A parking one! Blue badge dilemma

[BluebadgeCF]

Short version: my new neighbours are CF and are trying to steal a visitor parking space because they have a blue badge, they are not the only blue badge holders in the block of flats, and are behaving unreasonably.

long story: no diagram as I am sat in the car waiting for DSs sporting activity to end.

I live in a small block of flats, ten in total built 20 ish years ago, all are either privately rented or owned. They are all 2 bedrooms and there is a private carpark accessible via a gated entry you need a fob to get into.

Every flat has 1 allocated parking space and there are 4 visitor spaces at the very furthest end of the car park. One of the spaces used to have a disabled symbol on it, but is the same size as all the other spaces and is the furthest parking spot from the entrance of the car park and not the most accessible. There is no other signage indicating it’s a disabled spot and you would only know it “used” to be the designated spot if you had lived here a long time, it’s not on the deeds etc.

I don’t have a blue badge, a couple of my relatives do and a couple of the existing residents do. Even though people who live in the flats have blue badges nobody uses the parking spot as it literally the worst spot in the whole car park, it also next to the hedges which need cutting back, it’s also at an odd angle and normally really tight to get in, with the hedges making it worse.

We have new neighbours, a family of 5 plus two dogs - yes in a two bedroom flat - they also have two cars and one of the residents, not sure who, also has a blue badge. I have noticed the “disabled” space has been occupied recently - it’s usually empty cos it’s a horrible space as mentioned above.

I had a relative with a blue badge visit this week and I moved my car into the “disabled” parking spot for a couple of days, as it was the only one free and I had a legitimate reason to be there, despite I don’t believe it being a legally enforced disabled parking space. This was so my relative who needs mobility aids could use my spot, which is easier to drive into and doesn’t have a whopping hedge growing into it, making it easier for her to get out of the car.

New neighbours are pissed! Apparently they have rung their landlord and the estate agent has been round knocking on everyone’s doors (me and relative have been out in her car so missed this) because new neighbours have a blue badge and must be able to use the car parking space at all times.

One of my elderly neighbours spoke to me about this and is very worried I am going to get in trouble. IMO though the new neighbours are just trying to get a second parking space for free, by claiming sole use of the “disabled” visitor space, like they are the only people in the world who own a blue badge. When in reality what they want to do is be able to park both of their cars in the secure parking area, rather like the rest of us who either have two cars of visitors park on the ample street parking (it’s a village not a city). My neighbour who is worried is also a blue badge holder, but parks in his allocated space.

AIBU to keep parking there or letting my visitors who have blue badges!?

It’s a visitor space, it’s on private land, no signage to say it’s disabled anyway so I could technically park there even if I wasnt doing so to for a blue badge holder, the new neighbours simply have to use there one allocated spot and not occupy a visitor space permanently.

You still have to register cars being used to the BB holder

That is how it works with London councils anyway. Does it work differently in other areas?

Yes. Maybe it is because blue badge holders don't pay congestion charges in London so register their car to avoid it?

Fair enough

No. Neither is mine. I can pop it in absolutely any car I am using.

If it's a designated blue badge spot, then you shouldn't have parked your car in it.

If it's not a designated blue badge spot then anyone can park in it and the new neighbours need to accept they can only use that space if it's free. If it is no more "accessible" than any of the other spaces and only one of them is a BB holder, then they can use their owj designated space and the non-BB holder can park in a free visitor space or on the road.

Hopefully in the resulting kerfuffle, the management company can arrange for the hedges to be cut back.

If you can see remnants of paint showing space for disabled visitors, I would assume it is intended to be a BB space. So neighbours can't claim it, it would be first come first served for any BB holder.

We don't have to do that here (not London).

Even shorter version. Ask freeholder/managing agent to confirm whether its a normal visitor space or a disabled space and write to all residents advising which it is, then behave appropriately i.e do t park there uness have BB if it is a designated disabled space.

Why would they assume they could have exclusive use of it though, even if it turns out it is a designated disabled space? There could always be more than one BB holder living in the block or visiting? In whcih case park who or whenever you like there as long as BB in the car.

We have 2 of those outside our house. They were for previous residents and are a politeness, don't come with the enforcement blue badge signs. Anyone can park in them, and we do

Yes but the disabled person has to be in the car.

@BluebadgeCF

Next time if it's possible, have your relative get out of her car beforehand by your parking space and call you to let you know she's there. Then you go down and park her car in the 'disabled space'. Problem solved. If she can't walk the extra distance, could she sit in or on your car until hers is parked?

DS2 has a similar situation but it's with too many residents with 2 or more cars for the amount of parking. Residents are allotted 1 space the rest is supposed to be for guests, but it's not used that way. So when I visit he tries to park in an empty 'guest' parking spot because they get filled up with residents' 'extra' cars. Then when I get there, he pulls out and I park and he returns to his 'correct' space. It's ridiculous.

Why on earth didn't you just park in the 'ample street parking' which you say is available? Regardless of what the neighbours do, YABU for parking in a blue badge space without a blue badge. And no, someone with a blue badge using your allocated space is absolutely not a reason for you to use a bb space.

For the love of god read the OP properly before posting. OP has said it’s no longer a designated space

The space not being maintained does not suddenly mean the space is no longer a blue badge space. Loads of bb spaces have worn markings, it doesn't mean they are no longer a designated space.
OP clearly knows it is a designated bb space, and therefore shouldn't have been parking there without a bb. The new neighbours also clearly know its a bb space too, as they use a bb. Whether they should be parking in a visitor space is a different matter.

It isn't a real disabled parking space, it is a courtesy space or put there specifically for the use of a prior tenant - the law around blue badges does not apply, because this is a private car park.

The relevant rules will depend on the contract you have with the carpark owner/landlord.

I would write to the relevant person asking for clarification on the rules as these neighbours seem to now have two spaces, the disabled space and their own allocated space.

If this were a council painted space on a public road - it is still not specific to the person who applied (and paid!) for it, its open to anyone with a blue badge!

What does the lease say regarding parking arrangements? It's obviously a private, secure car park so there should be relevant information regarding parking spaces & usage on the tenants lease.

Ok mystery solved - it’s not a designated bb space, I double checked the deeds and it’s just a visitor space. It also doesn’t meet the legal requirements to be a BB spot either. Which was my point by repeatedly saying it’s not an adapted spade, just an ordinary one that at some point in the last 20+ years had a white painted disability symbol put on it but was never maintained, hence why you wouldn’t know from looking it had one ever, you can kind of see it once you know it was once there, and only if it has rained.

So new neighbours will have to use their allocated ONE parking spot, they can’t claim exclusive rights to a space because of their BB.

i am not a dick though so given I know it was once used as a BB space I will only allow my BB visitors to use it. And treat it first come first serve like any other space.

I do agree with the PP that perhaps there should be rules that visitors are classed as day visitors so overnight parking shouldn’t be allowed, that will stop anyone claiming any of the visitor spaces for their second cars.

This is a rule I usually follow, my boyfriend is here 3 nights a week and he parks his car on the main road, this is the first time I have used a visitor space for an overnight guest.

I can also tell my elderly panicked neighbour that I won’t be getting into trouble or fined!

It’s a visitors space. They have their allocated spot but they are trying to claim 2

I’m pretty sure that’s not how bb work.

look, if it’s a disable spot you shouldn’t park there. , anyone with a bb can park there - your neighbours, your relatives etc. if it’s not, it’s fair game.

edited to add I missed the update. Sorted then 🤷🏼‍♀️