Parking Issue

Peyton Manning

Hey folks,

Just wondering if I could get some advice here.

I started renting an apartment at the beginning of July. It's situated near a shopping centre, and the shopping centre car park has reserved spaces for those living in the apartment (if the landlord is supplying one of these spaces with the apartment, which he is in my case). The apartment was listed as "Price includes one car parking space in secure underground car park".

When I was viewing the apartment I was also assured that there was a reserved parking space included in my rent. I was also specifically told by the estate agent showing me the apartment that the parking space was unavailable to the public because it was behind a barrier that can only be lifted with a buzzer (which I was supplied with when I moved in).

However, the day I tried to bring in all my property, I discovered that my parking space was not behind a barrier. It was at the very far end of the car park, and while it did have "Reserved" written on it, anyone could park there. The majority of the time, this isn't a problem as there are always spaces available closer to the entrance to the apartments (which you enter through the car park). Tenants are allowed park in any space (the guys who run the car park confirmed this to me).

Thing is, the shopping centre is getting busier and busier, especially between the hours of 1 and 2 when everyone (myself included) heads in during lunch. I am finding more and more that the car park is nearly full so I head to the back to my space only to find some moron has parked there. I only have an hour for lunch so I'm often driving around for a further 10 minutes looking for a space.

The guys who run the car park (Q Park) said there's little they can do about it, and that they have very little to do with the reserved spaces. When I contacted the estate agents, they that there's nothing they can do either - that my space is linked to my apartment and it can't be moved.

The only thing is, the lease actually doesn't say anything about a car parking space at all. Is there anything at all I can do, or any steps I could take? Not even sure what outcome I'd like - but I suppose either a reserved space like promised, or not being made pay for a reserved space if I don't have one

mebird

If it is not numbered I would suggest that it is owned by the Management Company and available to all the residents. If that is the case, it was misleading of the estate agent to say you had space reserved personally for you. Forget about taking them up on that.. they have got their fee and are probably busy describing a small dark cardboard box as bright and spacious.

Anyway, it would be the responsibility of the management company to police the resident spaces ( if they are not individually owned as I was suggesting ). They could issue resident parking stickers, and clamp anyone that does not display same ?

However, I think you are sore from being mislead and this won't help much. You want a space behind a barrier with your name on it and I can understand that.

Marcusm

Evaluate the cost f reserved parking and inform your landlord that if he doesn't provide the facilities advertised that you will have no choice other than to seek a recission of the lease or withhold the appropriate amount. It's very unfortunate that the lease agreement doesn't list the space - does the lease expressly preclude any matters not contained in it? A clause along the lines of "this agreement sets out the whole of the contract between the parties...". If not, I suspect that the advertisement if unciorrected forms part of the agreement (although Statute of Frauds may have something to say).

However, this could all be sorted out by someone installing a parking post which should cost little more than EUR40 + fitting.

mebird

Marcusm wrote: »

Evaluate the cost f reserved parking and inform your landlord that if he doesn't provide the facilities advertised that you will have no choice other than to seek a recission of the lease

No chance.

Marcusm wrote: »

If not, I suspect that the advertisement if unciorrected forms part of the agreement.

No it doesn't.

Marcusm wrote: »

However, this could all be sorted out by someone installing a parking post which should cost little more than EUR40 + fitting.

If it is not designated.... it is not his space.

Victor

Get your landlord to pay for one of these: http://www.rhinosecurity.co.uk/posts-and-barriers/parking-posts.html

About €100 fitted.

athtrasna

Victor wrote: »

Get your landlord to pay for one of these: http://www.rhinosecurity.co.uk/posts-and-barriers/parking-posts.html

About €100 fitted.

Prob not an option..the car park is a common area where the landlord/OP have "exclusive use" of a space, they don't actually own it and installing such a post would constitute vandalism.

Victor

Well, permission would need to be given, but I can't imagine the management company objecting.

Shelli2

A Plastic traffic cone at the entrance of the parking space would ususally do the trick. Not breaking any laws and just pointing out to people that it's a reserved space, they'd need a really brass neck to get out, move and park in your space.

The_Conductor

Shelli2 wrote: »

A Plastic traffic cone at the entrance of the parking space would ususally do the trick. Not breaking any laws and just pointing out to people that it's a reserved space, they'd need a really brass neck to get out, move and park in your space.

Having just seen an individual reverse into a space with a cone- which promptly has gotten stuck under their car, and then scrape an adjoining pillar on the drivers side and both doors (and continue to reverse)- I wouldn't even think its a brass neck they might have- a total frontal lobe lobotomy perhaps- but not a brass neck.

OP- I'd suggest the Rhino thing that Victor has linked to- you will need permission of course, but it seems to be a reasonable course of action.

Also- why did they give you a zapper for the barrier if it wasn't applicable to you?