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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think flatmate should pay for the parking space?

56 replies

kingboo · 10/02/2021 16:43

I live in a flat shared between four people. It's in a very expensive inner city area, where parking comes at a huge premium.
The rent for the rooms in the flat are split based on the size of the rooms, on a fair formula. There is one parking place in an underground garage that comes with the property. Several of our neighbours rent their spaces out for decent amounts of money.

A flatmate just moved out, who used to use the parking space on weekends if their partner came to visit. It was understood though that if someone else had a guest, that they would take priority. So we tried to make it fair, so everyone got to use the parking spot for friends/visitors.

The new flatmate who moved in has a car and now uses the spot full time. Whilst this is fine because none of us other three flatmates have cars/need it constantly, I can't help but think that their rent should be a bit higher. Obviously not the £100 a month which is the going rate for a space, but say maybe £50, which could go towards our shared bills.

AIBU/

OP posts:

VinylDetective · 10/02/2021 17:10

I’m with you @MadameButterface. Does the person who uses the washing machine most pay extra? Or the person who goes out least pay more of the heating bill?

VeganCow · 10/02/2021 17:15

She should be told she gets the fair 25% use of the shared parking space. Which means in reality she will use it 70% if she had it during the week but if anyone had visitors at weekend then they get to use it. Or she can have the space for the extra £50

TenaciousOnePointOne · 10/02/2021 17:15

@BlueTimes

What was advertised and agreed when the person moved in?

This is important, was the room advertised as having a permanent space or have they decided as no one else has a car that they will have sole use of the space? If they are hogging the space so no one can use it they should pay extra for sole usage unless the room was advertised as having a parking space (unlikely).

MissMarpleDarling · 10/02/2021 17:19

YABVU

MadameButterface · 10/02/2021 17:20

obviously the flatmate should accommodate other people needing occasional use of the space, there's no indication that they won't though? as with many mn dilemmas, this can easily be resolved by using words and talking.

notalwaysalondoner · 10/02/2021 17:45

Living in London, I understand the premium of having your own parking space, but unfortunately if you didn't agree this before she/he moved in, you're going to create a lot of resentment as it was probably one of the appealing factors for the flat for your new flatmate. Maybe just try and have an open conversation with the four of you about how it worked before and how it will work in future with scenarios e.g. what if one of us gets a boyfriend with a car who visits? what if one of us has our parent come to visit for the weekend by car? what if one of us wants to get a car?

She obviously shouldn't get sole use in the above scenarios if she's not paying for it separately - and realising that might make her offer to contribute maybe...

Daphnise · 10/02/2021 17:49

Unless there is provision in your tenancy/leaseholder agreements, no matter what the reasonableness of your suggestion, no extra charge can be legally made.

The new occupier must feel they've won the lottery!

Whyyyyyythough · 10/02/2021 18:01

Yabu a cf

christmasathomeagain · 10/02/2021 18:02

@Godimabitch

You're paying for a 25% share of a parking space that you cant use so yeah I think their rent should go up by 75 quid and your threes rent go down by 25 quid if 100 quid is the going rate.

I kind of agree with this. Previously your guests had somewhere to park when visiting but now wont. Unless flat mate is happy to move their car so your visitors can use it then they should pay for exclusive use.

christmasathomeagain · 10/02/2021 18:05

@yvanka

Sorry posted too soon - let them know in advance if you need to use the space, they should be fine with it as it is shared and they get it most of the time. If they refuse then they should pay more as they are demanding exclusive use.

And this is a good starting point. Difficult as at moment you can't have visitors which may set a president you don't want. It would be interesting to see how they behave if a guest needs it first.

LaceyBetty · 10/02/2021 18:13

This is a no-brainer to me. Of course they should pay more, but sounds like it's too late now.

Beautiful3 · 10/02/2021 18:29

No I disagree. The parking space is for who ever lives there not solely for visitors! Why should you profit from the parking space?! If you had a car, I suppose you'd share the space on alternative days or first some first served.

LaceyBetty · 10/02/2021 18:33

If they have sole use of the space, that is like having a room with an ensuite that other tenants can't use. You would definitely expect to pay more than the others. If you are expecting to be able to use it for guests as and when, then no, they shouldn't pay more. It is then shared.

RunningFromInsanity · 10/02/2021 18:39

They are only getting sole use because they are the only one with a car!
If multiple occupants had a car and wanted the space then fair enough but nobody else can use it!
You are wanting money for nothing, literally.

FixTheBone · 10/02/2021 18:45

This us greed pure and simple. If they didn't have a car, you wouldn't be materially worse off than you are now. You're only thinking about it because there's an opportunity to profit.

Maybe this person factored the parking space I to their calculations and wouldn't have moved in if it was £50 more expensive, leaving those remaining with the rent to pay.

withmycoffee · 10/02/2021 19:18

OP, you haven't told us what was said before the new person accepted the room. What was the conversation regarding the parking?

