CF parking thread 🙄

[Amaranth22]

Recently bought a house which came with parking on deeds. Was told by existing residents that there is a “gentleman’s agreement” between them that parking has been shuffled around and I should parking in x space (the space I park in is not registered to anyone) I’ve attached a diagram as it’s way too complicated to explain without!

So as you can see from diagram houses 1,2,6 and 7 now benefit from single parking spaces, whilst I get a tandem, closer to my house (fine, it’s more convenient in that sense).

When I bought the house I obtained a letter from house owner no2 protecting me from adverse possession upon request of solicitors.

House no3 has recently sold but is still in a relationship with house no7 🙄. They have allocated spaces of their own but previous owner of house no3 (the CF) is parking in my deed spot for hours and hours almost every day.

No2 are tenants and won’t say anything to him (I can’t blame them, I think he could be quite nasty) but it’s getting on my nerves especially as no7 and old no3 are the first to dictate proper parking.

Old no3 knows this is my deed space and I have asked him why he is parking there before. He said it was easier for him and would only be until he moved.
I always thought he started parking there so he could carry on when he moved and would be seen as normal by others... guess I was bang on.

Anyway, what would you do?

@KeepYaHeadUp

Just seen your post re the ownership of this extra land. Where do visitors park? Are these the only spaces?

I would want the arrangement formalised or I'd revert back to the deed parking

If I get the arrangement formalised then I’m adding value to other houses by effectively giving them two single spaces and only getting a tandem myself. If it was to be formalised then everyone needs to gain equally.

I’m going to see what the committee has to say, maybe a letter can go out to all involved stating that no adverse possession can take place? Not a solicitor but sounds right?

Gotcha. My house has a similar set up, 2 private car parks with spaces, management company overseeing it etc and it was previously a parking space free for all before I moved in. I don't know exactly what happened as it pre-dates me, but the spaces all got allocated to specific houses and included on the deeds, so mine has 2 allocated spaces which are clearly marked on my house deeds as my private property, some others have 2 and a few have 1. I would suggest maybe you need to go down this route so each house has their own allocated spaces to avoid this parking controversy in future. If people need to purchase a second space, perhaps they can do so, but if houses with multiple cars insist on buying properties with inadequate parking for their vehicles, it's not your problem and I agree with you that the best solution is that everyone uses their own deed spaces as a minimum.

Sorry meant to say adverse possession CAN NOT take place!

Hmm, an awkward one.
The original arrangement while simple and making some sense only provides 1 space per house and some spare land for general use (3 or 4 spaces). This is inadequate in modern times when most homes will be 2+car households.
In this respect the 'gentlemans arrangement' is more sensible as the tandem spaces need to be used by 2 cars from 1 household, thus some need to 'forfeit' their allocated spaces.
You were defiantly right to get the letter of comfort regarding adverse possession though.

As to the solution. Difficult. Easiest is to stick to the arrangement and ignore what's happening elsewhere & let them fight any battle necessary but i understand your desire to enforce the usage of your owned space to what you have deemed it to be released to another person for.

@user1471447863

Hmm, an awkward one. The original arrangement while simple and making some sense only provides 1 space per house and some spare land for general use (3 or 4 spaces). This is inadequate in modern times when most homes will be 2+car households. In this respect the 'gentlemans arrangement' is more sensible as the tandem spaces need to be used by 2 cars from 1 household, thus some need to 'forfeit' their allocated spaces. You were defiantly right to get the letter of comfort regarding adverse possession though.

As to the solution. Difficult. Easiest is to stick to the arrangement and ignore what's happening elsewhere & let them fight any battle necessary but i understand your desire to enforce the usage of your owned space to what you have deemed it to be released to another person for.

Yes! Exactly this.

I think the key question, and I might have missed this, is whether you own your parking space freehold (I think you do), or whether it’s your allocated space and the freehold is owned by the management company or similar. Given what you said regarding adverse possession I suspect it’s the former. It sounds like a right pain but very common unfortunately. I once dealt with a similar case where there were eight spaces transferred freehold but only seven on the ground because the two garage blocks had been built too close together. Pretty much impossible to solve.

If your concerns are regarding adverse possession you just need to put in writing to the CF that they don’t have your permission to park there. Keep a copy, and make sure that this is made clear to the new person.

The issue of who should park where is far too complicated for my small brain today!

@Leftbutcameback

I think the key question, and I might have missed this, is whether you own your parking space freehold (I think you do), or whether it’s your allocated space and the freehold is owned by the management company or similar. Given what you said regarding adverse possession I suspect it’s the former. It sounds like a right pain but very common unfortunately. I once dealt with a similar case where there were eight spaces transferred freehold but only seven on the ground because the two garage blocks had been built too close together. Pretty much impossible to solve.

If your concerns are regarding adverse possession you just need to put in writing to the CF that they don’t have your permission to park there. Keep a copy, and make sure that this is made clear to the new person.

The issue of who should park where is far too complicated for my small brain today!

Yes, so similar as there are 7 parking spots on deeds but 8 on the ground! It’s evident that the end one (no7) is the additional though.

Yes, I do own the parking space. Thanks for the advice but this man has form to be vicious so would be uncomfortable writing letters to him

I'd start parking in No7s deed space .....

What a load of nonsense. Park in your owned parking space. There is no agreement unless you agree to it. You don't have to agree. They can reshuffle as they please after you have made your parking stance. Stop being so nice to them.

@londonmummy1966

I'd start parking in No7s deed space .....

I have satisfying thoughts about doing this lol

At least it’s an extra space rather than one too few!

@Leftbutcameback

At least it’s an extra space rather than one too few!

God.... I couldn’t imagine! Would make it impossible!

Go back to deed parking - cannot actually see why anyone thought it was a good idea to deviate from that in the first place - especially as you subsequently said that if all the "agreement" parking was formalised then there would not be an even benefit across all of the residents.

But I also see the case for parking in no7's deed space

Only park in your deed spot and install a bollard there. Do not share your space as it gives someone else rights over your land.

To be honest I would just say that you wanted to park in the space shown legally on your deeds. If I understand correctly, it is being used by someone who no longer has any parking rights there at all? Also, if the area that you park in is unofficial parking, what’s to stop anyone else just parking there?

If those currently parking in your “official” space aren’t happy, tell them that you are happy to swap places and give them your 2 “unofficial” spaces and take your own deed space and the other one that they use! Then put up a penguin barrier on your own deed space.

I would just go out to all the neighbours, tell them CF has pissed you off so much you will now be working on your property as allocated by the deeds and they will have to work round that

The problem stemmed from when you moved in and were informed of this "gentlemen's agreement" that was established but without any prior knowledge of this.
Your response from day 1 should have been "That's fine. I'm parking in my legally allocated space(s) and for what it's worth....I'm no gentleman!" and just parked in YOUR spot.

The only solution is for you to have a bollard installed and DON'T give a key or combination to any other house holder from any of the other neighbouring homes. It's your space. There wouldn't be anything stopping them copying the key or circulating the combination to the other residents making your bollard as useful in this situation as a chocolate fire guard!