What's the worst that could happen if I advertised a parking space that doesn't belong to me?

[ParkMyFace]

I live in an estate with one parking space per apartment. Quite a few of the parking spaces are never used because people don't have cars. I've lived here for years and know which ones they are. Also I am brassic. If I advertised on a parking site that they were available to rent, and collected money, even though they're not mine, what's the worst that would happen? I don't mind paying money back but I don't want to go to jail.

She's not asking if it's morally right though.

Trouble is no one can actually guarantee that.

I have my allocated space, I rent it out (Monday to Friday)

That does not obviously stop cheeky other people parking there very occasionally -I spotted a van in there a few weeks ago and when renter confirmed it wasn't them (but luckily they were off work that day so not using the space) I had to go out and try and find work man (who was in a flat) and tell them to move. He refused to tell me which flat he was working in who had apparently told him "there are no allocated spaces, park where you want"
He was probably lying of course.
Luckily I was at home and could try and sort it out right there and then
But just shows there is no way to guarantee any space unless you actually can lock it or block it somehow.

Parking apps probably have this covered in their terms, I would imagine. If someone's car got towed and they had to pay £200 or whatever to reclaim their vehicle, I imagine the parking app people would be chasing OP for the money?

I'd be livid if I was penalised for using a supposedly legitimate parking space.

Don't assume your neighbour isn't friends with other neighbours, who would tell them that their space is being used.

OP, if you do this and get found out three things will happen.

1- You absolutely 💯 WILL lose your tenancy.

2- You will be reported for fraud, if you're on any kind of benefit, then it becomes a CRIMINAL matter.

1. You WILL be plastered all over the Internet, people (tabloids) will go out of their way to get your picture for their sites.

You will most likely become a Meme.

I like this

You know it's wrong. Don't do it. You can't make money off something that isn't yours

This was the exact point I was going to make.

If you know which spaces are free so that you can park there, other HA tenants do too, and therefore you cannot guarantee a space to the person renting

It's not ingenious, it's completely wrong as it's not your space to rent and you're therefore a scammer.

I'm sorry you've money worries but this is not the solution.

What a bloody cheek. Your neighbours will definitely notice, they will despise you and at least one of them will report you to your landlord, if not the police. I'm sorry you're struggling for money but I would strongly advise you to try other avenues.
This is a recipe for disaster and for you and you alone.

Had me in mind if this

But it's not your space to rent out? Presumably the others pay a higher rent/ mortgage as the space comes with it. If I had visitors and found they couldn't park in my space because my neighbour was renting it out without my knowledge you can bet I'd be contacting your landlord/ housing association to ask for your eviction! Utterly cf behaviour. I promise I get that you might really need additional money but there's better ways of legally doing it that don't involve taking something that doesn't belong to you.

Or if people are going to work outside the home why not rent out their empty homes during the day as work spaces. Much more comfortable than crouching over a small table in a coffee shop filled with squealing toddlers and yummy mummies. Decent toilets, fridge to keep your lunch, a bed if you need a little lie down, windows and heating adjusted to suit yourself, use of a washing machine if required so you can multitask, who wouldn’t prefer to work there. And I bet lots of your neighbours would be perfectly happy at the chance of you making a bit of money from using something they own but aren’t using for eight hours a day, I mean , why wouldn’t they?

All you need to do is somehow get the door keys off them, but that shouldn’t be a problem for an observant entrepreneur like you. Hope to see you on Dragon’s Den soon, this one could spread across the country as a franchise that doesn’t even need seed money to set up.

🙂

Its fraud. If you just advised people for free there were spare spaces you wouldn't be in bother but claiming money by deception opens you up to criminal charges.

Or if people are going to work outside the home why not rent out their empty homes during the day as work spaces.

😂

Hang on a minute, you are proposing to make money by renting something out that isn't yours to rent and you don't think you're a CF? If I was your neighbour and found you'd been doing this with my property I'd go up the wall (putting it mildly) and would be going through all the channels to get you stopped. Your money problems are not your neighbours problems, and surely you must see that this is wrong.

We paid to park on a driveway near Wembley. It was at the back of a small block of flats, loads of spaces empty. Parked without issue. Went to the stadium, had a great time. Got back to the car around 11pm ish.

We were confronted by a very unhappy guy when we got there - the space was being rented out by the son of one of the residents. Apparently he was renting out more than one space at a time! Making a fortune! But… he wasn’t technically an owner and it was against the Ts & Cs of rental and both the mum and son were going to be thrown out because of his enterprising way of easily earning some cash. I think the man who confronted us was something to do with HA and he was monitoring / recording people parking as evidence, especially on days where Wembley was busy.

I don’t think it would be worth losing your home for.

It’s a flawed business model. If they are empty and unused what’s to stop someone just park I g there - why would they pay you? Do you need a code to enter?

someone did this years ago in a block of flats I lived in. Residents caught on pretty quick. It was one of the builders who had sold a key to the car park. We were told he was sacked.

Unless you approach the parking space owners and suggest doing this together and above board then fair enough but you can't sell something that isn't yours!
I'm surprised you even considered it to be honest.

Brilliant, do this op. We'll buy shares. 😁

It's the ultimate victimless crime.
Can you give it a go and see what happens? I can't see how that would affect your tenancy, it's horrible being skint all the time with no way out, I would probably risk it personally

😳 Just imagine. Someone who normally works long hours with a car not in their spot, takes 4 weeks annual leave, or changes jobs and now wfh, suddenly finds a person in their spot who is outraged at the confrontation because they are paying good money to park there. Not victimless anymore. I imagine the resulting hoo haa about the fraud (essentially selling something you don’t own), could result in risk of tenancy.

It’s a great idea if done the right way - which would be approaching the OWNERS of these spaces and putting a business proposition to them of managing the spaces on their behalf in return for a commission and having a contract accordingly. That way you are not acting like a CF and getting $$ out if it.

If the HA tenants don't have parking is it because one of the conditions of your tenancy is that you are car free? This is very common in our area.

@PegasusReturns that's a brilliant story!

The people that don't have cars may need the spaces for visitors such as home help etc?

Another risk is that someone else has the same wheeze and you find yourself embroiled in some kind of local parking mafia feud. If you can do it, what's stopping anyone else from muscling in?

I have a vague idea it's obtaining a pecunian advantage, theft act.

I know loads of people who rent out their visitors car parking pass from when I lived in the city centre.

Back in the day they were not very high quality and you could copy them on a high end photocopying machine, wardens couldn't tell the difference.

Not that I would know anything about that mind.......

I’m not sure if you’re smiling sarcastically at my suggestion of renting out garages @viques but it is a totally legitimate business (if done properly. Not without owners permission obv). I currently rent a garage off an elderly gentleman locally through a legit rental company. I reckon OP could be the next Richard Branson.