A parking one.

[steppedonlego]

I live in a block of fifteen flats, there are 17 parking spaces. It has worked out so far as some people have two cars whereas some people don't drive at all. I personally own one car.

However, recently, some people have moved, either bringing two cars to a previously one car household or one car to a previously carless one, as well as one of my neighbours deciding that it is perfectly acceptable to have four cars on site.

This has meant that on several occasions me, and a couple of other neighbours have been left without a parking space at all, despite it being a selling point that there was parking when we bought the flats.

We'be complained to the housing association (they're part rent part but) but have only received back that the spaces are first come first served, and that parking is not allocated. I have managed to email the CEO, but I'm not holding my breath as to the issue being resolved.

My insurance would be invalidated if I were to park on the road, and more to the point it's just so frustrating that I cant get a space for my single car when other people have multiple ones just sitting there that are rarely if ever driven.

AIBU? And if not, any advice on how to resolve it?

*(part rent part buy)

"My insurance would be invalidated if I were to park on the road"

if you parked on the road more regularly than off the road then maybe if the insurance company found out - alternatively you could call your insurance company and change your insurance.

no idea how to resolve your main parking problem, but this might remove some stress?

Your insurance won't be invalidated if you park on the road. You've told them you park in residents' parking, so that means that for the majority of the time when your car is at home, it should be in the car park. If you occasionally have to park it on the road then that won't be the end of the world. If it's likely that you are going to spend more time parking on the road than in the car park, then call your insurer and get them to update your overnight parking location.

You have to take a deep breath and try and not get wound up by it I'm afraid (bitter experience talking BTW!). If spaces aren't allocated then there is nothing you can do except put up with it or move.

Do the other residents who sometimes struggle to park feel the same?

The only solution I can think of is the residents putting pressure on to the HA to allocate one space per flat, with the remaining spaces being "first come first served".

We have the same system here - but we are a courtyard of 12 houses with 14 spaces in the middle. I understand how it can be annoying.

Aquire some traffic comes and change your surname to Boswell.

Your insurance won't be invalidated. It simply means that you will park your car in the car park more often than on the road - if you have to park on street occasionally then that's allowed (logically, think about how you go on when you are away overnight with your car!).

Re: parking generally, there is nothing you can do if the spaces aren't allocated. Try not to get wound up by it - it's basically put up with it or move.

FFS - first message didn't post so re-typed a version of it, only to have the first one appear!

I think if it was sold to your with parking then it's not first come first served, especially if there are 17 spaces to 15 flats. What if someone brings home 5/6/7 vehicles, is that still not their issue? What do your deeds say?

I would quite cheerfully block in anyone parked outside my house if there were no unallocated spaces available.

or you could go out in the dark of night and spray numbers on the spaces!!

mini Our deeds don't say anything, but when advertising the flats they are always advertised as having parking, which was one of the main reasons we bought.

I raised that point to the housing officer. What exactly is stopping me from starting a new hobby where I buy and sell used cars, maybe 17 of them at a time and keeping them all stored in the car park?

Big pot of white paint and self allocate your number on a space. Issue resolved. I too have huge issue with parking. When we had no parking the space in front of my house was sacred. Now we have allocated parking I go slightly mental if anyone parks too close to it never mind in it! I feel for you OP!

haveacup this is exactly what I have been doing when I come in from my night shifts, luckily there seems to be a lady who leaves within ten minutes of me getting home so I've been nipping into her space, but some of my neighbours haven't been so lucky

celaena I'm not going to lie, I have been tempted.

There will be a clause is your deed that says you can only park personal vehicles in the space so no one can start trading using the spaces, unfortunately you can't stop people parking 4 cars if they have 4 cars, first come first served is the nature of the beast. Just contact your insurer, it probably won't even affect your premium

Then you would be committing an offence haveacupoftea.

twogunslingers that would be true if it was a business. It wouldn't be a business, it would be a hobby 😉

Good luck with that defence

I'd simply be buying seventeen cars, all to tinker on, it's my hobby but I am a silly and frivolous lady who can't just pick one old banger, and it is perfectly within my rights as there's no limit and I got there first 😉

Legally speaking...you are incorrect. Park on the street when you have too. It's annoying, but it's life

I admire you for trying to do something by contacting the HA and emailing the CEO - it does seem unfair - some people are just so selfish and thoughtless. Have the other affected neighbours contacted the HA as well? Could you write a joint letter? I must say that in similar set ups Ive seen the parking spaces with the flat numbers painted on them. Do you know if this HA has other flats in your area and if so, what happens there?

I live in a household with four other adults, four of the five of us have cars. We fit some on the road and some on the drive. They're not doing anything wrong and if all four cars are used then they have every right to park there too.

If it's more than one car per person then it is a bit selfish.

As a previous shared ownership occupant I can confirm that unless it is shown on your deeds then you do not have an allocated parking space and it will be first come first served. But you'll be pleased to hear that your device charge will be used towards it maintenance (yay!).

Sadly social housing is often under allocated car parking because of the age old stereotypical view of those in need can't afford cars (I've actually been told that when negotiating parking requirements with a developer 😳). I always educate them and explain that many in social housing do work and in rural areas may (shock horror) need two cars!

Unfortunately when residents move on this situation occurs all too often but there is little you or the HA will be able to do about it.

If however the HA said (in writing) that you would have a car parking space then that is a different matter.

The only thing you can realistically do is push the HA to allocate spaces, though if there are more spaces than flats that will cause a problem, as inevitably some people will demand more than one space.

Even if you do get spaces allocated, this will not be the end of it. I have a flat where there is one clearly numbered space per flat but obviously, nearly everyone has more than one car. This means they nick other people's allocated spaces, park dangerously on the road, block people in etc. Short of getting private parking enforcement in, there is literally nothing you can do about it.

It all boils down to what's in your lease.

The spaces clearly aren't demised, nor are they allocated, so in terms of enforcing parking there, unless they alter the leases, they can't legally enforce anything other than a first come first served basis.

What I'm trying to say is that they could allocate two per flat but if someone parks in 'your' space there is nothing they can actually do about it.

When you purchased the lease to your flat you signed to agree to those terms and it's just unfortunate that times have changed and more people have cars now.