Car left at property - advice

Diceicle

Just looking for some advice on a shared parking situation and an interloper vehicle.

I live in a terrace of 3 houses which have 6 non-designated spaces outside of them. The maths speaks for itself but there are no permits required to park there (yet).
A non-resident has parked her car (badly) in one of those spaces - she seems to have left the country for an extended period of time. I have been in touch with her, at the earliest I'd say she will be back is April 21st.
The Car has no documents on display either.

She's not doing anything illegal but at the end of the day, I don't want someone occupying the space for the next month that's obviously meant for my usage.
Talked briefly to the council who are sympathetic - they will send an inspector to look at the car -sticker it and contact the owner. If no response in 3 weeks they'll tow the car.
At the time of writing, I don't remember if there are registration plates on the car or not.

What is the best way to play this?

evolving_doors

Nothing you can do apart from reporting it.
Although if it's parked badly could it prevent access by emergency services?
When you say no documents do you mean no tax,ins, nct discs?

amcalester

Its windy out, be shame if the licence plates got blown away.

With no tax, ins or NCT on display the council would have no option but to tow it.

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seamus

Ultimately they're non-designated spaces, so it doesn't belong to you at all no matter how the maths stacks up.

If the car has no documents and the estate is not gated, then the vehicle is parked in a public place without tax or insurance, which is illegal.

However my experience of this is that Gardai DGAF and will tell you to contact the council, even though it's a Garda matter.

The council have offered to do something, so I'd explore that route.

Anything else such as moving the vehicle or removing the plates is a crime.

Zulu

Its a shame there are plates on it. I mean, if there weren't any plates on it, it'd get towed.

Michael D Not Higgins

That's enough. Not even a veiled suggestion of illegal activity is allowed here.

DoraDelite

If it's on a public road and in Dublin, you can report it as an abandoned vehicle here: http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-your-council/isupport

I have reported 4 cars over the last 12 months on my street, left for months with Tax/Insurance/NCT out of date and all 4 were lifted within a couple of weeks of filling out a service request.

Diceicle

Thanks for the replies.
I'm going to explore the council route - an inspector will come out and slap a 21 day notice on it. Though I'm not sure exactly what the mechanics of that situation / process is.
They're not legally forbidden from parking in such areas.
So if they acknowledge ownership within 21 days its game over AFAIK.

On the 'public roads' piece - the car is in a shared parking space - 'parked up' as the disinterested Garda told me - so it doesn't matter if the car has no valid documentation on display - they have to catch the car in the act of being driven in order to enact any enforcement. Is that everyones understanding?

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Diceicle

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The Garda I spoke with was of the opinion that a car which was parked-up - i.e occupying a space and not in the process of being driven on a public road - could be without tax, insurance etc without penalty. Her hands were tied she said. I think she just wasn't bothered leaving the station. I've usually a high opinion of Gardai but the ones I've dealt with on this matter were disinterested at best.
Re: the 'shared spaces' - essentially there are a small few houses and 2 spaces meant for each house. Having said that, any tom dick or harry can just drive up and stick there car there - or I could buy a fleet of cars and occupy them all but I wouldn't bee too popular I'd imagine. I guess a 'fair-usage' policy is supposed to apply.

4ensic15

Diceicle wrote: »

The Garda I spoke with was of the opinion that a car which was parked-up - i.e occupying a space and not in the process of being driven on a public road - could be without tax, insurance etc without penalty. Her hands were tied she said. I think she just wasn't bothered leaving the station. I've usually a high opinion of Gardai but the ones I've dealt with on this matter were disinterested at best.
Re: the 'shared spaces' - essentially there are a small few houses and 2 spaces meant for each house. Having said that, any tom dick or harry can just drive up and stick there car there - or I could buy a fleet of cars and occupy them all but I wouldn't bee too popular I'd imagine. I guess a 'fair-usage' policy is supposed to apply.

Is the car trespassing on private property or is it on a public road?

Diceicle

4ensic15 wrote: »

Is the car trespassing on private property or is it on a public road?

Its not private property - essentially its a situation not too disimilar to this: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/433049320402392363/

enricoh

How did you end up talking to her? If she gets away with it her mates/ family will be making the most of your parking for years to come!

4ensic15

Diceicle wrote: »

Its not private property - essentially its a situation not too disimilar to this: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/433049320402392363/

I don't know what those photographs are about.
If it is on the public road and untaxed the guards should seize it. Take a photograph and write a letter to the Superintendent of the local garda station, show the photograph and request that something is done.

Peregrinus

Diceicle wrote: »

Its not private property - essentially its a situation not too disimilar to this: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/433049320402392363/

This isn't helpful. None of your pictures show any parking spaces, other than obviously private gardens which have been paved over.

Can you post pictures which show the kind of parking spaces you are talking about?

Rothmans

4ensic15 wrote: »

I don't know what those photographs are about.
If it is on the public road and untaxed the guards should seize it. Take a photograph and write a letter to the Superintendent of the local garda station, show the photograph and request that something is done.

The guards may seize it. Or they may not, especially if the council have taken the above location in charge, and are dealing with the matter. The council have the authority and power to deal with abandoned vehicles via the method described above. The guards will be more concerned with vehicles in use or that are parked dangerously.

beertons

Wasn't there a lad on here recently that said if you put biscuit tin tops under the wheels, you can slide the car to another spot. Worth a try. If the car just happened to be parked on a double yellow.....

Victor

Diceicle wrote: »

The Garda I spoke with was of the opinion that a car which was parked-up - i.e occupying a space and not in the process of being driven on a public road - could be without tax, insurance etc without penalty.

This is wrong. Public place means it must have tax and insurance, and NCT if appropriate.

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seamus

Diceicle wrote: »

The Garda I spoke with was of the opinion that a car which was parked-up - i.e occupying a space and not in the process of being driven on a public road - could be without tax, insurance etc without penalty. Her hands were tied she said. I think she just wasn't bothered leaving the station.

I think this is just ignorance on the part of Gardai as to the specifics of the law. We had a similar issue where a resident had bought a chip van for his son to start a business (no, I'm not messing) and left it parked in the estate for months until his son got back from Saudi.

We spoke to 3 or 4 different Gardai on the matter, including a family friend, who all refused to do anything about it because "it was parked up", despite my insistence that it was parked in a public place and therefore breaking the law.

Eventually one Garda took an interest and got the guy to insure the thing and put some bloody tyres on it. But it went on for months.

Diceicle

enricoh wrote: »

How did you end up talking to her? If she gets away with it her mates/ family will be making the most of your parking for years to come!

I posted about it on FB - wondering who owned the car, was it nicked etc?
She ended up touching base with a story I'm not sure I believe.

Diceicle

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Sorry - this is what Im talking about by way of example:

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Michael D Not Higgins

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Unfortunately, "can" is different to "will" when it comes to the Gardaí.

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Zulu

beertons wrote: »

Wasn't there a lad on here recently that said if you put biscuit tin tops under the wheels, you can slide the car to another spot. Worth a try. If the car just happened to be parked on a double yellow.....

Lol. Carefull now...