Car clamped in my own parking spot

slay55

I bought an apartment 6 years ago and have an allocated parking bay. My car is parked there. Every summer owners that pay their mgt fees receive a permit, I received my one as usual in the summer.

yesterday my car was clamped as the permit (paper badge ) had blew over facing down and the clampers couldn’t see the date on it

I have to pay 125euro to unclamp my car in my own parking spot due to this

i have explained this to both mgt company and rfc clampers and even though they acknowledge it’s my spot, I’m up to date with my mgt fees - failure to display the disc correctly means I have to pay

anyway around this ?

Oops!

battery angle grinders are cheap these days.... always have one in the boot.

bad2thebone

I'd have cut the thing off too, as they should have a Data base with all the registration numbers in your estate that paid up. Scan your number plate, good to go or stay if you get my drift.

whatchagonnado

A bit late to say you shouldn't have paid it. Probably wouldn't have done much, but I'd have called the police.

slay55

I have heard and saw that they tow the car away if they clamp is removed

my worry was that the car is parked in my parking bay so they know where to look to remove it

it is RFC clampers

whatchagonnado

Honestly, I would calmly lose my reason with them over the phone, pester ("hi! Its me again! Have you processed the bank transfer yet?!") them until they refund you. Its utterly unreasonable for them to clamp you and charge you given the circumstances. I wouldn't let it go.

And yes, I wouldnt cut it off, it's their property, and you'd be (nearly) as bad as them for doing it.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261128/car-clamped-in-my-own-parking-spot

Why should there be away around your inability to comply with the rules like everyone else? There is no reason why the company nor the management company should take the hit for your mistakes. This kind of entitlement is a joke.

magicbastarder

ah here, if he's paid for the spot and it was a simple mistake it was clear there was no attempt at tomfoolery. the management company could have arranged for the clamp to be removed for free as a courtesy.

SteelyDanJalapeno

I'd lose my rag, failure to display, they're a private company ffs you've already paid them to park there.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546500#Comment_119546500

It is ridiculous to give out a paper ticket to be placed on the dash to show you have paid your management fees.

Subzero3

Tell them its your spot, prove it via management company. If that dont work then grow a pair and do what you have to do.

Now if someone lifted the car up with a jack and had to clean the wishbone then the clamp chain would fall off, without any anybody interfering with it.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Is there a grace period for parking?

How does the clamper get the clamp on without parking up

I'd be petitioning the management company (your management company) to get a new clamping firm to operate the area if they don't remove the clamp FOC. They clamped your car on a technicality. Once they realised it was a paid for parking space they should have been, 'sorry for the inconvenience, but we couldn't see the date of the permit. We'll send someone around now'... rather than doubling down and demanding you pay.

Technically you are at fault. In reality they need to play ball - the punishment does not suit the 'crime'.

BTW, i'd not agree with cutting it off. They are experts at dealing with this and will have a procedure. You'll be bringing a lot of pain down on yourself.

Subzero3

Just incase you need to clean the wishbone joint while the car is clamped. It might cause the clamp chain to fall off.

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546500#Comment_119546500

Entitlement - seriously, your having a laugh , as you say it was a genuine mistake, fees were paid

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546500#Comment_119546500

weirdly, i am unable to find a photo of the jobsworth cap from 'that's life'. the internet has failed me.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546500#Comment_119546500

What hit is the clamping company taking? It doesn’t cost them anything to remove the clamp.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546500#Comment_119546500

It is completely unreasonable for a management company to expect every single occupant to remember to place a paper badge on their care every single day.

• Why is it paper and not a sticker?
• Why don't they have a database?
• Why are they even looking at assigned spaces without a call from the space owner?
• Why can't they just say, "hey, sorry about that" and remove the clamp, like a reasonable person would do.

Because the behavioral science proves that 1% of people will simply forget on a daily basis, and they build their exploitative business model out of that.

And defending them, are those on the internet would would be shouting about "personal responsibility" even if the fine was a million Euro, and you had to solve a Rubik's cube and place your parking ticket on top each time you got out of the car.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547096#Comment_119547096

Who pays the wages for the guy doing the unclamping? The van costs?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547189#Comment_119547189

The same people who'd be paying him to keep patrolling the spots if there were no clamps to remove.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547234#Comment_119547234

Think you've a lot to learn about the way a business operates.

I'm well aware, thanks.

If the OP had put his sticker facing the right way, and his car hadn't been clamped, would the guy who would have unclamped OPs car be fired or something? Not be paid? Do you think they work on commission or something?

Or is he a regular employee who gets paid his wages whether he clamps 1 car or 100?

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547256#Comment_119547256

So how much do you think it cost them then? A couple of euro in fuel, a few minutes worth of labour, are we going to calculate depreciation on the van and wear & tear too? Your going on as if it the clamping company have to pay the €125 out of their own pocket.

The workers are being paid anyway, they probably would have been doing nothing otherwise.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547608#Comment_119547608

You said it doesn't cost them anything to remove the clamp.

That's patently untrue.

MakersMark

It's not about clampers costs, it's about the severity of the punishment.

A 125 euro fine for being fully compliant other than a paper ticket being upside down is unreasonable.

Anyone who thinks otherwise it just a scumbag troll.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Surely he would have spent the same amount of fuel if he clamped or didn't clamp?

Maybe a little less since he's minus the weight of the clamp now

touts

It's a shakedown. Cut it off and dump it. Then say you came back and the clamp was gone and you assumed they had removed it in response to your complaint. Let them prove it was you that cut it off.

ThreeGreens

"I'd be petitioning the management company (your management company) to get a new clamping firm to operate the area if they don't remove the clamp FOC. They clamped your car on a technicality. Once they realised it was a paid for parking space they should have been, 'sorry for the inconvenience, but we couldn't see the date of the permit. We'll send someone around now'... rather than doubling down and demanding you pay.

Technically you are at fault. In reality they need to play ball - the punishment does not suit the 'crime'."

This. The clampers work for the management company and you're part owner of the management company. It looks like they have a poor system to knowing who is to be clamped and who not. Suggest that the mgt company that they need to get a better clamping company. Attend the AGM and propose a resolution that a new clamping company is appointed.

Put yourself forward for election as a director of the management company so that you have more of a say in this.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119545948#Comment_119545948

Advocating criminal damage to another person's property is not good advice. Why have an angle grinder in your car at all time... Silly if you don't need one for work...

OP. I would write to the OMC and to RFC. Outline what you said here and ask them why they clamped your car. The OMC will know which spaces were allocated new permits and must have given the list of spaces where no permit was authorised. Where I iive we have over 500 spaces and a similar system. There is no way RFC would go around all vehicles to check permits.

If you are eligible for a new permit, then RFC have no business or authority to clamp a vehicle parked in that space. Appeal, Appeal, Appeal.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547744#Comment_119547744

I suspect they do have the authority, owners generally do not own their parking space, they lease it.

Unfortunately I experienced this myself many years ago in an apartment I owned, it was extremely frustrating, but, the terms of leasing the space were clear, I had to abide by the OMCs rules and display my permit, which I hadn’t. Simple solution, I stuck it to my windscreen.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119547174#Comment_119547174

Clamping does not happen by magic, it cost money to carry it out. There is not reason why anyone should have to carry the can for an adult that is not capable of following instructions. Entitlement gone mad.