Unknown car in my underground car park

[reluctantlogin]

I have a London zone 1 flat . Yesterday morning I tried to park my car there in our underground car park in my numbered spot and it was occupied . The entry is by key fob which operates an automatic garage door and the 24 hour concierge don’t know whose car it is. They didn’t see it come in. One possibility is that it tailgated another resident. It may or may not be stolen. Parking here is about £30 a day if I can even find a space and there is congestion charge as well. I’ve looked on google and it seems We cannot get DVLA or police to tell us who owner is quickly. DVLA is a form by post. We cannot get help from council as it’s a private garage . We cannot get it removed . What can we do ?

If it’s a private car park can it be clamped?

It probably belongs to a guest of one of the other flats and they thought they’d be cheeky - is there a way of sending a message to everyone in the building saying if it’s not gone it’ll be clamped/towed away?

Even if it won’t, who cares, they don’t know that!

Oh, and for now can you park in front of it? Block it in, not your fault.

Thank you. Alas I cannot park in front of it as that would block three other car parks. We don’t have a flat complex messaging group. We don’t have a clamping or fining system - it’s never been a problem in 12 years. I’m sure I could find the owner it is a mistake and they will move but I seem to have no way of doing that. Oh dear .

Could you print off a flyer and put it under everyone’s door?

Have you left a note on the windscreen? Where is your car now?

Surely this is the management's/concierge'a problem and responsibility?

They can't just shrug any say 'I dunno'. You've paid for that space!

If you are paying management fees I would threaten to withhold them until the car is removed.

I’ve left several notes since yesterday morning. My car is parked in a neighbour’s space arranged by the concierge team to help out but I can only have that till this afternoon. Come Monday am the car park fills up. On Monday the security manager is in and he can review the cctv footage and see if he knows who brought the car in . If not it seems it can take a long time to get authority to two and impound and I am liable for costs. If I could block them in and not cause anyone else an issue I would now love to do so … yesterday I was more tolerant

Surely this is the management's/concierge'a problem and responsibility?

I agree, if your flats don’t have a contact with a private parking enforcement company then it is up to the managing agents to enforce the parking restrictions. I am surprised this hasn’t happened to you before - we have the same setup and even with a key fob for entry to the garage, rogue cars make their way into the garage.

You cant be liable for costs when it was their entry system that allowed someone in, that's ridiculous. Maybe it a guest of a cf neighbour and they'll get the aggro. Seriously don't let them make this your fault or problem to fix

Some strong men to maneuver it onto a tow dolly, use a car to pull it up onto the street, leave it somewhere it will get towed by parking enforcement.

Actually I would get angry and be very firm with the security/concierge people at this point

@Snow1n

Actually I would get angry and be very firm with the security/concierge people at this point

I would be too. What's the point in having them if they allow random cars in and then shrug their shoulders. I think you're being far too polite to them, it's literally their job to prevent stuff like this happening and to resolve these issues.

That's so frustrating. How many flats are there? Can you knock at each one? What about putting posters up with a photo of the car on it. I guess you've tried to see if you can open the car and see if you can find something with contact details inside?

That's ridiculous.
They have a security system, which you are paying for, and which isn't up to the job.

If this was more sinister (car bomb), they would be liable, so they are liable now.

Another analogy - if it was someone in your flat, not a car in your space, because of poor security, they would be liable.

If you can't use your space, stop paying for it. And don't pay any investigation costs.

We don’t have a flat complex messaging group.

The management company must have, how do they normally communicate with residents? They must have a way of letting people know about building maintenance/issues!

They need to check the cctv, what’s the point of the security entry system if they can’t see who’s coming in and out of the carpark?

I’d block all the cars, leave notes on them all so the people who’s cars you’re blocking by mistake can call you and you’ll move for them.

I know of two stolen sports cars parked in our garage and the car’s security GPS locators allowed the police (they were actually plainclothes armed people, I don’t know if they were police or not) to show up fairly swiftly to tow the cars - the insurance companies clearly have an interest in recovering high end cars as quickly as possible.

If it’s high end and stolen it might be gone soon. But that doesn’t help you being told you will be responsible for additional costs - is that clearly stated in your contract or in the by-laws?

Poor show if the security are only available to view the cctv Monday-Friday

What if something really serious happens?

My money is on this being an entitled chancer visiting somebody in the apartment block for the wkend

My brother used to rent an apartment with underground parking. I visited a few times and he always tried to get me to park in a space that according to him was never used. I declined, I wasn't comfortable with it

Problem solved - it turns out it was indeed a visitor - one who parked in my bay instead of his host’s bay as got the numbers the wrong way round …
I’ve learned a lot about what a pain this sort of thing can be to solve. Thanks all.

Great that it's been resolved, but it might still be useful to send an email to management to ask what their plans are if anything like this are to happen again.

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Great that it's been resolved, but it might still be useful to send an email to management to ask what their plans are if anything like this are to happen again.

Completely agree, put it all in writing OP to your building management company - you’ll be paying good money for the carpark and security for it and the way this has been handled is completely crap.

Our DS has moved into a similar complex (no car, doesn't drive).

Having a dedicated space is great when we visit as it's all level for DWs wheelchair.

However it does seem some residents (and I suggested he might want to investigate) do "sub out" their parking spots.

First time I visited I parked in the wrong numbered spot as DS didn't read his papers properly. Luckily (I hope) no one was inconvenienced.