Holly60 · 10/02/2021 20:09

This is up to the landlord to decide, as he owns the car parking space. You can’t just take it upon yourself to charge someone for the use of a space you don’t own, I’m afraid.

WhoStoleMyCheese · 10/02/2021 20:12

New flatmate should move their car if someone else needs spot. Conceivably if someone else with a car moved in current person wouldn’t have sole use of the parking space anymore!
This isn’t a very big issue because of the pandemic however...

VinylDetective · 10/02/2021 20:13

@Holly60

This is up to the landlord to decide, as he owns the car parking space. You can’t just take it upon yourself to charge someone for the use of a space you don’t own, I’m afraid.

The landlord owns the flat too, they come as a package, it’s nothing to do with the landlord. He’s not very savvy though, I’d have rented it separately if I’d been him, he’s missing out on £100 a month.

WhoStoleMyCheese · 10/02/2021 20:18

@Holly60

This is up to the landlord to decide, as he owns the car parking space. You can’t just take it upon yourself to charge someone for the use of a space you don’t own, I’m afraid.

I moved into a 5 bed with 2 parking spaces. Letting agents mentioned space but didn’t know how many car owners - turns out 3 people did and took turns! If the original tenants were ALSO marketed the property with the space included then no one person has rights over the others. In a pandemic with no visiting allowed it makes sense to allow the car parking but it normal times it must be shared as deemed fit...

Standrewsschool · 10/02/2021 20:25

What has new flatmate agreed with the landlord? The contract is between flatmate and landlord not flatmate and other users.

What does your agreement say about the parking space? Ie. Who is entitled to its usage, and how often?

If you have equal ‘share’ of the parking space, then, I don’t think new flatmate should pay more. You all have equal opportunity to use it, but for whatever reason (ie no car) have declined its usage. That’s not flatmate with car’s fault.

LaceyBetty · 10/02/2021 20:30

@Holly60

This is up to the landlord to decide, as he owns the car parking space. You can’t just take it upon yourself to charge someone for the use of a space you don’t own, I’m afraid.

This is absolutely not how most agree things with flatmates. When I share we all signed the lease to be liable for a third each, but contracted separately with each other as to the breakdown (based on bedroom size, ensuites, etc.)

Sillysandy · 10/02/2021 20:54

Ugh I've had problems with car spaces twice.

The first was a place I moved into and only one of the two existing residents drove and took the car space. She moved out and another driver moved in and took the space. She moved out and a non driver moved in so we found ourselves in the happy position of having a free parking space in a highly sought after area. We checked market value and decided we would advertise it and use the money for a house 'kitty'. Just before I advertised one of the tenants told me not to as she had decided her non-resident boyfriend would be using it. No of course he wasn't going to pay. Neither of the previous drivers paid extra so why should she?

By this stage it was only one in a long list of annoyances she had brought into the house so decided to move out and get a place with a friend. This friend drove. I still did not.

We found a place with secure parking. There were two prices in the building - apartments with a parking space cost an extra 50. We signed the lease and in my naivety I assumed she would pay 50 and then we would split the rest. She didn't suggest it and I like a complete idiot was taken aback and paid half the total saying nothing. I was terrible at these things. I probably would have forgotten all about it (25 a month was hardly putting me in the poorhouse) except whenever she was abroad I would ask for the swipe so friends of mine could use the spot and she would always conveniently forget. When I did confront her she said she wanted it in her car so she didn't have the added stress of coordinating with me while coming back from the airport. I argued it was unfair to charge me for a space I didn't even get to use and she should have paid for it from the beginning. It ended in a row.

So OP, my advice based on my own poor handling is that the time to tackle this was before the new tenant came and now you need to let it to and not allow resentment build.

saraclara · 10/02/2021 20:57

If use of the car parking space wasn't discussed and any rent premium agreed beforehand, then there's nothing you can do now.

However, the flatmate with the car should move it when other tenants have visitors. S/he has use of it for the vast majority of the time, despite paying the same rent, so should be generous when others need it.
If they kick off about that, then it opens up the chance of a conversation about paying a premium to have exclusive use

MythsandSparkles · 10/02/2021 21:46

I’m guessing you pay a higher rent because of the amenity of the parking space?

If you all pay for the parking space then you should all get to use it, suggest a rota of days - non COVid times you might rent a car to drive on holiday, have visitors, workmen, any number of things that mean a car parking space is useful.

If the only driver points out that obviously you won’t be using it on all your days then ask why they think you should pay to store there car? It might make them think.

I don’t think your being a CF, you used to have a shared amenity which has now been lost because one person has taken it as exclusive use - same as if they claimed a bathroom for themselves.

Alternatively, if the new person has been given sole use of the space by the landlord, ask for a rent reduction as your facilities have changed.

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