New estate to bring in parking enforcement, help

[lihi]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/residential-commercial-lettings/206054-undisclosed-parking-enforcements-estate.html

 

Hi

 

I first posted the above thread a couple of days ago.

 

I'm really unhappy and advice is appreciated.

 

My partner and I are both car owners and we were looking for a rented property for our daughter after xmas. We found a couple of lovely homes and our current home was the favourite. We were told our current home came with one allocated parking space but we could park on the road we lived on.

 

To give you some history on the house, its a brand new development not close to anywhere. It consists of business space, schools, supermarkets etc. They're planning on building pretty much a new town. We live in phase 1, phase 2 is the school and not yet completed, more phases to come. There is a management firm (I assume are paid through the flats service charge) who monitor the estate via CCTV and keep it clean etc. All in all very nice place to live.

 

Anyway...... We've been going on with our business as normal for the last 6 months and earlier this week I get a note on my car from concerned residents asking me not to park on the road, that the management firm are in the process of bringing in a parking enforcement firm. Notes on cars really wind me up, I'd far rather someone knock on my door and tell me what's going on or put a leaflet through my door. So I go looking for the residents contact at the management firm, he confirms they're bringing in a parking enforcement company. Apparently the thought process behind the design was to encourage homeowners to keep the number of cars in a household down. I like the initiative but would respect it much more if I was told about it at the time of signing the lease. I asked the management firm how we're expected to know and he told me all the details are included in the lease our landlord had to sign and the estate agent should have told us.

 

Where do we stand with these parking people? There is no where in the local area where we can park our car which will be safe once the parasites are out in force. We have to have 2 cars, we both work nationally. One of our cars has to go on the road.

 

To say I'm unimpressed is an understatement, had we been made aware of this at the time of viewing we would have run for the hills but we were told we could park our other car on the road no problem. I've got a thread on the renting section because I think our landlord should release our deposit if we break the contract as a result of this.

 

It seems the estate agents, and the on-site sales agents for the builder have been telling prospective buyers and tenants they can park where they like just to get them to sign on the dotted line.

 

Sorry for the rant, am fuming about the underhand motives by the vermin agents.

 

Thanks

[lihi]

Done some research on this type of parking scams, what do we do if they clamp?

[crem]

Done some research on this type of parking scams, what do we do if they clamp?

 

Clamping is a remedy of trespass, which you clearly aren't guilty of. However, that only helps in pursuing your case for a refund if they do clamp, not in stopping them clamp in the first place with all the inconvenience it would bring.

 

There are better experts on the legalities (or more accurately the illegalities) of clamping, but it is possible the easiest solution if they do clamp you is to keep a set of boltcutters or cordless grinder handy in the car for such occasions and let them try to pursue you through the courts for the cost of their damaged lock rather than the other way round.

[wheelergeezer]

I completely agree with Crem.

[the_freedom_trail]

Yep, get yourself an angle grinder - no one would give them the time of day because you have every right to park there. If such a problem arises you may wish to consult a solicitor and consider suing the managing agents for any damages.

 

P.S. If you do angle grind a clamp - make sure you always wear a protective mask.

 

TFT

[green_and_mean]

Ridiculous advice!! If the car is going to be left there on a regular basis and you start cutting clamps off you can look forward to waking one morning to find the car towed, unless of course you intend keeping watch 24/7.

[crem]

Ridiculous advice!! If the car is going to be left there on a regular basis and you start cutting clamps off you can look forward to waking one morning to find the car towed, unless of course you intend keeping watch 24/7.

 

Towing itself would be illegal without warning signs which could and should involve the police, and the OP has not implied towing has been threatened anyway.

 

lihi, have you attempted to discuss this with the estate agents and builder? How, if at all, are they claiming this parking is not allowed within your tenancy agreement? Mayb it is time to organise a tenants meeting to discuss their underhand approach to this.

[Mossycat]

What's the problem with parking on the road you mentioned, if it's a public road (without any parking restrictions from the Council) and your car is taxed and insured then no private company can stop you parking on it.

 

Mossy

[the_freedom_trail]

Ridiculous advice!! If the car is going to be left there on a regular basis and you start cutting clamps off you can look forward to waking one morning to find the car towed, unless of course you intend keeping watch 24/7.

 

What's your advice then Green and Mean???????. If you don't mind me saying you are rude to say the least. Just because your advice is different to others, it doesn't mean you always know best (that is being arrogant!). Learn some diplomacy!

 

TFT

[green_and_mean]

What's your advice then Green and Mean???????. If you don't mind me saying you are rude to say the least. Just because your advice is different to others, it doesn't mean you always know best (that is being arrogant!). Learn some diplomacy!

 

TFT

 

My advice would be to take some action to avoid any action by the company. Removing a clamp when you are caught out in a strange place is a possible course of action to take. But suggesting cutting off clamps outside his house and then continue to park there as if nothing has happened is never going to work. What do you think the clampers will do just say 'what a clever chap' and leave the car there taking their clamp home with them?

[Al27]

I suspect you've got more chance of being keyed rather than towed.

 

Anyway, why are we talking about clamping? I can't see any mention of this in the OP.