRT'd, sure. But maybe they can't afford to at the moment? Is it illegal to not drive a car in Ireland and park it privately while waiting to change plates?

Where I live, I would LOVE to have anything but Irish neighbours. I find there is just pure ignorance and mostly not even a toot out of them when you might pass them by (not to mention I wouldn't want to associate with the type in the first place..). The Indian and the Polish neighbours on the other hand always have a big hello to say or even a little conversation.

Having mentioned the points and taken into fact that:

- The neighbours live in the apartment block
- It is free parking (as mentioned by the OP)

For what reason would he not park it there? Calling Customs is BAD form which happened to a few friends of mine who were working here for a few years. Why would they want to get their car into the sh*tty Irish system in the first place? Of course it was the lovely Irish neighbours who called them.. and they had to return their cars back to the continent.

OP I can see the bit of discomfort you might have if you have had a "tussle" with your neighbours before, but the best would be to ask them about the car directly first.

bastados · 28-07-2011 8:56am

Its about a lack of respect and common decency.

nicol · 28-07-2011 9:09am

The only real issue here, regardless of the OP's feelings about his neighbours and where they have parked their car (as they seem to be maintaining it) is that the car has foreign plates in the country. If his neighbours are resident in the country, and they would appear to be as they are his neighbours, then they should have to pay VRT. It doesn't matter if they can't afford it at the moment, they shouldn't have brought the car into the country if they couldn't afford the VRT.

OP if you want shot of the car / p*ss off your neighbours then contact customs. If it's not illegal to have a foreign reg car on private property they'll soon tell you. If your neighbours have to stump up cash then it'll help all of us as it'll be more revenue for the EU/IMF kitty!!

Blazer · 28-07-2011 9:09am

Wolverine_1999 wrote: »

Why would they want to get their car into the sh*tty Irish system in the first place? Of course it was the lovely Irish neighbours who called them.. and they had to return their cars back to the continent.

because it's the law...if you're going to go to a country and work and live there at least follow it's laws.

Max Power1 · 28-07-2011 9:10am

giant_midget wrote: »

My house has a driveway, so yes i own it...

The OP was referring to a parking space in front of - outside - their property.

As you didnt say otherwise (i amnt psychic) I wouldnt know.

Gone Drinking · 28-07-2011 9:16am

Sounds like a First World Problem

seamus · 28-07-2011 9:16am

Wolverine_1999 wrote: »

It is off the road - not in a public place - and I could clean/wash it as much as I pleased?

Depends on where, "off the road" is. If the car is to be driven or parked in any public place, it must be taxed and insured. A public place doesn't mean a road or a place under control of the local authority. A public place is any place where members of the general public have access to by way of right or permission. In order for a vehicle to be "off the road", it must be stored on private land to which the general public to do not have access.

But maybe they can't afford to at the moment? Is it illegal to not drive a car in Ireland and park it privately while waiting to change plates?

Um....yes? VRT is payable within 30 days of importing the vehicle into the state, whether or not you wish to drive the car on the road. VRT is payable even when the vehicle is parked on private property.
More correctly, all foreign vehicles must be registered upon entering the state for the purposes of import, though VRT is not payable if the person importing the vehicle, lived and owned the vehicle outside of the state for at least six months (afair). The vehicle must still be registered, but VRT is not payable.

Why would they want to get their car into the sh*tty Irish system in the first place?

Because that's the law. There's no excuse.

eg6 vtec · 28-07-2011 9:19am

Why dont you try parking outside their door for a while and see if it gets a responce and go from there

Name Changed · 28-07-2011 9:22am

galwaytt wrote: »

As you say, the owners are not Irish - then unless you can prove otherwise, they are not obliged to re-reg the car on Irish plates. You do work for Revenue, do you ?

If they live in Ireland, which from the OP they clearly do, then they are obliged to re-reg their car within a specific amount of time.

Car with no tax/insurance parked outside my door

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